Sports Radio Interviews

Joe Flacco: “This year I’m going to do the same thing and just be more confident in what we’re doing as an offense and therefore we’re going to play a little bit faster and be a bit better.”

It was quite a year for Baltimore Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. He went from being a no-name prospect out of the University of Delaware to becoming a 1st Round NFL Draft pick to starting all 16 games for the Baltimore Ravens to leading his team all the way to the AFC Championship Game. Now all he’ll be asked to do is do it all over again in 2009. Ah, expectations. Flacco will have the services of veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason, who flirted with retirement earlier this summer. And the Ravens defense should once again be formidable, despite the fact that they lost longtime defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. Still, Flacco will be asked to do his fair share for Cam Cameron’s offense in Baltimore. And from the sound of it, Flacco is excited as can be to get things started. He joined The Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio to talk about the 2009 season.

On where he’s at as a quarterback right now compared to at this time last year:

“Oh yeah, it’s just a completely different experience for me this preseason was. You know the whole offseason and everything. Just getting to be with your teammates and feeling more comfortable and confident with everything you’re doing. So it’s been a really good offseason, really good preseason and we’re getting ready for the Chiefs now.”

On if being a rookie last year and not knowing certain things might have helped him just go out and play loose, confident football:

“Oh yeah, but that was my whole thing last year. Just keep telling yourself that you can’t do it and just play football. And I don’t know if people understood it or not but I know it’s the NFL. I knew it was the NFL and I knew it was supposed to be a little bit harder and whatever. But you can’t tell yourself that. You got to go out there and play quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens each week. And you have to play well in order to win. So in order to do that each week, I had to tell myself it was just football, go out there and play the way you know how to and you’ll be successful if you do that. And that’s what I did. And this year I’m going to do the same thing and just be more confident in what we’re doing as an offense and therefore we’re going to play a little bit faster and be a bit better.”

On getting back veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason:

“It was big. Obviously when he announced his retirement we were surprised, but at the same time, we were going to support him no matter what he did. So I gave him a call and let him know how I felt and I was kind of surprised. We were talking about him one day and I went in to the locker room for training camp and there he was. So we’re definitely glad to have Derrick back. He’s a big part of this offense. But the biggest part of it for us this year is we’re going to have all the other guys step up their games and start improving. So you know, Derrick’s going to be there for us doing his same thing and as long as the other guys keep coming around for us, keep coming along, we’re going to be a good offense.”

On the Ravens expectations after their successful year in 2008:

“Last year we went to the AFC Championship Game. This year we expect nothing but going to the Super Bowl and winning it. That was our goal last year and it’s going to be our goal this year and it’s going to be our goal forever. And we really feel we have the team to do it. We feel great on offense, we feel great on defense, we feel great on special teams. So as long as we go out there and play like we’re supposed to every Sunday, then we’ll be fine. And that’s the thing about this team, we come ready to play on Sundays. So look out. And I think we’re firing on all cylinders and we’re right where we want to be. So as long as we go out there and understand what we have to do on Sunday, we’ll be fine.”

Listen here to Flacco on ESPN Radio

Tags: AFC North, Baltimore Ravens, best rookie records as quarterbacks, Joe Flacco, John Harbaugh, NFL interviews