ExtremeRavens Posted 8 hours ago Posted 8 hours ago There is no definitive illustration for what the Ravens’ offense will look like without their top wide receiver, Zay Flowers, for Saturday night’s wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team’s leader in receptions (74) and yards (1,059) and the organization’s first Pro Bowl selection at the position was on the field for at least 71% of the offense’s snaps in 12 of Baltimore’s first 15 games this season. His 116 targets were also 44 more than the next closest player, fellow receiver Rashod Bateman, and 47 more than Lamar Jackson’s longtime security blanket, tight end Mark Andrews. Flowers also did not miss a meaningful game last season, playing in the first 16 before he and several other starters sat out the regular-season finale. So how will not having Flowers impact the NFL’s top offense in terms of yards per game and the first in history to pass for more than 4,000 yards and run for more than 3,000? “We’ll move guys around,” coach John Harbaugh said Thursday. “Guys will play spots based on the game plan and the ball will go where it goes based on the way it unfolds in terms of how they play us. “We’ve got a lot of weapons, and Lamar will distribute [the ball] the way he sees fit.” Still, not having his top target could slow things down for what was the league’s third-highest scoring team at 30.5 points per game. The chemistry between Jackson and his fellow South Floridian makes makes Flowers a trustworthy target. He has the speed to separate and stretch defenses, and his quickness makes him (outside of Jackson) perhaps the team’s most elusive player. Zay Flowers is the Ravens’ leader in receptions (74) and yards (1,059) and the organization’s first Pro Bowl selection at the position. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) While the Ravens view Flowers’ absence as a loss but not a crushing one with a “next man up” mantra, there is a lack of quality depth behind him. Next in line is Bateman, whose 756 yards and nine touchdowns are career highs with his 45 catches one shy of his personal best. The numbers are not surprising given his elite route running, ability to separate and good hands. But in two games against Pittsburgh this season, he had just three catches for 44 yards, though one of those did go for a touchdown in their most recent meeting last month. He also dropped a pass in the end zone in the Ravens’ loss at Pittsburgh last season. After him, though, the production at receiver falls off sharply. Nelson Agholor, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in a Week 15 win over the New York Giants, has 14 catches for 231 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. Tylan Wallace, whose time has been divided between special teams and receiver, has 11 catches for 193 yards and one score. Devontez Walker, a rookie fourth-round draft pick out of North Carolina, has played sparingly, appearing in just nine games with just 57 snaps on offense, though he did score a touchdown on his one catch this season. Diontae Johnson, whom the Ravens acquired from Carolina Panthers before the trade deadline, had just one catch for 6 yards before being suspended and released. Still, Bateman is confident he and others can fill the void. “I don’t think it changes anything,” he said of being without Flowers. “The No. 1 goal is to go out and make plays, and that’s what we’re looking forward to doing, and I think that’s what we’ll do.” Asked what he needs to do to be successful against a Steelers defense that ranks 25th in passing yards (228) allowed per game and 20th in yards per pass (7.1), he said, “Just be myself. Don’t go out there and do anything that I haven’t done or try to be anything extra.” Bateman also acknowledged the offense “might look a little different.” That will likely mean leaning on tight ends Andrews (55 catches, 673 yards, 11 TDs) and Isaiah Likely (42 catches, 477 yards, six TDs), along with perhaps more heavy packages involving fullback Pat Ricard and perhaps tight end Charlie Kolar to go with a ground attack that churned out a league-best 3,189 rushing yards, led by running back Derrick Henry’s 1,921 and NFL-best 16 rushing touchdowns. Henry had 138 rushing yards and two scores in last week’s win over the Cleveland Brows and 162 against Pittsburgh last month. Over the past three games, he has averaged 149 on just over 23 carries for an average of 6.3 yards per carry. Jackson has also run for 172 yards and a touchdown on 22 attempts in that span, an average of 7.8 yards per carry. The return of Justice Hill could help, too. Before missing the past two games following a concussion suffered during the Ravens’ most recent game against the Steelers, he averaged 4.85 yards on 228 carries and 9.1 yards on 42 catches. In Week 11 in Pittsburgh, he had four catches for 28 yards on seven targets and had four other games in which he caught at least four passes. Baltimore could also perhaps deploy the speedy Keaton Mitchell more in the offense, too, as he continues to work his way back from last season’s season-ending knee injury. Though he has played sparingly in the offense since his return in November, the running back proved capable and dangerous before the injury, averaging 8.4 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per reception last season. However it looks, though, it likely will take several players to fills the gaps Flowers’ absence presents. “I think we’re all capable of making plays,” Hill said. “Obviously Zay is a big loss, he’s a special player and hopefully he heals up and we get him back here before a little run. “But I’m ready to play.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. UP NEXT Wild-card round Steelers at Ravens Saturday, 8 p.m. TV/Stream: ABC, Prime Video Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 9 1/2 View the full article Quote
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