There is no hiding in that Justin Tucker was the main reason the Baltimore Reaves defeated Tennessee 24-16 in Week 6 as the kicker went on to score a career-high six field goals on Sunday. That being said, the Ravens scored one single touchdown and it was the first one in Zay Flowers' career. Yay!
In London of all places, Flowers found a way to finally add his name to the history books of the NFL, in golden letters no less!
Flowers' chemistry with Lamar Jackson is definitely out of the question. The quarterback and the rookie wideout have been building their rapport since the hot months of the summer were they organized training sessions between them. That has turned, through Week 6, into 45 receptions for 367 yards and now also a touchdown.
The rookie was targeted eight times in Week 6 and he hauled in six of those passes for 50 yards, including the one going for the lone touchdown of the day scored by a Raven.
So far this season, Flowers has racked up 48 targets and 35 receptions with his longest catch going for 52 yards. Simply put, the touchdown was going to come sooner or later and it was about time Flowers get to score it--the rook has deserved it basically from the first week of the season in early September.
Flowers' touchdown on Sunday came on a 10-yard pass from Lamar Jackson in the second quarter, adding to the eventual Ravens' 18β3 halftime lead that would have sufficed in handing Baltimore their fourth win of the season (the Titans would only score 16 total points).
Now, for the important thing here: Flowers' celebration. Before the game, Flowers promised NFL Network that he would think about something for it that had to do with his name. And oh boy, did he deliver.
Flowers spoke about his touchdown after the game. Per Clifton Brown of BaltimoreRavens.com, Flowers explained the play, saying "Me and Lamar have been connecting the whole year on scramble drills--I just cut back, and he just gave it to me, and I ran in."
Veteran wideout and Flowers' teammate Odell Beckham Jr. said "We're all happy for him," and that he personally is "just excited for him."
Flowers was captured watching a replay of his touchdown in the locker room, and he couldn't still believe what he had done... and where he had done it. "In London though, that's the best part," he said beaming. "That is too lit."
Head Coach John Harbaugh said after the game "I had just visions of future touchdowns," being scored by the rookie. "Hopefully that was Zay's first , and there will be many more to come."
Flowers is second among rookie wide receivers in 2023 in both yards and receptions, and he's now also added his first touchdown as a pro to his season-long statline.