The Baltimore Ravens came into 2025 with high expectations. But as the calendar hits the final stretch of December, it’s clear this season hasn’t gone according to plan. After a Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots, Baltimore’s playoff hopes are hanging by a thread-and that might be generous.
Injuries have been a recurring theme, particularly on offense. Lamar Jackson has battled through lingering health issues nearly all year, and without their MVP-caliber quarterback at full strength, the Ravens’ offense has struggled to find rhythm.
But it’s not just Jackson. The offensive line has been among the league’s least effective units, and the playcalling hasn’t done much to compensate.
It’s been a frustrating mix of poor protection, lackluster execution, and questionable decision-making.
Defensively, the story has been just as turbulent. The Ravens opened the year with one of the worst defensive starts in franchise history.
There was a brief midseason resurgence that gave fans hope, but that momentum has fizzled. Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr has reverted to some of the same schemes and tendencies that plagued the unit early on, and the results have been just as disappointing.
Through all of that, special teams have been one of the few relatively stable parts of Baltimore’s 2025 campaign. But even there, cracks are starting to show-most notably with rookie kicker Tyler Loop.
Tyler Loop’s rookie season: solid, but with a glaring hole
Loop’s debut season hasn’t been a disaster by any stretch. In fact, his overall accuracy has been impressive.
He’s hit 27 of 30 field goal attempts (90%) and gone 36-for-38 on extra points. That’s more than respectable, especially for a first-year kicker.
But the issue isn’t with consistency-it’s with range.
In Sunday’s loss to New England, Loop connected on all three extra point attempts and nailed a 36-yarder. But his 56-yard field goal attempt wasn’t just a miss-it came up well short.
That’s now three straight misses from 55 yards or more, and they’re not close. Loop is just 1-for-4 on kicks from 50-plus yards this season, with his only successful long-range make coming way back in Week 1 against the Bills.
Since then, the long ball has been a problem. He missed wide right from 55 yards in Week 5 against Houston, then missed again from 56 in Week 10 against Minnesota. Sunday’s short miss adds to the growing concern that Loop simply doesn’t have the leg strength-or at least not yet-to consistently hit from deep.
That matters. A lot.
Why Baltimore needs more from its kicker
The Ravens’ offense hasn’t been explosive this year. With Jackson hobbled and the line struggling, they’ve had a hard time sustaining drives, especially late in games.
That’s where a kicker with range becomes a real weapon. When drives stall around midfield, a kicker who can confidently hit from 55+ gives the offense a chance to walk away with points.
Right now, Baltimore doesn’t have that luxury.
Loop’s short-range accuracy is a plus, and it’s something to build on. But in a league where games are often decided by a single possession-or a single kick-being limited from distance puts added pressure on an already inconsistent offense.
Kickoff issues have added to the concern. Loop leads the league with seven kickoff penalties, including four kicks that came up short of the landing zone and three that sailed out of bounds. That kind of field position giveaway is costly, especially for a defense that’s already struggling to get stops.
What’s next for Loop-and for the Ravens
To be clear, this isn’t a call for panic. Loop is a rookie, and growing pains are part of the job.
But with just two games left and the Ravens clinging to the slimmest of postseason chances, there’s no time for a slow learning curve. If Baltimore is going to finish strong-or even salvage some pride from a frustrating season-they need Loop to take a step forward.
Fast.
Whether it’s refining his mechanics, adjusting his approach, or simply finding more power on his kicks, Loop’s development from here on out is going to be critical-not just for the final two weeks, but for his future with the team.
The Ravens have enough problems to solve this offseason. An unreliable kicking game doesn’t need to be another one.