Quarterbacks

Success can change a person, but it probably won't change Joe Flacco. Only a few hours after the Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII and the quarterback was named the game's MVP, Flacco appeared at a news conference where he was presented the keys to a new 2014 Corvette Stingray. Flacco seemed bashful when he posed for pictures, almost embarrassed. "Hey, if you say there's going to be some kind of celebrity with it, I'm cool with that, but I don't know if I'll ever be comfortable with it," Flacco said.

Joe Flacco will play his last game under his rookie contract against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Super Bowl XLVII, but owner Steve Bisciotti made clear that he intends to keep the quarterback in a Ravens uniform for a long time. Bisciotti said Thursday that the two sides were "real close" to a deal when the talks were tabled just before the start of this season, and he's "very comfortable" that an agreement on a long-term contract extension for Flacco will be reached in the coming months.

A story in USA Today this week alluded to Orioles farmhand Mike Flacco considering giving up baseball to pursue a career in football, like his older brother, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. That's not the plan, according to the Orioles. Scout Dean Albany talked to Mike Flacco on Tuesday and says the first baseman has every intention of playing for the Orioles' organization in 2013. “Mike's a great kid and he's working real hard to prepare himself for spring training,” Albany said.

The question wasn't even fully out of the reporter's mouth when Ravens safety Ed Reed pounced on it like it was an errant throw. If it's a close game, you guys will win because …? "Joe Flacco," Reed said sharply at Tuesday's media day. "Joe Flacco is on our team. That is the huge difference. " A little more than a year ago, it was Reed who publicly criticized the performance of his quarterback following the Ravens' playoff victory over the Houston Texans. Few are questioning Flacco these days.

NEW ORLEANS -- Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco apologized Tuesday for what he called a bad choice of words when responding to a question about cold-weather cities hosting Super Bowls. "Yeah, I think it's retarded," Flacco said on Monday. "I guess I shouldn't say [word]. ... " During Media Day on Tuesday, Flacco said he regretted using the term. "It was a bad choice of words," Flacco said. "I have a great relationship with Special Olympics back in Baltimore and have had one for many years.

The San Francisco 49ers arrived in New Orleans last night, and if their first media availability of the week was any indication, the Ravens shouldn't expect any bulletin-board material leading up to Sunday's Super Bowl XLVII. Young quarterback Colin Kaepernick talked about how physical the Ravens are on defense. Offensive tackle Joe Staley remembered fondly what it was like to block Ray Lewis for the first time, while middle linebacker Patrick Willis spoke admiringly of Ray Lewis and his passion for the game.

The Ravens can't fully replicate Colin Kaepernick's abilities as a quarterback, but they will try to give their defense a look by employing Dennis Dixon. Dixon, a practice-squad player, will imitate the San Francisco 49ers' second-year player in practice in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLVII. Dixon did the same thing for the Ravens defense during the week before their road game against rookie Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins on Dec. 9. “It's something that I'm accustomed to,” Dixon said before Thursday's practice.

When the Ravens bid farewell to Ray Lewis after Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, Joe Flacco figures to be one of the key players who will succeed the 13-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker as a leader. Just don't expect many histrionics from the fifth-year quarterback. Flacco said as much Thursday when he was asked whether he has worked on becoming more of a vocal leader. “I haven't worked on it,” he said. “Don't know if I agree with it. There are a lot of different ways to lead, and the bottom line is, it's about motivating our players to get the best out of them and having the belief that you can go do it in any situation.

When the Ravens and Joe Flacco agreed in August to put off negotiations on a long-term contract extension, the thinking was that the organization would wait to see what the quarterback could accomplish in the final season of the five-year contract that he signed as a rookie after he was selected in the first round of the NFL draft in 2008. Now that Flacco has averaged 284.3 passing yards, tossed eight touchdowns against zero interceptions, and posted a 114.7 passer rating in three postseason games, Kurt Warner thinks the Ravens are going to have to open up the wallet to retain Flacco.

Joe Flacco basically blew off the question, and it was hard to blame him. The day after he led the Ravens to the AFC championship with a terrific second-half performance against the New England Patriots, the whole paradigm had shifted. The day after he vanquished Tom Brady and almost all of the remaining questions about whether he truly belonged in the company of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, somebody (and you can probably guess who) called a reverse, asking Flacco what it was like to head into a big game as the established premier quarterback for a change.