Knock on wood.
As long as nothing happens to Joe Flacco between now and Sept. 5, when the Ravens head to Denver for the regular-season opener, Flacco will become the Ravens' new iron man.
Flacco is tied with former Ravens linebacker Jarret Johnson with 80 consecutive regular-season games started, the most in franchise history. One more puts him over the top.
Including the playoffs, Flacco has 93 consecutive starts, but the record books only count the regular season because not everyone makes the postseason.
Flacco has yet to miss a start during his five seasons. That currently ranks third among active quarterbacks behind the New York Giants' Eli Manning (135) and San Diego's Philip Rivers (112).
Considering the hits quarterbacks take on a weekly basis, not many have had the durability of Flacco, who has taken his fair share over the years.
Johnson was known as the ultimate blue-collar worker, and often played through pain. Should Flacco command the same attention for his streak?
Flacco could also hit a couple other franchise records in 2013, especially if the Ravens head more towards a pass-heavy offense.
He's flirted with the most passing attempts in a single season the past two years. Flacco threw 542 passes in 2011 and 531 in 2012, while Vinny Testaverde tossed 549 in 1996.
Flacco had 317 pass completions last year, second only to Testaverde's 325 in 1996. Flacco threw for 3,817 yards last season, only trailing Testaverde's 4,177 passing yards in 1996.
