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The Ravens defense looks better than it has looked in at least five years.

Baltimore could be the most complete team in the AFC, but one area has stuck out as a growing concern. Joe Flacco has been hit a lot lately.

After a solid start to the year, Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher have been started to give up a lot of hurries and big hits on Flacco. The sack number isn’t that high yet, but Flacco is forced to unload too quickly too often. He’s been taking a pounding.

“We were pissed off that Joe got hit that much, and we know that if Joe gets hit like that, he’s going to be injured. He can’t be getting hit like that every game,” Ravens guard Ben Grubbs told the Baltimore Sun in reference to Baltimore’s win over Houston.

Flacco’s completion percentage is 51.4 this year. Only Kerry Collins and Blaine Gabbert have lower numbers. Of course, Collins and Gabbert aren’t hitting big plays like Flacco.

Baltimore has definitely changed it’s approach on offense because of their newfound team speed. They are throwing the ball down the field. Flacco leads the NFL in yards-per-completion.

That’s largely because Flacco waits to make the big play. Few quarterbacks are better than Flacco at keeping his eyes downfield and accepting a hit. Tackle Michael Oher calls Flacco the “toughest quarterback in the league.”

“It’s unbelievable just to see him stand in the pocket time after time when he knows he’s going to get drilled on this play,” Oher said.

Pass protection could be the closest thing Baltimore has to a weakness at this stage of the season. If they get that straightened out, no AFC team looks scarier.