Flacco shines, wins MVP at Super Bowl

Former Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco said during halftime with a 21-6 lead against the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl that when he waited in the locker room, that he told his team just one thing.

“I was kind of walking around like, ‘Hey man, 30 more minutes of our best football, and we will be champions,’” he said to ESPN’s Sal Palantonio after the game.

A huge momentum swing, 34 minutes of power outage and 30 minutes of football later, Flacco was raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the cry of Baltimore fans in New Orleans.

That would not be the only trophy raised by Flacco that evening as he was also named Super Bowl MVP, becoming fourth straight quarterback to win the award.

“It’s unbelievable,” Flacco said to CBS announcer Jim Nantz. “I tell you what, we don’t make it easy, but that’s the way the city of Baltimore is, that’s the way we are. We did this for them back home. We had a great send-off and we can’t wait to get back there for the parade.”
Flacco became just the second quarterback in postseason history to throw for 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. The only other man to accomplish that feat was none other than San Francisco’s Joe Montana.

Montana played in three games during the 1989 playoffs and attempted 83 passes for 266.7 yards per game. Flacco’s numbers in four games were similar as he had 126 attempts for 285 yards per game. He continued his dominance throughout the Super Bowl, completing 22-of-33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

Though the touchdowns all came in the first half, Flacco led his team down the stretch and was able to convert third downs to keep the ball out of the 49ers’ hands.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. “I feel like a proud big brother. I just feel so proud of him, and for him to fight the way he does, and the guys rally around him. And he’s got that, he’s got that fire.”
Flacco’s confidence showed when he changed a running play to pass on third-and-inches with 7:11 left in the fourth quarter. Flacco dropped back and threw to the outside shoulder of wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who caught the pass with a defender’s hands between his arms.

After the game, Flacco said Boldin has the strongest hands of any receiver in the NFL. The two connected six times for 104 yards and a touchdown during the night.

Former Delaware quarterback and current CBS analyst Rich Gannon tweeted during the game that Flacco was going to win MVP. However, Flacco was not the only Delaware graduate getting fame during the Super Bowl and celebration, as former offensive lineman Gino Gradkowski got many congratulations via social media. They became the first two active Delaware players to win Super Bowl rings.

The long offseason, interviews and contract negotiations will start soon for Flacco, and before he knows it, the next season will be upon him. The Ravens will be playing without their team leader next season, Ray Lewis, who had positive things to say about Flacco after the game.

“I’m the biggest Joe Flacco fan ever, and I told him, I told him last night, ‘You want to become elite? Go win a Super Bowl.’ We did it. Joe Flacco is a leader in my book,” Lewis said.

Flacco may take over the leadership role for Lewis next season, but there might be a few fans in Delaware who disagree with Lewis, as they have been Flacco’s biggest fans for a while.