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Zay Flowers was rolling early on Sunday. Then it all came crashing down.
The Baltimore Ravens wideout was putting together a career day against the Indianapolis Colts before a hamstring injury forced him out of the game. He’d racked up five catches for 150 yards – a career high – before halftime hit and everything changed.
Ravens coach Jesse Minter didn’t have much to offer afterward. He said there was no update on Flowers’ condition when reporters asked.
A Costly Injury At The Worst Time
Flowers was initially considered questionable to return. That status didn’t last long, though – he was downgraded to out shortly after.
It’s a rough break given how well things were going. One of his five catches went for a 54-yard touchdown, and it wasn’t just any score. He weaved through Indianapolis’ defense like he was running a different route than everyone else on the field.
This wasn’t Flowers’ first hamstring scare, either. He battled the same issue throughout training camp, missing multiple weeks because of it. He’d recovered enough to practice fully heading into Week 1, but clearly something wasn’t quite right.
Per ESPN, Flowers was seen limping on the sideline just before halftime. That’s rarely a good sign.
Things got clearer once the second half started. Flowers wasn’t part of Baltimore’s first three-receiver set of the third quarter, and that told you everything you needed to know before the official announcement came down.
Baltimore’s receiver room took another hit shortly after. Rookie Ja’Kobi Lane was ruled out with a wrist injury, leaving the Ravens without two key pass catchers for the rest of the game.
That’s a tough spot for any offense.
With both Flowers and Lane sidelined, Baltimore leaned on Rashod Bateman, Chris Moore, and LaJohntay Wester to fill out the receiving corps for the remainder of the contest. Not exactly the trio most Ravens fans pictured relying on in a game that mattered.
Two Very Different Outlooks
Lane’s situation looks like the more serious of the two. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, initial testing suggests the rookie has a fractured wrist. He’s set for an MRI and further evaluation on Monday, and depending on what that shows, he could be out for an extended stretch.
Flowers, thankfully, appears to have avoided anything long-term. NFL Network reported his hamstring injury is considered minor, and he’s currently listed as day-to-day.
That’s the outcome Baltimore needed.
The stakes here go beyond just one game, too. Flowers signed a four-year, $140 million extension back in August, cementing him as a cornerstone of the Ravens’ offense for years to come. He’s backed that investment up on the field – Flowers has topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, establishing himself as one of the more reliable young receivers in the league.
Losing him for any real length of time would sting. Losing him for a half was bad enough.
