Ravens Likely To Face Steelers Without Key Pro Bowler In Crucial Playoff Clash

The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to provide some hope for the fan base following their 2024 regular season collapse. The Steelers lost four straight games to close out the 2024 regular season. It was a disappointing way to end a season that started with so much promise. Just a few weeks ago, the Steelers were 10-3 and were looking like they were going to win the AFC North. Many pundits were even labeling Pittsburgh as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The four-game losing streak has changed that outlook big time, as now Pittsburgh is labeled as the worst team in the postseason.

Health is a big factor at this point in the season, and the Steelers and Ravens both have players they are worried about. For the Baltimore Ravens, their Pro Bowl star wide receiver Zay Flowers suffered a knee injury against the Cleveland Browns last Saturday. Flowers, who has been a standout performer for Baltimore this season, is a key piece of their offensive puzzle. His injury could significantly impact their chances in the playoffs, especially with the Ravens already dealing with other challenges heading into the matchup with Pittsburgh.

NFL Insider Ian Rapoport provided some insight into Flowers' status for the playoff game against the Steelers. According to Rapoport, Flowers' availability remains uncertain, and the Ravens are awaiting further evaluations before making a final decision. If Flowers is unable to go, it will be a major blow to Baltimore's offense, forcing them to lean more heavily on their other playmakers. For the Steelers, the focus will be on capitalizing on any opportunity that arises from the Ravens' potential shortcomings.

"Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers for the Baltimore Ravens, to my understanding, is a long shot to play this weekend," Rapoport said Wednesday. "He is pretty sore dealing with that sprain, had several opinions on it. Everyone has a chance because it's the playoffs, but to me, this appears to be a long shot. This week seems like a no."

Of course, no true fan of the game is ever happy to hear about an injury, regardless of how it might benefit their team. Flowers has had a great 2024 season where he has caught 74 passes for 1,059 yards and scored four touchdowns. That production earned Flowers a Pro Bowl ticket for the 2024 season.

The hope is always for players like Flowers to recover and be healthy enough to compete in the postseason, but the outlook for now seems grim. Both Steelers and Ravens fans will be closely monitoring the injury reports as this crucial playoff matchup approaches.

Steelers Are Seeking Revenge Against The Ravens Saturday

The Steelers faced the Ravens twice during the 2024 season, with each game offering a very different narrative. In their first meeting, Pittsburgh managed a victory without scoring a touchdown, benefitting from some rare field goal misses by Justin Tucker.

The second matchup, however, was a different story. The Steelers fell 34-17, missing several key players, including star wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens is coming off an awful showing against the Cincinnati Bengals and will be looking to make a mark on this game Saturday. The Steelers will need a huge game from Pickens if they want to pull off the upset in a game where they are 10 point underdogs.

Despite the loss, Pittsburgh was competitive for much of the game, but two costly turnovers from Russell Wilson ultimately sealed their fate. Now, with the stakes higher than ever, the Steelers are looking for redemption against the Ravens in Round one of the playoffs this Saturday. The Steelers are eager to end their playoff drought. They can do just that with a big win over the Ravens.

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