Critics can think what they want.

But there’s one thing nobody can take away from Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.



He wins.

Flacco won his 44th career regular-season game Sunday against the Bengals. It’s the most victories in NFL history for a quarterback in his first four years.

Instead of acknowledging the magnitude of his record, Flacco focused on getting more Ws this season.

“It’s pretty special for us to be able to come out here the last four years the way that we have week-in and week-out to win games,” he said. “Hopefully, I can add three more playoff wins on top of what we have the last few years. If we play well, we have the team to do it.”

Flacco’s statistics did drop somewhat this year.

He completed five percent fewer passes, threw for 12 fewer yards and five fewer touchdowns this season when compared to last year. He tossed two more interceptions and his quarterback rating dropped from 93.6 to 80.9.

But Flacco took on more responsibility within the offense. He attempted a career-high 542 passes, 43 more than his previous high and 53 more than last year.

He also helped mold a young wide receiver corps that featured two second-year tight ends and three rookie wide receivers.

And while the stats haven’t always looked good, Flacco won 12 games this year and captained the AFC’s fourth-highest scoring offense.

In Cincinnati, Flacco gave the perfect display of how stats don’t always tell the story.

It was cold and there were 25 mph winds. But with his big hands and strong arm, Flacco completed 15 of 19 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. It was actually, statistically speaking, his most accurate day of the regular season.

While performances like that don’t look like much on paper, they resonate with Head Coach John Harbaugh. Playing in such harsh AFC North conditions late in the year is part of the reason why the Ravens drafted Flacco.

“His performance in this last game, though maybe some wouldn’t consider it flashy, was extremely effective,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh also gave props to Flacco for his durability. He completed his fourth-straight regular season without missing a start – 64 straight.

“Joe is tough,” Harbaugh said. “He is really a guy that game-in and game-out, play-in and play-out, hops back up, never complains about getting hit, never looks at the official [and says], ‘Where’s my call?’ [He] just gets back in the huddle and plays the next play.

“That’s kind of Baltimore, isn’t it? A little bit? I would think that this town, I know they do, appreciates that about him. That’s one of his greatest strengths.”

Well, that and winning.