The Pittsburgh Steelers need every advantage they could get over the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs... and they got one. After getting humiliated in a 34-17 beatdown by the Ravens in Week 16, a rematch of this blowout contest in Baltimore seemed like an unwinnable assignment.
However, the latest injury news gives the Steelers more than just a fighting chance.
In the Ravens' season finale against the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore's star wide receiver Zay Flowers went down with a knee injury and did not return. After missing practice early in the week, Ravens fans held out hope that their team's top receiving option might be able to suit up for Saturday. But that won't be the case.
Flowers missed his third straight practice on Thursday and has officially been ruled out for the Steelers vs. Ravens Wild Card game on Saturday night, per NFL Insider Tom Pelissero. This is a devastating loss to the league's number-one offense, but inspiring news for Pittsburgh Steelers fans.
#Ravens WR Zay Flowers (knee) is out for Saturday's game vs. the #Steelers.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 9, 2025
Steelers have a shot to upset Zay Flowers-less Ravens
I've said it many times before: we would never root for injuries in the NFL. But when they do come—and they inevitably will—we would be remiss if we didn't point out the impact it can have on the game.
Fortunately for the Ravens, Flowers is listed as day-to-day, and while he's going to miss this pivotal Wild Card matchup, there's a shot he could suit up in the Divisional Round (assuming Baltimore makes it past Pittsburgh).
For the Steelers, the latest injury news inspires hope for an ice-cold team that looked like they had no business entering the playoffs, based on their performance over the past month. The Steelers are averaging 14.2 points per game over their previous four contests while getting outscored by their opponent 109-57 during this span.
In Pittsburgh's Week 16 loss in Baltimore, Flowers went off for 100 yards on eight targets and played a key factor in running up the score. Now the Ravens will be forced to rely on wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor to help fill this role.
Flowers' absence from this Wild Card game doesn't mean the Steelers should suddenly be favored. Mike Tomlin's team still needs to figure out a way to slow down the lethal two-headed monster of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry—a combo that destroyed them in their previous matchup.
Regardless, the latest injury update on Zay Flowers suggests the Steelers' chances of pulling off an upset win over the Ravens in the playoffs just got a little bit better.