The Baltimore Ravens were eliminated from the playoffs in the AFC Championship Game by the Kansas City Chiefs, but one of their players is still coping with the fallout.
Rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers was fined $10,927 for a taunting penalty, which has proven a pricey one for the young athlete.
The action occurred at the end of the third quarter, when the Ravens trailed 17-7. QB Lamar Jackson saw Flowers wide open on what should have been a 54-yard bomb down to the 10-yard line.
After being tackled, Flowers stepped up, knocked CB L’Jarius Sneed to the ground, turned the football at the corner, and stood over him. The referees promptly flagged the play and called the rookie for taunting.
The flag sent the ball back to the 25-yard line. Some viewers were outraged by the play, believing that while Flowers’ penalty was justified, the Chiefs should have been called for equal penalties.
Bobby Trosset, popularly known as “Bobby Baltimore,” is the co-host of “The Vault: A Daily Ravens Podcast” and tweeted, “Taunting penalty called on Zay Flowers. An easy one. Travis Kelce could easily have five of them right now.
Agree with the taunting call? pic.twitter.com/StcuPKSoEe
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 28, 2024
Flowers commented after the game on what appeared to be an imbalance in the number of flags thrown, stating that it was “anticipated.”
The Penalty Was Just the Beginning of Zay Flowers’ Troubles
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Unfortunately for the Ravens and Flowers, the taunting penalty marked the beginning of a dismal sequence for the rookie.
To begin the fourth quarter, the Ravens were able to move the ball back to the 9-yard line and were on the verge of cutting the deficit to one possession. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jackson connected with Flowers, who cut in on a slant route and appeared to be heading for six.
ZAY FLOWERS FUMBLE LEADS TO A TOUCHBACK 🤯😳
CHIEFS BALL.
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/QVfHHfCeQy— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 28, 2024
Instead, Sneed (who was penalized for taunting) came in from the sideline and forced a turnover at the 1-yard line, saving a touchdown. The Chiefs retrieved the ball in the endzone, which resulted in a touchback.
The play killed the Ravens’ momentum, and they were unable to score another touchdown for the rest of the game.
Flowers was asked about the fumble after the game, as well as his teammates’ support. The rookie replied, “Those are my brothers, and I don’t expect anything different from them. We all have each other’s backs.
Prior to the fumble, the youngster was having a fantastic game, catching 5 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown. The rookie will have a long offseason, but his goal is to find a way to avoid focusing on one play.
Ravens DT Travis Jones Hit With Fine
Flowers isn’t the only Ravens player who will have to open their wallets following the Chiefs game. Travis Jones, a defensive tackle, received a $25,000 for his hit on quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The NFL fined the massive DT $6,700 for a “hit on the quarterback.”
Personal Foul call on the Ravens pic.twitter.com/oddVueJPsV
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 28, 2024
The play came just before halftime, as Mahomes attempted to escape the pocket and get rid of the ball. Jones swung his enormous fist up and punched Mahomes in the face with a maneuver that appeared to be from professional wrestling.
The DT was called for a 15-yard penalty on the play, which helped the Chiefs march down the field for a Harrison Butker field goal before halftime.
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