Despite skipping two practices last week and being limited on Friday, quarterback Joe Flacco started and played the entirety of Sunday's 24-16 loss to the New York Jets here at MetLife Stadium. Afterward, Flacco declared that his right shoulder was fine.
"I felt good," he said. "My arm felt great. I was a little bit nervous early on in the week just because I wasn't sure what it was. I was having a little bit of trouble with it. So I was a little bit nervous early in the week, but when I went in on Thursday, I felt pretty good and I felt optimistic that I was going to be feeling ready to go."
Flacco compared the injury to one he suffered at the University of Delaware, and speculated that the ailment flared up after he had completed a 70-yard bomb to wide receiver Mike Wallace in the third quarter of an eventual 27-23 loss to the New York Giants a week ago.
"I just got hit from my left side, and I landed on my arm with it extended out," Flacco said. "So I think it was just a little bit of a, you know, my shoulder just took a little bit of a concussion from the ground, and I think it will get better pretty soon here."
On Sunday, Flacco completed 56.8 percent of his passes and was sacked just once. But he recorded a season-low 54.0 passer rating, and his streak of consecutive throws without an interception ended at 176 in the third quarter when he woefully underthrew a ball to wide receiver Breshad Perriman. Jets cornerback Buster Skrine intercepted it.
After a 22-yard field goal by Nick Folk, Flacco was intercepted again, on his third snap, when he overthrew Perriman over the middle, and free safety Marcus Gilchrist returned the ball to the Ravens' 24. That led to New York's third and final touchdown.
Flacco said he will use the upcoming bye week to strengthen his shoulder. "I definitely don't want to mess around with my right shoulder."
