In case you had not noticed: it's Steelers Week in Baltimore. We're just hours away from kick-off on Sunday for the divisional matchup between the two fiercest rivals in the AFC North, so the temperature has started to rise.
Last week, it was Roquan Smith who brought the spicy sauce to the Browns before going on to demolish the "no. 1 defense" in the nation.
This week, it's a Ravens opponent who is trying to unsettle the Baltimore residents: Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Peterson talked smack on Friday after both squads wrapped their week of practices. Speaking to ESPN's Brook Pryor, Peterson touched on Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers sharing some interesting thoughts about their upcoming matchup as they're expected to face each other throughout most of Sunday's game.
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"It's gonna be fun to keep our eye on that little munchkin," Peterson stated. Quite an interesting way to describe Flowers, wasn't it?
Flowers is coming off a terrific start to his first professional season and he caught three passes for 56 yards last weekend against fellow AFC North rival Cleveland.
Through the season, he's currently at 244 receiving yards on 24 receptions, and the only thing missing in Flowers' year-long statline is grabbing his first touchdown. That is probably going to happen soon, and the Steelers secondary is quite a vulnerable unit with some holes, including Petterson, worth exploiting by Lamar Jackson and Flowers on Sunday.
If you want some evidence for that prediction, the Steelers allowed San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to cook them for eight catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns. In Week 3, the Las Vegas Raiders pass catcher Davante Adams amassed 13 catches for 172 yards and two more touchdowns. In Week 4, Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins secured seven passes for 168 yards and two more touchdowns.
Peterson praised Flowers before making that comment, saying Flowers is "very shifty, very, very fast," and adding that the rookie "can get behind the defense," and that he is"like the guy that can do it all for him."
Expanding on that, Peterson highlighted how Flowers can "run the screens, run the reverses and still also run the big post as well,” painting a rather complete picture of Flowers' skill set before going against him.
So far this season, Peterson has allowed 15 receptions on 23 targets for 239 yards and five touchdowns agains this coverage. Surely a delicious cake for Flowers to feast on come Sunday.