Ravens' Zay Flowers Has Clear Fighting Words For Steelers' Defense

There will be a lot on the line for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens when the two franchises face off on Saturday afternoon. The AFC North has ultimately come down to the two organizations that have been the most consistent throughout the 21st century. Matchups between the rivals always tend to be extremely close, which is why fans are gearing up for a stressful Week 16. Fans from across the league's other 30 teams will be tuning in, specifically because a contest between the Steelers and Ravens never disappoints. The hatred on the field is second to none in professional football.

There is always plenty of trash talking before, during, and after the two teams face off. There is even more on the line come Saturday, which should heighten emotions for the players even more. The Steelers beat the Ravens back in Week 11, so while Baltimore looks for revenge, Pittsburgh will be doing what it can to clinch the division, and a home playoff game for the first time since 2020.

One of the many weapons on offense for the Ravens is Zay Flowers. The wideout leads his team in receiving, and wasn't afraid to state how he feels about the Steelers' defense when speaking to the media on Tuesday. The pass-catcher was asked about what Pittsburgh's defense has been able to do to contain the Ravens' passing game in recent seasons.

"Nothing," Flowers said. "They don't really do nothing that stresses me if I'm [being] honest."

Flowers has had a modest career against Pittsburgh to this point in his career, despite a small sample size. The wideout has just seven catches for 112 yards and a touchdown in two games. Overall, that's a solid stat line, but only catching seven passes in a pair of contests suggests that he isn't open as much as he would like to be. The Steelers have done a decent job containing him when he is on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

One of the main focuses when any team goes up against the Ravens is containing Lamar Jackson, and in 2024, Derrick Henry, too. With that said, Flowers' words could spark a belief that no one in Baltimore's locker room is fearful of one of the NFL's most turnover-savvy defenses. Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin and his unit have a challenge ahead of them, but a little bulletin board material never hurts.

Flowers is having a very successful season as he has hauled in 66 catches for 916 yards and four touchdowns. While he did find the end zone against the Steelers in Week 11, he only had two receptions for a grand total of six yards. Coming off that kind of performance shouldn't warrant the comments that Flowers made to the media in Baltimore, but it seems as if he is planning to have a much bigger game this time around.

All aspects of a rivalry matter, especially the week of preparation before. Former Ravens linebacker, Patrick Queen took the high road on Tuesday and noted that he expects to be disrespected by the fan base that used to root for him in Baltimore.

It should be a very entertaining matchup for the fans at home, and Flowers has added a little bit more fuel to the fire for the Steelers. Joey Porter Jr. should be ready to do what he can to shut down the Ravens' star wideout.

Steelers May Be Without Important Member Of Secondary In Baltimore

One of the most underrated acquisitions of the offseason across the NFL was Pittsburgh trading for Donte Jackson. The corner has been very opportunistic, securing five interceptions on the year. Unfortunately, he is dealing with a back injury. The hope is that he will be able to play against the Ravens, but it's too early in the week to tell. His absence would be a big loss for the defense.

Do you think that Flowers was taking a shot at the Steelers' defense? Let us know in the comments below!

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