The Baltimore Ravens were extremely lucky to have Zay Flowers back. He’s played two games since signing that four-year, $140 million contract, and he’s earning every cent of that. He showed up and showed out when needed most in the Week 3 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
He finished with 5 receptions for 86 yards. On the stat sheet, that’s a good day. Trust me, though. It was an electric return from his hamstring injury.
Flowers was efficient, averaged 16.8 yards per catch, and made big play after big play, moving the chains and helping the offense break deeper into Cowboys territory. Most importantly, that 27-yard reception with 7 seconds to go changed the game and set up a 56-yard game-winner from Tyler Loop.
The Ravens needed Flowers badly, and they got exactly what they needed.
Zay Flowers’ return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Baltimore Ravens
That game-winning effort on Baltimore’s drive is a linkup only Zay Flowers is capable of making with Lamar Jackson. Don’t get me wrong, Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews are good weapons, but they’re not operating in the groove Flowers always seems to be moving at.
It looks like Flowers and Jackson are in sync 24/7. They have a sort of sixth sense. They’re always on the same page, making them one of the toughest connections for defenses to guard.
On the final offensive effort, Flowers got behind a very questionable Dallas defensive scheme with ease. They had just three defenders back deep, and Flowers worked over the middle of the field into a clear window for Jackson to sling it into.
After the win, Flowers spoke about the play call and how the team got the ball into field goal range.
“Everybody just did their job,” Flowers said. “It was a one-on-one matchup with me and the nickel, and I won. Lamar hit me. He did a great job taking his time and calling the timeout, too.”
When you’re on an island with Flowers, good luck! It helps knowing the Ravens had one of their best separators on the field, and when it’s the guy who’s seemingly always on the same wavelength with Jackson, that’s a recipe for success.
While breaking down his reaction to that play, Bateman put it perfectly.
“I don’t even know what to say about that [play],” Bateman said. “I was telling Zay, I’m like, ‘Bro, what did you do?’ I don’t even know how bro got open; I don’t even know how they allowed that, but shout out to [Lamar], shout out to Zay, man. Everybody knows they got a connection.”
It quite simply seemed like an impossible play to make. 7 seconds to go, 1 timeout, 35-yard line, at least 25 yards to make up. The offense got every yard they needed and then some, and got the timeout off with just a tick left on the clock. That truly doesn’t happen without one of the quickest and shiftiest players the NFL has to offer in Flowers.
That moment, along with the rest of Flowers’ outing, has many fans thankful they were wrong. Many believed it would’ve been wise to sit Flowers for another week and not risk him playing on a questionable playing surface in Brazil (including myself). He not only came out healthy, though, he also made a massive impact that was a key catalyst in securing the win.
The offense doesn’t move the same without Flowers. We saw what happened in Week 2 when the unit hit a rut—they couldn’t escape it in that loss to the New Orleans Saints. But with Flowers, it takes one play to get out of that funk, and it showed.
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