In his first press conference from the Ravens facility for the 2011 season, Joe Flacco debuted a new attitude as he begins his fourth professional season in purple.  “What motivates me is being the best quarterback in the world,” Flacco said.  “I don’t play this game to be average.  I play this game to be the best and it doesn’t matter what other people say.”

The other people Flacco is referring to ranges from analysts on the NFL Network to Dhani Jones, a veteran Bengal who told the world that he thought Flacco got easily confused and made bad judgement calls.

“I think I’m pretty damn good and I don’t need to tell everybody that and show it on every given day and on every play every Sunday and do all that stuff,” Flacco said.  “I go out there and I play. You can think what you want about me.  The bottom line is I’m still going to think the way I think about myself no matter you say.”

Where did this attitude come free?  Typically Flacco keeps to himself and doesn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve.  Clearly, the won’t be the case in 2011.

“As long as this organization, my teammates and myself can feel pretty good about how I’m playing.”  That is exactly the way the I want a quarterback to think of himself.

“If we lose football games, I want you to be able to look directly at me and say: ‘Why did we lose this game?’ and I should have a pretty good answer for you,” Flacco went on.

You’ve gotta like the way Flacco plans on putting the team on his shoulder and carrying them this season.  Let’s hope his new attitude pushes the Ravens forward in 2011.