Is Joe Flacco a better quarterback than C.J. Stroud?

There are pockets of the NFL world, namely within the Cleveland Browns fandom, that seem to suggest that 38-year-old Baltimore-Ravens-legend-turned-Cleveland-Browns-fan-favorite Joe Flacco may have the edge on C.J. Stroud. A notion that has me scratching my head.

Flacco, for all of his recent failings with the Ravens and then the New York Jets has revived his career with the Browns, that's very true. Stroud is a rookie, heading to his first postseason. That is also true. And if we're looking at the body of work between the two of them, Flacco has had a better career.

Obviously, Flacco has been around since the late 2000's and has won a Super Bowl, his stats are obviously going to be more impressive. But none of that means he's a better quarterback than Stroud right now. In fact, we know he's not and to even argue against that notion is a bit silly.

Yes, Flacco has given the Browns some reliable offense, much the way Stroud has done with the Houston Texans. And Flacco has been easily very likable during this run. But let's not confuse the fact for one moment that Flacco isn't on Stroud's level, at least not anymore.

In five games Flacco is 4-1 as a starter and has completed a whopping 1,616 yards passing, which is monstrous in just that few games. But in that same vein, he's also thrown eight interceptions. He's good for at least one per game. He does have13 touchdowns, just shy of three per game, but his turnover rate is pretty staggering. It also doesn't help that he's barely completing 60% of his passes.

Stroud, on the other hand, is completing just under 64% of his passes, while only throwing five interceptions all year in what turned out to be a 15-game season for Stroud. Stroud also threw 25 touchdowns and would've broken the rookie record for most touchdowns in a season had it not been for that concussion against the New York Jets.

Had Flacco played at this pace for all 17 games, he'd have over 44 touchdowns, 27 interceptions, and nearly 5,500 yards passing, which is impressive but also a sign that he's not playing "better" than Stroud, so much as he's being used more than Stroud. Flacco's accuracy isn't what it used to be, but he's a smart enough quarterback to work with what he has, and that's part of the reason why he's been able to survive as long as he has with the Browns.

Stroud, however, is the obvious better talent at this point in time, and it's not really a debate.