Is Joe Flacco the franchise quarterback that Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh, Cam Cameron and all the Ravens fans who proudly wear No. 5 on Sunday afternoons want him to be? Or are they and for that matter you and me just so jaded by the Kyle Boller experiment that anything better than old No. 7 is close enough to becoming our own flavor of Peyton Manning?

Do we want Flacco to succeed so badly that we are willing to not only overlook but even ignore his shortcomings?

During his rookie season Flacco started all 16 games and then led the charge into the AFC Championship Game. It was easy to conclude that things would only get better and that 2008 would mark the beginning of what would surely be one day referred to in Ravens’ folklore as the beginning of the Flacco Era.

Last season, Flacco battled the trainer’s table as much as he did hard charging defensive ends as he dealt with hip, thigh, foot and ankle issues that impaired his throwing mechanics and took heat off his fastball. Clearly he deserves kudos for toughness and in Brett Favre-like fashion he took the field every Sunday.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have.

But then again the Ravens had very little to turn to in the form of Troy Smith and John Beck who obviously were unable to gain the confidence of the coaching staff. It’s likely that if Marc Bulger was on the Ravens’ roster in 2009 he would have started a few games for Flacco to help him heal those battle wounds. This season should such wounds seep in again, Bulger will get the call.

And if he does let the debate begin.

During summer camp, Bulger according to some observers (and you can count me among them) outperformed Flacco despite not having the luxury of practicing with the first team offense going mostly against the second team defense (like Flacco). Instead Bulger’s targets included David Reed, Marcus Smith and Demetrius Williams while he competed against the 1’s on defense.

That said there should be no QB controversy here provided Flacco effectively utilizes the many weapons that Ozzie Newsome has surrounded him with. On Monday night he failed to do so.

On a three step drop on the game’s first play when the offensive linemen were cut blocking, Flacco held the ball way too long on a three step drop. He was sacked viciously and then coughed up the football. Later his over throw of a wide open Le'Ron McClain in the end zone towards the end of the first half was embarrassing for a player who is supposed to be a franchise QB. Antonio Cromartie’s interception in the third quarter while the Ravens were driving into Jets’ territory was the result of a quarterback predetermining where he was going with the football.

Later on a third and 2 from the Jets' 7 yard line with 7:16 left in the third quarter and the Ravens holding a 7-6 lead Flacco threw low and behind Ray Rice running a little angle route. It should have set up no worse than a first and goal from the 3 but instead the team had to settle for a 25 yard Cundiff field goal.

These are the kind of things that Flacco has consistently done against quality opponents and if the Ravens are to take that next step, Flacco has to show dramatic improvement in this area.

During the 2008 playoffs Flacco’s QB rating was a miserable 50.8, posting only one TD pass in three playoff games. Last season against playoff teams Flacco’s QB rating was 65.2, throwing 8 TD's against 13 interceptions. Add it all up over the course of his last 10 games against playoff teams, Flacco’s QB rating is 62.3.

Coincidentally on Monday night his QB rating against another 2009 playoff team was 62.2.

Clearly this has to change.

If not, those lofty expectations for the “on paper version” of the 2010 Baltimore Ravens won’t be worth the paper said expectations were printed on.