Ravens in ‘we’ll see’ mode with Zay Flowers ahead of Divisional Round

The Pro Bowl wide receiver could play against the Bills even if he doesn’t practice at all this week.

When reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens take the field at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday to take on the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the AFC playoffs, there’s a chance he could have his most dangerous weapon in the passing game back in the lineup.

During his Monday press conference, head coach John Harbaugh gave an update on the health status and potential availability of Pro Bowl second-year wide receive Zay Flowers for this massive impending matchup.

“That’s in we’ll-see mode, he’s working hard to get back,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see toward the end of the week if he’s practicing, and he could play without practicing for sure if he feels healthy enough and if it’s safe for him.”

Flowers missed the Ravens’ resounding Wild Card round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers this past Saturday with a knee injury he suffered in the first half of the team’s regular-season finale win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 18.

The 2023 first-rounder became the first wideout in franchise history to get voted to the Pro Bowl not as a return specialist after leading the team with career-highs in targets (116), receptions (74) and receiving yards (1,059) to go along with four touchdowns. In his absence against the Steelers, the Ravens leaned heavily on their top-ranked rushing attack, running the ball 50 times to just 21 passing attempts yet other offensive skill players stepped up and made plays when needed through the air.

If Flowers can’t play for the second week in a row, the Ravens still have a dynamic pair of tight ends to funnel the passing game through in three-time Pro Bowl veteran Mark Andrews and third-year pro Isaiah Likely. The two combined for five catches on seven targets for 80 receiving yards and picked up several key first downs against the Steelers. The Ravens other receivers and veteran running back Justice Hill stepped up as well including hauling in a pair of touchdowns in the first half.

When the Ravens blew out the Bills 35-10 in Week 4 of the regular season in Baltimore, Flowers was only targeted twice and caught just one of those passes for 10 yards and first down. They steamrolled their way on the ground to the tune of 271 yards on 34 carries for an average of 7.9 yards per attempt. Since Buffalo lives and dies in nickel defense, there’s a chance that Baltimore can bully their way to a second straight AFC Championship appearance with another heavy dose of Jackson and five-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry.

Another former Pro Bowler at the receiver position who could make his return to action for the Ravens against the Bills is veteran Deonte Harty. The former First-Team All-Pro return specialist who the team signed in the offseason to replace two-time Pro Bowler Devin Duvernay has missed the last 12 games while on injured reserve. He was cleared to return to practice last week and wasn’t activated for the Wild Card round despite being a full participant twice leading up to the game.

“He had been gone for quite a while,” Harbaugh said. “He had the physical situation, he had some personal things he was dealing with. But he was working hard in practice last week. You’ve just got to make sure he’s ready, he’s in shape and mentally ready. In his mind he’s ready, I can tell you that, (he) wants to play. We’ll just have to see.”

The Ravens have had inconsistency at the returner position for most of the season regarding fielding punts and deciding when to bring kickoffs out of the end zone. If Harty isn’t activated in time to play against his former team on Sunday, the team still has confidence in their options to execute those duties including veteran Steven Sims and fourth-year pro Tylan Wallace.

“Steven is a guy that we also have confidence in,” Harbaugh said. “I know he had a couple balls go on the ground last week. It was windy. The Steelers’ punter was a lefty. He was bombing the ball, for sure. On the very first one, I don’t know if he lost track of where he was at, but we don’t want to be backing up inside the 8-yard line and catching those kinds of punts. Give it a chance to get in the end zone, so he’d like to have that one back.

“Then he decided to not field two other ones, and it turned out OK for us the way they bounced, but he’s done well. He’s an experienced guy, and he’ll do well back there, too. So, we’re confident, or if Tylan was back there, we’ll be confident with Tylan, too. Those guys all do a good job.”