Steelers' Week 16 Opponent Zay Flowers Has Direct Message For Justin Tucker Ahead Of Massive Game Against Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a great opportunity in Week 16. The AFC North crown will belong to Head Coach Mike Tomlin and co. if the team can find a way to win on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. This is much easier said than done, especially because the contest will take place in a very hostile environment. The two franchises played in their first regular season matchup back in Week 11. One of the biggest storylines of the game was the brilliance of Chris Boswell, and inconsistency of Justin Tucker. Both kickers should play a role on Saturday down in Baltimore.

In the Steelers' 18-16 win not too long before Thanksgiving, Boswell nailed all six of his field goal attempts, while Tucker was only able to convert one of three. These two players alone decided the result of the crucial divisional showdown. There is a ton of familiarity between the organizations which often leads to close games with odd box scores. Week 11 was no different, and neither should the big-time game in Week 16.

Fans throughout the NFL world are very aware that Tucker has not lived up to his reputation in 2024. He has only made 19 out of his 27 field goal attempts throughout the season and some of the misses have gone on to cost Baltimore. When speaking to the media about the upcoming contest, wide receiver Zay Flowers gave his keys to victory. Oddly, he put his kicker on the spot while answering a question.

"We just have to take care of the ball, make kicks, and put the ball in the end zone," Flowers said.

Sure, all of his points ring true, but it's a little strange for a receiver to be talking about a kicker doing his job ahead of a massive matchup within the division. It almost as if Flowers was directly including the kicking aspect because it was likely what held back his team from being victorious in the Steel City about a month ago. The comment may be slight, but that's not to say that it shouldn't draw a little bit of attention.

After that rough outing for Tucker in Pittsburgh, he complained to the media afterwards and spoke about the field conditions not being up to par. It was heavily received as an excuse.

"I wouldn’t say the surface was an issue, but it wasn’t ideal," Tucker said after a Week 11 loss to the Steelers.

He will be on his home turf on Saturday, so the kicker will have no excuses come the weekend. Baltimore is a heavy favorite as the week of preparation is ongoing, but fans of both teams know that the majority of these games end up being very close, no matter what the records are or where the contest is played. It absolutely could come down to a field goal, and Tucker's struggles have to make Ravens fans a bit nervous as the matchup approaches.

The Steelers are extremely lucky to have Boswell, as the kicker may be on his way to an All-Pro nod if he finishes the 2024 campaign strong. Aside from TJ Watt, Boswell ironically has a case to be named the team's MVP.

Steelers Are Enjoying Absolutely Incredible Year Overall On Special Teams

Special teams coach Danny Smith has done an incredible job with his unit throughout the season, which is a big reason why the team has exceeded expectations to this point in the year.

It could end up coming down to Smith's group in Baltimore, and fans in the Steel City could potentially have the most faith in that unit compared to the other two phases of the game. The main reason for that is Boswell himself.

Do you think Flowers was sending a slight message to Tucker about stepping up on Saturday? Let us know in the comments below!

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