Poll: Should Ravens Let Flacco Throw?

Joe Flacco is just looking for a little credit.

The Ravens' fourth-year quarterback has been in the playoffs each season of his career. He tossed 20 touchdown passes and threw for 3,610 yards in 2011 as the team went 12-4 and secured the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

But most of the team's offensive success usually is attributed to Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice, by the media last week and led the NFL with 2,068 yards from scrimmage.

Some in the local media have repeatedly indicated that the team needs to remain focused on Rice and the running game if it is to succeed in the postseason.

So excuse Flacco if he bristles a bit when the question of his ability to become a so-called elite quarterback comes into question. He did so today during a media session in Owings Mills, a BaltimoreRavens.com blog reported.

“You guys want everybody to be Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. But you guys realize, those guys don’t run the ball? If we tried to do that, the criticism we’d take around here would be ridiculous," Flacco told reporters, the blog said. "We could win eight games like that and lose one, and you guys would be like, ‘Oh man, what are you guys doing?’"

The Ravens play the Houston Texans Sunday at 1 p.m. In a in week five of the regular season, Flacco completed 20 of 33 passes for 305 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.