The Ravens are favored to beat the rival Steelers of their upcoming wild-card sport, however Baltimore could also be shorthanded on offense. Wideout Zay Flowers is coping with a knee harm, and his availability for this week is a query mark.
Flowers went down throughout the Ravens’ Week 18 win towards the Browns. The staff’s starters performed a lot of the sport, one wherein a win was required to clinch high spot within the AFC North. Preliminary testing indicated a knee sprain, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. That pointed to a week-to-week timeline, though extra lately head coach John Harbaugh has indicated Flowers is day-to-day at this level.
Harbaugh famous, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, that Flowers is making an attempt to get well in time to play on Saturday, declining to verify if the harm in query is, in truth, a sprain. In any case, lacking the second-year wideout can be a major improvement for the Ravens given his significance to the staff’s passing assault. Flowers set a franchise rookie report with 858 yards final 12 months, resulting in excessive expectations for 2024. With a 74-1,059-4 common season statline, it’s secure to say he met them.
The Ravens have loved a robust season on offense this 12 months, and the play of quarterback Lamar Jackson and working again Derrick Henry have in fact performed a key position in that regard. Flowers has topped the WR depth chart throughout the 12 months, although, and his absence would create a notable emptiness. Fellow former first-round decide Rashod Bateman would see an uptick in targets if Flowers have been to overlook Saturday’s sport; Bateman performed all 17 video games in a season for the primary time in his profession in 2024, posting profession highs in yards (756) and touchdowns (9). Baltimore — having moved on from commerce acquisition Diontae Johnson — additionally has Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace and fourth-round rookie Devontez Walker on the WR spot.
Since Harbaugh added Flowers’ ailment isn’t seen as season-ending, the likelihood stays he shall be again to full energy in time for the divisional spherical supplied the Ravens advance. For now, although, he might be sidelined as Baltimore seems to beat Pittsburgh for the second time this 12 months.