Ravens coach John Harbaughacknowledged this week that Baltimore has studied the play of Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis for years. Now they have to throw at him.
"We're going to have to make contested catches, contested throws, all those things," quarterback Joe Flacco said ahead of Saturday's Divisional Round playoff with the New England Patriots, per The Baltimore Sun.
Flacco's logic? He argues that avoiding shutdown corners "usually just takes your attention away from what you should be doing, and I think that has a bigger effect than sometimes the actual guy can."
Baltimore's coaches, per Harbaugh, have developed their own young cornerbacks by streaming years of film of the All-Pro cover man, but the Ravens themselves have had no luck visiting Revis Island.
In two career games against him in 2010 and 2011, Flacco has thrown at Revis five times -- completing none, per The Baltimore Sun. But with physical cornerback Brandon Browner lined up across the way, Baltimore can't afford to let Revis automatically remove a third of the field.
"I think as a play-caller, you have to just go out there, rely on your guys that you have that are out there, rely on the fact that they have ability," Flacco said. "And as a quarterback, you have to go out there and just go through your reads. And if he's open, throw it to him; if he's not, don't."
The latest Around The NFL Podcast previews the Divisional Round and ranks the eight remaining quarterbacks in the playoffs. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.