Joe Flacco has surprised most NFL fans by leading the Cleveland Browns to three consecutive victories that have the team on the verge of a postseason berth, and his former coach seems genuinely happy for him.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh was asked on Monday about the success Flacco has had since he took over as the starter in Cleveland. Saleh praised Flacco for the veteran’s contributions to the Jets last season. He also had a great way of describing the 38-year-old.
“I’ve said it before, he’s like a Ford pickup truck — you might not like it in the summer, but in the winter months in December and January that son of a gun starts humming,” Saleh told reporters. “He’s playing some really, really, really good football.”
That seems like a pretty good comparison. Flacco has never been a flashy playmaker, but he has a Super Bowl MVP on his resume. Though he has thrown seven interceptions in four games with the Browns, he also has 10 touchdown passes and has proven he can still win games at the highest level.
The Browns improved to 10-5 with their win over the Houston Texans on Sunday. We doubt anyone will pick them to go on a Super Bowl run, but at least they know they have a reliable quarterback under center who has been there before. That type of experience can be extremely valuable in the playoffs.
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