OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After enjoying one of the healthiest regular seasons in franchise history, the Ravens will be without one of their best offensive players for Saturday’s playoff tilt with rival Pittsburgh.
Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers will miss the wild-card round with a right knee injury suffered in the Week 18 win over Cleveland. Head coach John Harbaugh ruled out the second-year wideout following Thursday’s practice, and it remains unclear whether Flowers will be ready to return for the divisional round if Baltimore beats the Steelers to advance.
The timing of the injury is unfortunate as none of the 11 offensive starters listed on the Ravens’ current depth chart had missed a game during the regular season. Of course, quarterback Lamar Jackson has other pass-catching options such as three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews, No. 2 wide receiver Rashod Bateman, and third-year tight end Isaiah Likely to help fill the void.
“We’ll move guys around. Guys will play spots based on the game plan,” Harbaugh said. “The ball will kind of go where it goes based on the way it unfolds in terms of how they play us and when the defense gives you kind of an opportunity. We’ve got a lot of weapons, and Lamar will distribute that thing the way he sees fit play to play.”
The Ravens are a strong favorite against a struggling Pittsburgh team that’s lost four straight games, but the speedy Flowers’ absence could allow the Steelers defense to be more aggressive trying to pressure Jackson and contain Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry and the league’s top-ranked rushing attack. Flowers caught 74 passes for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Andrews finished the regular season catching a touchdown pass in a franchise-record six straight games while Bateman caught 45 passes to set career highs in receiving yards (756) and touchdown receptions (nine) this season. The 2021 first-round pick out of Minnesota acknowledged the way he lines up in the passing game “might look a little different” without Flowers on the field, but Bateman emphasized the need to be himself rather than trying to do too much.
“I’m definitely excited. A lot of work has gone into getting us to this point,” Bateman said. “I definitely hate that Zay is not going out be out there with us, but I trust that our guys will get the job done, and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing.”
While the Ravens will be without their best wide receiver, backup running back Justice Hill (concussion/illness) does not carry a game status designation and will make his return after a two-game absence. The only other player listed on Baltimore’s injury report entering Saturday’s game is veteran wide receiver and return specialist Deonte Harty (knee), who is questionable after being designated to return to practice from injured reserve this week. Harty hasn’t appeared in a game since mid-October.
Unlike their Week 16 loss in Baltimore in which top wide receiver George Pickens and three defensive starters were out with injuries, the Steelers are healthy going into Saturday’s game. Right guard Mason McCormick is the only Pittsburgh starter listed on the injury report as he’s questionable to play because of a hand injury. The Steelers ruled out three players who were designated to return from IR or the physically unable to perform list last week.
Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Cam Heyward and two-time Pro Bowl kicker Chris Boswell both missed practice time due to illnesses this week, but neither carries a game status designation into Saturday’s game.
Below is the final injury report for the wild-card round:
BALTIMORE
OUT: WR Zay Flowers (knee)
QUESTIONABLE: WR/RS Deonte Harty (knee)
PITTSBURGH
OUT: LB Cole Holcomb (knee), DL Logan Lee (calf), WR Roman Wilson (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE: G Mason McCormick (hand), OT Calvin Anderson (groin)
