Flowers’ injury a concern for Ravens after their AFC North win over Cleveland

BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore victory that secured the division on Cleveland was as routine as expected.

Except for one play in the second quarter that could be a major problem for the Ravens’ dynamic offense.

Zay Flowers, the team’s best receiver, went down with a knee injury and did not return to the game on Saturday. Coach John Harbaugh was somewhat optimistic afterward, but said he would have an MRI.

Baltimore finished the regular season 12-5 despite losing its first two games. It’s just one game worse than the record that gave the Ravens the league’s best record in 2023, but this time there will be no first-round bye. Baltimore will be the third seed in the AFC playoffs.

So Flowers doesn’t have much time to recover. The Pro Bowl receiver caught 74 passes for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season.

Baltimore was two games behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North with four to play. Then the Ravens went 4-0 and the Steelers went 0-4 the rest of the game.

“It’s a week-to-week league, and you really just have to take it one week at a time, one day at a time, one play at a time, and our guys have done a really good job of sticking to that.” Harbaugh said. “That 1-0 jersey we all wear is real, and that’s why, four wins later, we’re AFC North champions.”

What is working?

You wouldn’t think there would be enough plays or enough footballs or enough yards on the field for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to put up these numbers, but here are the final regular season totals. For Jackson: 4,172 passing yards and 915 rushing yards. For Henry: 1,921 rushing yards.

The Ravens became the first team in NFL history with 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a season. Obviously, the regular season is a little longer now than it used to be, but Jackson and Henry seem to have improved each other and taken the offense to another level.

“We have won four in a row. I feel like everyone has been doing a great job doing their job so we can run the offense, and it’s been fun,” Henry said. “We have to keep it up, stay united (and) hold each other accountable to keep the same momentum going into the playoffs.”

What needs help?

The wide receiver group could be thinned if Flowers is limited. Rashod Bateman had a good game against Cleveland, as did the tight end duo of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, but receiver Tylan Wallace played 51 offensive snaps and finished with one target and no sacks.

Supply

Michael Pierce’s first career interception was a late highlight in this game, and it also underscored how healthy he looks four games into a stint on injured reserve.

Pierce, who weighs 355 pounds, had some room to run on his interception, but he was about 80 yards from the end zone and slid.

“There’s a long history of turning big-time interceptions and mistakes into memes, so at the risk of becoming one of those, I decided it was time to go home,” he said. “Plus, I ran out of gas, so it was good.”

Stock down

Defensive back Brandon Stephens was targeted with some success by the Browns, and can expect similar treatment in the playoffs after all the great defensive plays his teammates Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins have made.

Injuries

Bateman and safety Kyle Hamilton were concussed but returned to the field, making Flowers the only major injury issue emerging from the game for the Ravens.

Key statistics

Baltimore’s final two regular season games were its best in terms of total yards allowed. The Ravens allowed only 211 innings a 31-2 victory in Houston, then 230 against the Browns.

Next

Baltimore’s opponent in the first round of the playoffs depended on the outcome of Sunday’s Chargers-Raiders game. The Ravens will host either the Chargers or the Steelers.

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