AFC North

The Baltimore Ravens could get wide receiver Zay Flowers back if they advance to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs.

Flowers has been ruled out of the Ravens' Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a knee injury. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Pro Bowler has an "outside chance" at being ready for the Divisional Round.

"From what I am told he does at least have an outside chance of being back on the field next week," Rapoport said. "No surgery is needed. It is just rehab for Flowers."

Flowers suffered the injury in Week 18 against the Cleveland Browns.

When Flowers was ruled out, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh left the door open for his return the following week and said that the receiver was "locked in on his rehab."

"Zay Flowers is not going to be able to make it to the game this week," Harbaugh said per Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. "So he'll get started again next week and we'll move forward with the guys we have and we're excited about the guys we have, which is everybody else. He's locked in on his rehab. He's locked in. Every time I walk in there, he's in there working on it. We'll see how it looks next week."

Flowers had 74 catches for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. He was the first Raven to have over 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2021 and was the first Raven wide receiver to make the Pro Bowl in franchise history.

He played a major role in Baltimore's Week 16 victory over the Steelers, making five catches for 100 yards. In the Wild Card matchup against Pittsburgh, Baltimore will hope Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews can pick up the slack.

The setback Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered on his previously injured Achilles turned out to be a new tear that required surgery.

The team announced on Friday that Watson "complained of discomfort after rolling his ankle in Miami" and that a subsequent MRI showed he ruptured his Achilles for a second time:

Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters on Monday that Watson suffered a setback in his rehab, but they were still gathering information about the extent of what happened.

"It is new information just learned in the past couple hours. So, I don't have everything yet," Berry said. "I don't want to rule out anything with a major injury. We are still collecting all the information. And obviously our focus is making sure that he can get as healthy as possible."

Watson had surgery on Oct. 25 to repair a ruptured Achilles suffered five days earlier in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Even though Achilles tears have become more common in the NFL, it's not an injury that has often happened multiple times to the same player. The most recent example is running back Cam Akers, who did it in July 2021 and November 2023.

Akers returned late in the 2021 season with the Los Angeles Rams, helping them on their run to the Super Bowl. He split time this season with the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings, appearing in 17 regular-season games.

There's no historical precedent for a quarterback who suffered multiple Achilles injuries, particularly in such close proximity to each other.

Watson's playing status for next season was already up in the air before the second Achilles tear. He was going to be on the Browns roster after restructuring his contract in December, but the team seemed likely to go after a quarterback either in the draft or free agency who could at least challenge for the starting spot in 2025 because of Watson's struggles.

This setback all but ensures the Browns will explore various avenues to add to their quarterback room next season. They own the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Watson has only appeared in 19 games with the Browns over the past three seasons due to injuries and suspension. He finished this season with 1,148 passing yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games.

While the Pittsburgh Steelers' last losing season came in 2003 before Mike Tomlin was hired as the head coach, the team also hasn't won a postseason game since the 2016 campaign and enters the upcoming playoffs on a four-game losing streak.

That has led to some frustration within the fanbase, but cornerback Joey Porter Jr. isn't worried about the outside noise.

"People are going to talk s--t regardless," Porter Jr. said in a Thursday piece by Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. "That's just what it is nowadays. But definitely, we're all trying to fight for one thing, and that's to win (playoff games) and get Super Bowls.

"And obviously we're all fighting for Coach T. We know what he brings to the table and what kind of character has. We're always trying to get those wins for him. But at the end of the day, the media, the outside noise, is going to always talk, and we just got to worry about what's going on in the inside."

On the one hand, Tomlin has started his career with an NFL record 18 consecutive non-losing seasons.

It is a testament to his overall consistency and the program he has helped build that Pittsburgh is always a playoff contender over the course of various roster constructions, quarterbacks and eras.

However, his Super Bowl title came in his second season with his other Super Bowl appearance coming in his fourth. There have been plenty of recent playoff losses with defeats in the Wild Card Round ending the 2020, 2021 and 2023 campaigns.

Even the 13-3 Steelers in the 2017 season lost their first playoff game in the Divisional Round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"This dichotomy has created a chasm between those who tout Tomlin as a top coach and those who believe change at the top is the only thing that can end the postseason drought," DeFabo explained. "The national media trumpets Tomlin's non-losing seasons, while the local radio shock jocks blast him for postseason failures. It's a dramatic divide."

A road game against the rival Baltimore Ravens on Saturday isn't exactly the easiest path to breaking a postseason losing streak, but Porter and the Steelers seem ready to compete for their coach.

If they pull off the victory, it will surely quiet some of the outside noise as well.

Myles Garrett hyped up rookie Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten in a mid-game interaction caught on camera and shared on NFL Films and HBO's Hard Knocks.

"I know I'm a nobody but, if I could get that jersey after?" Rosengarten asked the Cleveland Browns star when the teams met up on Jan. 4.

"Hey, you're in the league. Y'all winning games. Y'all looking great. You ain't never a nobody," Garrett responded. "I got you."

Garrett put himself on pace for a sixth Pro Bowl nod by leading the NFL with 22 tackles for loss this season.

Rosengarten meanwhile became a key part of the Ravens' offensive line while playing 84 percent of offensive tackles his rookie season.

He was regularly matched up with Garrett as the Ravens looked to clinch the AFC North title and turned out to be an effective counter. Garrett was held to two tackles, and one for loss, in the Browns' 35-10 loss.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson meanwhile avoided taking a sack as he threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 63 yards in the Baltimore win.

Rosengarten, who was selected by the Ravens out of Washington in the second round of the 2024 draft, said before his rookie season that he was excited to "be going against the best of the best within the Ravens organization, and then the rest of the division."

"There's some freak athletes out there, and I think those guys on the edge are definitely top of the pedestal when it comes to that," Rosengarten said on the Ravens' official podcast in May. "I just love the challenge, though. Want to bring it every single day."

There's no question that one of the top edge rushers in the AFC North was Garrett, who entered the season as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

After allowing a sack by Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones on his first NFL snap, Rosengarten has developed throughout his rookie season to the point where he can take on top players like Garrett.

For the third consecutive year, NFL players let their voices be heard on who's the best in the league at each position.

The NFLPA released its third annual Players' All-Pro team on Wednesday with the likes of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase leading the way:

A two-time NFL MVP, Jackson is in the running to add a third award to his mantle after another incredible season. He tied for second in the NFL with a career-high 41 touchdown passes while throwing just four interceptions, his lowest mark since he threw three picks in his rookie year while seeing limited action. He completed 66.7 percent of his passes for a career-high 4,172 yards and also added 915 rushing yards and four more scores.

In his first year with the Eagles, Barkley put forth the best year of his career and became just the ninth running back in NFL history to record a 2,000-yard season. He led the league with 345 carries and 2,005 yards while adding 13 touchdowns, and he likely would've had the chance to break Eric Dickerson's single-season record of 2,105 yards if he didn't rest during the regular-season finale against the New York Giants, his former team.

Chase led the NFL with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns, becoming the fifth player ever to achieve the receiving triple crown. The 24-year-old, who is in line for a monster contract extension this offseason, joined Jerry Rice (1990), Sterling Sharpe (1992), Steve Smith (2005) and Cooper Kupp (2021) as the only players to accomplish the feat.

NFLPA president JC Tretter explained the necessity of the players voting for their own All-Pro team as part of the release of the inaugural list following the 2022 regular season.

"We compete against each other all season long, watching hours and hours of film week after week after week, and yet we have never had an opportunity to truly use our expertise to select the best of us," Tretter stated in a release. "We think it is important that players take the time to define ourselves, because so far, we have allowed everyone else to either pick or dilute our voices."

This week's episode of Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North took fans through the final week of the regular season as some teams prepared for their last game before playoffs while others tried to secure a spot in the postseason.

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers had a somewhat stress-free week having already secured a playoff spot, while the Cincinnati Bengals had to win and rely on external factors to sneak into the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns went into the final week of the regular season just hoping to end the year on a positive note having already been eliminated from the playoffs.

There was something at stake in Week 18 for Baltimore and Pittsburgh however, as an AFC North title was on the line. Ravens coach John Harbaugh got the episode started with a fiery speech to motivate his team.

It was a somewhat tense atmosphere for the Steelers as they looked to snap a three-game losing streak, but that didn't stop head coach Mike Tomlin from making some jokes.

In Cincinnati, the red-hot Bengals prepared for a cold environment against Pittsburgh. The Bengals ultimately did their part by beating the Steelers, but didn't get the losses they needed from other teams to get to the playoffs. Still, it was a tremendous season for stars Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase.

This week's episode also showed a hilarious moment as Cleveland prepared to face the Ravens. The Browns got a kick out of seeing a photo of star Myles Garrett when he was 14.

It wasn't much of a surprise to see the Ravens beat the Browns to secure an AFC North title, but the matchup gave fans a wholesome moment between Roger Rosengarten and Garrett.

The Bengals and Browns' seasons are now over, but the Ravens and Steelers still have work to do. The two teams will face each other in this week's wild-card round, which should make for an exciting episode of Hard Knocks.

There's no question the Baltimore Ravens got better when Derrick Henry joined the team this offseason, but the star running back said his outstanding season shouldn't take away from what quarterback Lamar Jackson has done this year.

"You can put anybody by Lamar, and they're going to have a hell of a year," Henry said. "It's just the type of player that he is. My success shouldn't knock his, or vice versa.

"Lamar is the main reason why I came here. It was to play with a Hall of Fame quarterback... He's the best player in the league, and it's only going to get better from here. What I've done shouldn't hurt him. He's helped me even more."

Henry has had one of the best seasons of his career, racking up 1,921 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Likewise, Jackson has had a career year with 4,172 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions along with 915 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Some questioned before the season if the pairing of Jackson and Henry would work, and they've quickly shown that it does.

Now the duo will look to lead Baltimore through the playoffs as both Henry and Jackson seek their first Super Bowl appearances. The Ravens will begin their quest toward the Super Bowl on Saturday when they face division rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

As great of a career as Lamar Jackson has had, he's struggled in the playoffs.

Jackson is 2-4 in the postseason and has made it past the divisional round just once, last season when the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. The two-time MVP said in the past he struggled to keep his composure in high-stakes postseason games.

"I'd just be too excited," Jackson told reporters on Tuesday. "That's all. Too antsy. I'm seeing things before it happened, like, 'Oh, I got to calm myself down.' But just being more experienced, I've found a way to balance it out."

Jackson is outstanding at playing mistake-free football, but that reputation hasn't followed him into the playoffs as he produced six interceptions and three lost fumbles in his six playoff games. Jackson said he needs to be "mistake-free" in the playoffs this year to avoid the same issues he's dealt with in the past.

This season, Jackson has thrown for 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He has a 119.6 quarterback rating, the fourth-best ever in a season. Amid the best season of his career, Jackson can add to it with an impressive postseason, which he hopes will end with a Super Bowl.

His quest toward his first championship will start on Saturday in the wild-card round against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Cleveland Browns "have always planned on going for a quarterback in the upcoming draft" independent of the health status of quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

Russini reported on her Scoop City podcast that picking a quarterback "is something that they've been focused on and adding a quarterback to that quarterback room is all part of the Cleveland Browns' plans."

Watson was limited to seven appearances in 2024 before rupturing an Achilles tendon. An injury that serious always has a lengthy recovery period, and Watson's status for the start of the 2025 season may not be a given after he experienced a setback in his rehab.

Echoing what Russini reported, general manager Andrew Berry indicated he's looking to bolster Cleveland's depth at quarterback regardless of where Watson is health-wise.

"It probably goes without saying that to reach that level of consistency, we have to have consistent availability and consistent performance at the QB position, as well," he told reporters. "And that's something that's been elusive for us for the past couple seasons. And that's something that we have to be able to fix and remedy."

At this point, it feels safe to assume Watson is never going to return to the heights he reached with the Houston Texans. In his three years with the Browns, he has averaged 177.1 passing yards per game and has 19 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. The three-time Pro Bowler has also played in just 19 games due to a combination of injuries and his 2022 suspension.

Cutting Watson now is out of the question because of the implications it would have on the Browns' salary cap situation. But the franchise shouldn't feel beholden to keeping him as the starter for the sake of the optics—he'd be the most expensive backup in NFL history.

By virtue of having the No. 2 overall pick, Cleveland can get the young franchise QB it desperately needs. Watson shouldn't factor into the front office's calculus much, if any at all, when it comes to a draft strategy.