Let’s start with a corollary that is obvious but occasionally needs restating so everyone understands: The Ravens pay Joe Flacco a whole lot of money because he is their most valuable and essential player, the one on whom everything rests.
Their high-dollar arrangement assumes certain performance levels, and my two cents, Flaccohas consistently met or exceeded those assumptions. Yes, he has experienced some disappointments and the debate about his elitism has literally become a joke, but he has won a Super Bowl and a bunch of other games, directed a ton of comebacks, and bottom line, his winning record speaks for itself.