Ravens HC Reveals Zay Flowers’ Playoff Status After Injury vs. Browns

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The Baltimore Ravens provided an update about injured WR Zay Flowers' chances of being healthy in time for the playoffs.

Slapping down the Cleveland Browns 35-10 in Week 18 gave the Baltimore Ravens the AFC North title, but an injury to 1,000-yard Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers put a damper on the victory.

Head coach John Harbaugh believes Flowers “has a chance to be okay,” despite the second-year wideout needing an MRI. Speaking to reporters after the game at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday, January 4, Harbaugh confirmed the examination will take place on Sunday morning.

The Ravens will require quick information about their leading receiver’s status ahead of the wild-card playoffs beginning on Saturday, January 11. Fortunately, both Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reported Harbaugh also revealed there’s a “chance” Flowers will be good to go in time for the postseason.

Harbaugh’s estimate is supported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He detailed how Flowers “is believed to have suffered a sprain, sources say, pending the MRI. It’s not considered a major injury, though there is a real chance he misses next week. If Baltimore takes care of business, he could be back.”

Flowers will be needed, but the Ravens are not as reliant on the former first-round draft pick as they were a year ago. Not after quarterback Lamar Jackson set records targeting two other receivers from his deeper, more talented supporting cast against the Browns.

Zay Flowers Will Be a Miss Come Playoff Time

Jackson has more weapons this season, but he still knows the value of having Flowers on the field. The two-time NFL MVP explained being “hurt” when his go-to receiver suffered a leg injury in the second quarter, per Zrebiec.

Flowers had a problem after completing a 12-yard catch and run into the red zone. Yet, Sirius XM official injury expert David J. Chao believes “By video, no significant injury. Hoping for just contusion to leg/knee.”

That would be the best-case scenario for the Ravens after Flowers made his 74th reception from 116 targets. He’d reasserted himself as the pass-catcher Jackson looks for most often.

In the process, Flowers made franchise history as the first Raven selected to a Pro Bowl strictly and primarily as a wide receiver.

This is why the 24-year-old would be missed during the playoffs, but the Ravens are better equipped to cope without him.

Record-Setting Ravens Have More Options to Cover Injury

Flowers set a Ravens first ahead of a slew of records being made against the Browns. One of those records involved Jackson hitting tight end Mark Andrews for a career-high 11th touchdown.

The play also put Jackson over 4,000 yards passing and earned him one NFL record.

Another league-wide record followed thanks in part to Jackson connecting with Flowers’ fellow wideout Rashod Bateman for a score. Jackson’s 41st touchdown pass of the season preceded the 15th and 16th rushing touchdowns of Derrick Henry’s prolific and record-setting debut season with the Ravens.

Henry has arguably been just as valuable as Jackson, but together the two have inspired the Ravens’ offense to heights never before scaled throughout league history. The summit being becoming the first unit to amass 4,000+ passing yards and 3,000+ rushing yards in the same season.

Numbers as gaudy as these have only been possible because of the superior contingent of pass-catchers around Jackson. Andrews and Bateman have taken their respective games up a notch, but so has a playmaker like backup tight end Isaiah Likely.

This trio, along with dependable veteran Nelson Agholor and rookie burner Devontez Walker, give Jackson what he needs to keep dominating through the air, with or without Flowers.

That dominance will make it all the harder for playoff opponents to focus on the lethal rushing combo of Jackson and Henry.