The Baltimore Ravens are heading into their bye week, which could not have come sooner. Considering their bye is in week 13, there are only a few later dates they could have a bye. With that in mind, almost everyone on the roster is ready for a week off. However, some players need this week of rest much more than others. Who are they?
5. The Baltimore Ravens rookie can be prepared for a late-season push
The rookie season for Zay Flowers is going about as well as you could expect. He has had some ups and downs, but he was never a flawless prospect, and that was expected. Still, his usage and role have been strong. He finished his first 12 games on a high note, with a two-touchdown performance before the bye week.
Flowers had two touchdowns, but it was an up-and-down game. More than that, his play had not been as crisp as it was in the season's first seven weeks. In those first seven weeks, Flowers averaged 1.91 yards per route run, 8.2 yards per target, and 5.6 catches for 63.1 yards per game.
In the five games since then, he has averaged 1.1 yards per route run and 6.6 yards per target on 3.8 catches for 34.2 yards. Even his last touchdown against Los Angeles was a schemed-up rushing attempt to force him to the ball.
One thing we want to see from Flowers after the bye is beating man coverage and getting targeted down the field more. As a rookie, his season usually is ending or over by now. So, this is a great chance for him to rest and come back strong because the Ravens need him to be a playmaker in their playoff push.