JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Through two games Jaguars free safety Tashaun Gipson has gone unnoticed on the football field. By design his job is cover the middle of the field and to not get beat deep. Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers shied away from testing Gipson down the field.
Baltimore ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has made a career out of connecting on long passes and Gipson knows he’ll see plenty of action on Sunday.
“I think this will the first time this year that I’ve been tested down the middle and it’s going to be an exciting time,” said Gipson. “I relish these kind of games. The first two games, besides a couple of tackles I haven’t gotten much action back there. I’m excited because I know Joe Flacco won’t waiver and he doesn’t care who is back there. He’s confident in his arm and rightfully so.”
This will be a much different Ravens offense than the one the Jaguars faced during a 22-20 win in week 10 of last season. Both tight end Dennis Pitta and wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. are back from injury. This offseason Baltimore also added a deep threat by signing Mike Wallace. Through two weeks Wallace has been on the receiving end of all three of Flacco’s touchdown passes, including a 66-yard score in week one against Cleveland.
“I don’t think that Joe Flacco has had a target as fast as Mike Wallace, from the time I was in Cleveland,” said Gipson. So I think that opens up a different dimension. They’ve got a quarterback with a big arm who can make all the throws. When you give him a receiver like Mike Wallace he can just close his eyes and throw it as deep as he can and have a receiver run under it. Flacco is even more dangerous when you give him a guy like that.”
After playing in Cleveland for four seasons, Gipson has plenty of experience against the Ravens and he feels that knowledge will help in game planning for Sunday.
“Two times a year for four years,” said Gipson. “I have plenty of notebooks on Joe Flacco and these guys. I respect him and I respect Steve Smith Sr. and I respect the Ravens offense. I definitely think that it’s going to be an exciting opportunity and I know how to operate against this offense.”