Zay Flowers Injury Update Could Be Huge Advantage For Cowboys vs. Ravens

The Dallas Cowboys will face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, but might not need to worry about one of their more explosive weapons on offense.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers celebrates after he scores a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry get a lot of attention for the Baltimore Ravens, and rightfully so. Another player who makes their offense work, however, is Zay Flowers. The explosive wideout is a nightmare matchup for most teams and that would surely be the case for the Dallas Cowboys, who have struggled mightily in coverage.

A hamstring injury has slowed him down though, with Flowers missing their Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints. With Flowers out, their offense didn't look the same, and after seeing Thursday's injury report, it seems as though Flowers could be out in Week 3. ESPN's Jamison Hensley said Flowers is still sidelined, while adding that Week 3 doesn't look promising for Flowers.

Flowers is coming off his second consecutive season with at least 1,000 yards receiving, going for 1,211 in 2025. He had five receptions on six targets in Week 1 for 150 yards and a touchdown.

Dallas is dealing with injuries in the secondary, with cornerback Cobie Durant sidelined. Also out are safeties Malik Hooker and P.J. Locke. So while no team would ever wish injuries on an opponent, the Cowboys won't be too sympathetic considering they have their own concerns to overcome.

Zay Flowers isn't the Ravens' only injury concern

Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley blocks at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In addition to Flowers being sidelined, left tackle Ronnie Stanley also sat out practice on Thursday. The former All-Pro offensive tackle is among the best in the game and if he were to miss time, it could open the door for Donovan Ezeiruaku, who has been off to a hot start this year.

If Stanley is out, the Ravens might be forced to turn to Carson Vinson, who has yet to start a game in the NFL.

Cowboys vs. Ravens has field concerns to monitor

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer watches game play against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Leading up to this game, there's been a lot of discussion about how poor the field is at Maracaña Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which is where the Cowboys and Ravens will square off.

Soccer players haven't been shy about the field, describing how poor the playing conditions are. The Cowboys plan to address that by changing out their cleats, but it wouldn't be the worst idea for either team to keep players out who are already dealing with lower body injuries and might not be 100 percent.

We'll see if that plays into the decision for the Ravens as they figure out whether Flowers or Stanley will play this weekend.

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