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Quarterback Joe Flacco has uncharacteristically struggled with ball security in recent weeks, with an interception in four straight games to start the season and his first lost fumble in nearly two years against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Flacco laid out how he was going to correct both Wednesday, starting with an easy solution to his five interceptions — "stop throwing to the other team."
"It's pretty easy — just see the guy, see the throw, make it confidently," Flacco said. "That's the biggest thing on the last couple, just see the throw, make sure you see everybody before you pull the trigger."
Early in the season, his interceptions came late in games. The Ravens' opening losses to the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders ended with interceptions of Flacco. He also had one returned for a touchdown in the third quarter against the Broncos.
On his last two interceptions, cornerbacks disguised their coverage and jumped routes in the flat near the sideline. The sideline was also where Flacco lost his first fumble in 27 games.
Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward knocked the ball out of Flacco's hand, and it bounced off his leg and into the hands of cornerback Ross Cockrell. Flacco also had issues handling snaps. Both issues are correctable, he said.
"The snap ones are tough," he said. "You can't have those. … While you can't have the ones in the snap, they're obviously very easily fixed. The one out of the pocket, you have to protect the ball, and you have to make sure that doesn't happen.
"I haven't done a bad job of that in the past, but at any time, it could jump up and bite you and lose you a game."
Before the second-half fumble against the Steelers, Flacco hadn't lost a fumble since Nov. 10, 2013 against the Cincinnati Bengals. His five interceptions, however, are tied for fourth most in the NFL through the first quarter of the season.