Ravens' Offensive Collapse Wasted Their Top Receiving Weapons

A big reason for Flowers and Bateman’s poor numbers was the lack of opportunities downfield. According to NFL Pro, Flowers averaged just 1.1 air yards per target, by far his lowest total of the season. Bateman averaged 4.9 air yards per target, which was also his lowest mark of the season by more than a yard.

Now, to be fair, there is some logic behind Baltimore’s approach, particularly with Flowers. The dynamic wide receiver is at his best when he can operate in space and make defenders miss after the catch. According to PlayerProfiler, Flowers ranks second in yards after the catch with 311. Bateman, however, is a different type of receiver. He is primarily utilized as a vertical threat, ranking in the 85th percentile league-wide in air yards per target, according to NFL Savant.

In Bateman’s case, he was targeted just twice, with both opportunities coming on shorter passing concepts. The first resulted in a six-yard gain on a slant route, while the second came on a curl route that was thrown low and fell incomplete. These plays could have been part of Declan Doyle’s attempt to make things easier for undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, but they represent a stark contrast to how Bateman has typically been used this season.

Flowers was a different story. He was utilized almost like a gadget player, with screens and short routes designed to get him into space, but those opportunities frequently failed to produce much. The biggest example came on a jet touch pass in the first quarter, with Derrick Henry taking the snap in the Wildcat and Flowers coming across the formation in motion. It was a creative idea, but Jacksonville was prepared for the play and stuffed it for a three-yard loss.

Overall, Flowers did not receive a single target more than ten yards downfield. While he is known for his ability to create something out of nothing, he is also a capable receiver when targeted farther downfield, an area Baltimore hardly explored throughout the night.

Caution with an uncertain quarterback situation is understandable. Still, too much of it can mean that one of the league’s most elusive wide receivers is limited, while a capable vertical threat is reduced to being a safety valve.