The Ravens had established players in nearly all positions when they began the season. Kicker was the exception.
The Ravens had high expectations for rookie Tyler Loop. He was a sixth round pick and the first kicker they ever drafted. It remained to see how he would cope with the pressures of the NFL.
Loop has proven why the Ravens placed such trust in him.
Brian Wacker, a reporter for The Baltimore Sun, wrote : “His performance this year was also superb.” “… “…
Loop converted 29 of 30 extra-point kicks and 22 of 24 field-goal attempts. His 91.7 percent field-goal rate is tied with Dallas Cowboys All Pro Brandon Aubrey for fourth place.
Wacker said that Loop’s technique and preparation had to be adjusted when he went from college kicker at Arizona to NFL.
Wacker wrote: “For starters NFL kicking balls are slightly longer and wider than college kicking balls, so the sweet spots is different.” “Loop’s foot also touched leather lower on ball than now. He also had to change his routine before games.
In college, Loop explained, the kicks were not consistent and took little thought. On the Friday prior to a Sunday match, he practices the same kicks he will use during Sunday warmups. This includes him taking five kicks without steps, five with a step and five complete kicks. He will then try eight field goal attempts in one direction, followed by eight in the opposite. The maximum distance is usually 60 or 65 yards depending on where he is.
Nick Moore, the long snapper who has been a part of Loop’s team since its inception, is impressed with his progress.
Moore stated that “he’s learned an incredible amount.” “I think that he is handling it very professional and trying to be consistent. It’s hard to do our job and replicate the same actions every time we step onto the field. He has mastered the lean of the ball. He is getting better at ball contact. His swing is moving further down the field. He is being more aggressive. He’s showing a lot of confidence in his stroke. He has come a very long way since he arrived here.”