Quarterback Joe Flacco was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month after guiding the Ravens to a stellar 4-1 record during November.
During that five-game span, of which four were on the road, Flacco averaged 212 passing yards, totaling seven touchdowns and only two interceptions.
Along the way, Flacco showed that he had matured from his first days as a fledgling rookie out of Division I-AA Delaware, a process he recently attributed to his teammates and coaches.
"You come in here, you work hard, you have fun at practice and the guys you have around you… The guys I have around me have been great all year," he said. "From the very first day, I've come in and they've just given me the confidence to play and be myself.
"Anytime you have the surrounding cast of guys like we do on our offense and on our defense to help me out the way that they have been, it kind of makes my job as easy as possible."
The first-round draft pick (18th overall) kicked off his month by leading the Ravens back from a 14-point deficit against the Cleveland Browns. Flacco completed 17 of 29 attempts for 248 yards and two scores, helming drives of 79 and 42 yards to erase a 27-20 Cleveland lead. The Ravens eventually won 37-27, and Flacco earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
He then turned in a two-touchdown performance in a 41-13 win over the Houston Texans, which was the highest point output the Ravens have scored all year.
Flacco's only November misstep came in New York at Giants Stadium. Facing swirling winds and a hostile crowd, Flacco tossed his only two interceptions in the last seven contests and Baltimore lost 30-10 to the defending Super Bowl champion Giants.
The hard-nosed Audubon, N.J. native bounced back, going 12-of-26 for 183 yards and two scores – including a 53-yard touchdown pass to wideout Mark Clayton – at home versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
And just last week, Flacco was as prolific as he's been in his young career, torching the Cincinnati Bengals for 280 yards on a 19-of-29 showing. Flacco also found tight end Todd Heap in the end zone from 4 yards and Clayton for a career-high 70-yard score.
