Flacco's signature games

[JohnBKistler]

For me I will always remember week 17 against Jax in 08. A simple win and in scenario and Joe threw the ball all over them....That was first time I actually felt like we had something special.

That was the first game he really aired it out, he just missed his first 300yd game by like 5yds. That was the game they brought the old colts out for the 50th anniversary of the '58 championship.

All the games mentioned were great. I'll just add a game in 2009 against the bears. Week 15. Joe threw 4 TD passes, completed 72% of his passes, and racked up a QBR of 135.6.

And these types of games early in Flacco's career were watched by virtually no one outside of Baltimore. I know it is not what OP meant by "signature games", but Flacco's worst games in the first 3 years of his career were notable in the fact that many were on national TV:
> Dec. 14, 2008 vs. PIT (the Santonio Holmes catch). A 22.2 QBR. Sunday Night Football national TV audience.
> Dec. 7, 2009 vs. GB. A 27.2 QBR. Monday Night Football national TV audience.
> Oct. 10, 2011 vs. NYJ. A 37.4 QBR. Sunday Night Football national TV audience.
> Nov. 16, 2008 vs NYG. A 58.1 QBR. Not a national TV game, but in NY and broadcast to most of the NE and Mid-West.
> Oct. 24, 2011 vs JAX. A 61.0 QBR. Monday Night Football national TV audience.

In all these games, Flacco threw 1 or less TDs and had more INTs than TDs in each game.

And if you thought those were bad, here were some of his early playoff games:
> 2009 Wildcard Round @ NE. A 10.0 QBR.
> 2008 AFCG @ PIT. A 18.2 QBR.
> 2009 Divisional Round @ IND. A 48.4 QBR.
> 2008 Wildcard Round @ MIA. A 59.1 QBR.

In those 4 games above, he threw 0 TDs and 6 picks.

Combine that with the games where he should have been given credit for leading 4th quarter comebacks (at MIN in 2009 and at ATL in 2010) but still managed to come out on the losing end, and it is easy to see how the casual fan and sportswriter didn't think much of Flacco. It was only the ones that saw him play every week (the Ravens fans) or the ones that thoroughly analyzed his play (Greg Cossell, Ron Jaworkski, etc.) did they see something more than what "the numbers" portrayed.

I believe it was those early poor games on national TV, along with being a lousy/inconsistent fantasy QB, to lead many to believe he was no where near elite (recall, it was only a couple of years ago when the debate was Flacco or Sanchez). To me, the real turning point of national perception was the comeback in PIT in 2011 (I believe this is specifically where Chris Colinsworth changed his mind) and then the 2011 AFCG.

[Bl1tz]

Flacco shaking off a rough first half in the Falcons 2010 loss

[ERey]

If I had to pick one it would be Ravens at Pittsburgh 2011. Flacco drives the entire field against the vaunted Pittsburgh defense at Heinz Field and hits Torrey for the game winner with seconds remaining. Steelers go on the get "tebowed" in the playoffs. Joe then throws the game winner to advance to the Super Bowl to Lee Evans and, well you know.