Is Zay Flowers playing today against the Bills? Latest injury updates

All eyes are on if Zay Flowers will make his return to the Baltimore Ravens in their divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Flowers was sidelined last week after suffering a knee injury in the season finale against the Cleveland Browns in Week 18. 

The Ravens offense didn’t skip a beat last week in a 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild card round without Flowers. It was Derrick Henry who took over the offense, rushing for 186 yards and two touchdowns in the win. 

MVP candidate Lamar Jackson wasn’t a threat as a passer in the wild card round. He passed for just 175 yards with touchdown passes to Rashod Bateman and Justice Hill. He won’t have that much luck this time around. 

When Baltimore and Buffalo played in the regular season, it was Henry that ran all over the Bills defense. Thanks to nearly 200 yards and a touchdown in that game, the Ravens cruised to a 35-10 win. 

Buffalo will be ready to halt the Ravens’ lethal rushing attack with the cold weather on their side. But with it, what does that mean of the Ravens pass game? Can they survive another week without Flowers? Well they got an optimistic sign ahead of the final divisional round game of the weekend. 

Will Zay Flowers return to Ravens in the divisional round? Latest injury update

UPDATE: Zay Flowers was officially listed among the Ravens' inactives ahead of Sunday's game. He will not play in the divisional round.

Flowers was seen on the field at Highmark Stadium doing his pregame warmup. In a video clip posted by ESPN Jamison Hensley on their X platform account, Flowers was seen jogging down the field. 

It’s an optimistic sign that if nothing more, he’s getting closer to returning. Hensley added in the post on the X platform that Flowers is listed as doubtful. That said, seeing his mobility pregame is a good sign. 

Flowers avoided a major knee injury in the season finale win over the Browns, but hasn’t practiced the last two weeks. It’s not likely he plays on Sunday. So what does that mean for the Ravens against Buffalo?

Well for one, Rashod Bateman has to continue to step up in Flowers’ absence. It also means Isaiah Likely’s role in the passing game will be critical as well. Mark Andrew is always going to be a crucial piece for Jackson. 

The Ravens will have to find ways to get the other receivers involved, including Hill who has become a weapon out of the backfield in the passing game. They’re going to rely on Henry and Jackson to get the run game going. 

But if Buffalo and the cold weather are able to slow down the Ravens’ potent rushing attack and Flowers doesn’t get upgraded when the injury report comes out, someone else will have to step up.