Joe Flacco isn't a man of excuses.
So the fact that the Ravens are ushering in a new offense isn't going to be used as one.
While conventional wisdom would suggest that it takes time for a new system to sink in, which could impact the Ravens early on this season, Flacco isn't having any of it.
He expects a high level of execution, and he expects it now.
"I think we can expect a pretty high level of pace, and I think we can expect a pretty high level of precision, being that we've done it for a couple months," Flacco said on the first day of training camp for quarterbacks, injured veterans and rookies.
"That's what I'm going to expect. I'm going to expect us to go out there and operate at a high level. I don't care if it's a new offense."
During organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp, the Ravens went through three installations of new Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak's system. The entire offense was present for those portions of voluntary and non-voluntary practice, so they've had a lot of work together already.
Kubiak also hasn't been shy about saying what he wants. He quickly corrects things on the field without slowing down the pace.
Now that the Ravens are moving onto training camp, there's an expectation to take the next step as they enter the phase where execution must become flawless.
"I think we did a great job of picking up what we installed so far," Flacco said. "Yeah, we're still going to make mistakes, but they have to be corrected quickly; we can't be making them again and again. We have to come out here right after that, and that mistake should be gone."
The Ravens will have their first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers in just more than two weeks, on Aug. 7. Their first regular-season game against AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals is a month later.
"This is where it counts," Flacco said. "We've got a couple weeks, and we're going to be playing real games, and we've got to execute at a high level in order to win those because they're going to come down to little things like that. That's why we can't expect to come out here and make little mistakes. We've got to have that stuff cleaned up, and come out here and operate, so that we can translate it to Sunday."
Flacco said the toughest thing for him so far has been totally wiping his mind clear of Baltimore's old offense. It's been a fresh start.
Now the most difficult challenge ahead is to know the offense so well that he doesn't even have to hear a full play call to know what Kubiak wants. That comes in handy when on the road, backed up against your own end zone with opposing fans screaming.
But that's something that comes with time. For now, Flacco simply wants to take the field with confidence, and spread that throughout the rest of the unit.
Overall, Flacco said he feels confident in Kubiak's offense already, and hopes the rest of the offense soon feels the same.
"I think that's going to be big for us this year, just coming out here and playing confident, and making a decision and sticking with it," Flacco said.
"I think when we come out here, starting with me, if I can execute at a high level and show everybody else that they should execute at a high level, I think we'll get that confidence to go out there on Sundays and kind of play with a little bit of swagger."
