We all know how quickly a Super Bowl ring can change a reputation. Two weeks ago people wondered if the Baltimore Ravens' Joe Flacco could be an elite quarterback. Now these statements are being made:
"If you had to put it in perspective right now, Joe Flacco is the best quarterback in football right now," Ravens running back Ray Rice told WFAN-AM in New York, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. "I'm not saying that because it's my guy, but look who he's beaten. He's beaten Tom Brady, beat Peyton Manning, and who else is out there?"
Debate: Can Ravens reverse a curse?
Super Bowl winners haven't fared well in recent title defenses. Can Joe Flacco's Ravens change that in 2013? Let's debate! **More ...**
We get Rice's point, but it was the Ravens as a team that beat the Patriots and Broncos. Flacco played better than Brady and Manning in the 2012 playoffs, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Brady might be the best quarterback in NFL history and Manning might be the top regular-season quarterback ever. I'd still rank those two, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Eli Manning in front of Flacco.
That's not taking away from all that Flacco has accomplished in the last month. Eleven postseason touchdowns and zero interceptions is an amazing accomplishment. But consistency is part of being The Man. That's the next challenge for Flacco.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.