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          NFL Nation

          Joe Flacco not bragging after unreal cross-field pass

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterAug 14, 2018, 09:17 PM
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco delivered what might have been the best pass in his 11 years of training camp practices.

          Rolling all the way to the right sideline, Flacco flung the ball deep downfield to hit wide receiver Chris Moore on the left side of the field.

          Flacco estimated that the pass traveled 55 yards in the air.

          "I don’t know if you usually have to throw a ball that far in game-time situations," Flacco said. "Yeah, when you’re out here trying to see how far you can throw the ball, then yes, you’re throwing the ball that far. It’s not very typical to have to throw the ball, really, more than 50 yards in a game."

          Ravens quarterbacks coach James Urban recently said Flacco has one of the great arms in the history of the league.

          So, how far can Flacco throw the ball?

          "I don’t know. It kind of sounds like bragging," Flacco said with a smile. "I’m either lying or bragging, so I don’t know how I want to answer that."

          Flacco threw the ball 74 yards at a skills competition coming out of Delaware. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan finished third at 62 yards.

          But throwing the ball deep has been a struggle for Flacco recently. Over the past five seasons, he has connected on 48 passes that traveled at least 25 yards in the air. That ranks No. 17 in the NFL.

          Last year, Flacco averaged 5.72 yards per completion, the worst of his career. It also was the second-worst average over the past five seasons. Only Derek Carr struggled more, averaging 5.46 yards per attempt in 2014.

          The Ravens have high expectations for Flacco this year because he's not dealing with an injury in training camp for the first time since 2015. He also has new targets in Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead.

          "He has some weapons that he can use," cornerback Brandon Carr said. "The chemistry is better with this offense. I think his confidence is really out of the window right now."