Ravens WRs Zay Flowers (Hamstring), Ja'Kobi Lane (Wrist) Ruled Out, Missed Second Half vs Colts

Ravens receiver Zay Flowers gushed about rookie offensive coordinator Declan Doyle all offseason and all of the “explosive” plays that were coming and went out and had the best first half of his career. Unfortunately, Flowers, who signed a big contract extension before the start of the season, left the game in the second with a hamstring injury and did not return.

Flowers was ruled out officially early in the second half. Rookie receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist) had some receptions negated by penalty but he did not play in the second half, either, and was then ruled out. The rookie was a sensation in the preseason and was in a key role with veteran Devontez Walker inactive.

The Ravens - lowest in NFL in use of three-receiver sets in Lamar Jackson's career (40%) - sliced up the Colts in 11 personnel in the first half (60% usage). Lane played 24 snaps, before he was quickly ruled out with the wrist problem. (Fellow rookie WR Elijah Sarratt was a healthy scratch)

Flowers caught five of his first six targets – every reception was for a first down – and Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo had no answers for him. But he has been dealing with a hamstring issue through the summer, he is far and away the best option in this pass game and a vital player, and he was a big part of why the Ravens took a 31-13 lead at the half.

Flowers had 150 yards receiving, and 83 of it after the catch. He was a dervish as always in the middle of the field but also showed up on the outside and the backfield.

Immediate Explosion

Doyle made it clear he was going to hunt explosives with his best playmaker in the pass game, and that’s what he did. Flowers was linted out wide and in the slot and in the backfield as a running back and he was put in motion and used as a decoy. You name it.

Flowers caught five balls in the first half and they all went for the first down. Literally everything he did was a chunk play. It was pretty astounding and even when the Colts mixed their coverages and moved top corner Sauce Gardner to a more Zay-centric assignment, not much changed.

Flowers had an electric 49-yard gain to bring the Doyle era to life on the first drive, setting up a touchdown. He found holes in coverages for gains of 17 yards and 18 and saved his best for a ridiculous scamper that gave the Ravens a 21-6 lead. Jackson dropped the ball off to him underneath and Flowers hit three gears and avoided the entire Colts secondary to end up in the endzone 54 yards later.

This was all Flowers’s vision and twitch. On the next drive he beat Gardner on a crosser for a 12-yard gain, but that ended up being the end of his work in the first half. Flowers was walking on the sidelines without his helmet and seemed to want to stay active but was clearly frustrated as the half expired with young kicker Tyler Loop hitting a career-best 57-yard field goal.

Subscribe To "The Daily Flock" For Elite Ravens Content And Conversations

Add us as a preferred source on Google