Ravens' Zay Flowers has perfect mindset after costly fumble in AFC title game
By Mike Luciano
![AFC Championship - Kansas City Chiefs v Baltimore Ravens AFC Championship - Kansas City Chiefs v Baltimore Ravens](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5551,h_3122,x_0,y_224/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/26/01hyjtqnkf4fwz9q0d6q.jpg)
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers had one of the wildest three-play stretches in NFL History during their AFC Championship Game loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. Right after a big chunk play down the field that got Baltimore into the red zone late in the second half, Flowers made a nightmarish mistake.
While reaching for the end zone, Flowers fumbled the ball and allowed Kansas City to recover it. The Ravens never got a scoring opportunity as good as that once, and the Chiefs would go on to advance to yet another Super Bowl on the back of that mistake.
Flowers isn't choosing to let that moment stay in the past. Rather, he is fixating on it and doing everything he can to prevent a similar situation from coming up down the line. Flowers is motivated to do everything possible to help the Ravens get to a Super Bowl.
"Honestly, I still ain't get over it. I still think about it," Flowers said. "I know next year we have a chance to get back there and try to make it to the Super Bowl. That's why I'm working hard every day and going hard every day to get back to that moment."
Zay Flowers on how long it took to get over the AFCCG loss: "Honestly, I still ain't get over it. I still think about it. I know next year we have a chance to get back there and try to make it to the Super Bowl. That's why I'm working hard every day and going hard every day to…
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) May 22, 2024
Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers fixated on costly fumble in AFC Championship
Outside of that one costly error, Flowers had one of the best rookie seasons for any skill position player in Ravens history. Despite his size, Flowers caught 77 passes for 858 yards and five touchdowns while immediately inserting himself as the No. 1 wide receiver in Lamar Jackson's offense.
Flowers will likely be trusted to man a similar role in 2024. Baltimore did draft Devontez Walker in the fourth round of the NFL Draft and part ways with Odell Beckham, but it will still be Flowers and Rashod Bateman who will be trusted to carry most of the team's offensive production.
On top of the fact Baltimore will likely need to go through Kansas City if they want to win a championship this season, Cincinnati and New York will have Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers, respectively, back and healthy. The road to a title will be even tougher, but Flowers seems ready for it.
If Flowers is up to the task of being a No. 1 receiver that can break the 1,000-yard barrier and make big plays in the postseason, he should have no trouble putting his goof from 2023 in the past as he tries to help Jackson get to the Super Bowl for the first time ever.
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