Tyler Loop gave the Ravens exactly what they needed in Week 1, and it was enough to get Jake Moody off the practice squad.
That doesn’t mean the heat is gone.
Loop was perfect in Baltimore’s 41-23 win over the Colts, going 5-for-5 on extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals. He drilled kicks from 57 and 45 yards, a strong statement from a young kicker who struggled badly from distance as a rookie. For one Sunday, at least, the doubters had to sit down.
Still, one sharp outing doesn’t erase the bigger question hanging over him: can he keep it going?
Baltimore’s decision to release Moody eased the pressure on Loop a little, but not all the way. Jesse Minter didn’t shut the door on Moody coming back to the practice squad, which means Loop has no real room to coast. The competition may be quieter for now, but it isn’t gone.
That’s part of why this feels familiar. Loop already won the job heading into his rookie year, and he opened the 2025 season with promise against the Buffalo Bills, hitting two field goals, including one from 52 yards.
He did miss an extra point in that game, but the bigger picture is that he has flashed this kind of early rhythm before. The challenge now is turning a good start into something steadier.
Sunday’s setting also mattered. Indianapolis had its roof closed, so Loop wasn’t dealing with the kind of outside variables that can turn a kicking night into a mess. That changes in Week 2, when the Ravens host the New Orleans Saints at M&T Bank Stadium.
That’ll be Loop’s first chance to kick in front of a home regular-season crowd since his uneven rookie campaign, and Baltimore fans won’t be shy if he misses one wide.
The stadium itself is no easy place to work. The wind swirls there, and it can send the ball in directions kickers don’t always expect. Loop felt some of that last year, when he missed an extra point and two field goals at home in 2025, with both field goal misses coming from beyond 50 yards.
So yes, the opener bought him some breathing room. But only some.
If Loop slips, Moody could be back in the picture quickly. And even after a clean debut, the job still isn’t locked down. In a league where kicking can decide everything, especially when the best teams meet in the playoffs, Baltimore knows how fast that pressure can return.
In Other News...
Ravens Formula Is Working Early But Week 2 Brings One Big Test
The early returns in Baltimore have pointed to a team that looks unusually synchronized for September, with rookie head coach Jesse Minter and rookie offensive coordinator Declan Doyle already building a clear identity. The Ravens want to live on explosive plays on offense and take them away on defense, and that approach has shown up in the way Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers have helped stretch the field while the defense works to limit the same kind of game-changing snaps on the other side.
Week 2, though, offers a sharper read on how sturdy that formula really is, especially with Flowers dealing with a hamstring injury that could alter the offenses margin for error. Baltimores strong early ranking in explosive play differential suggests the plan is working, but the next test is whether the Ravens can keep creating separation if one of their most dangerous weapons is not fully available. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Have A Receiver Problem Before The Home Opener
The receiver room took an early hit in the opener when rookie JaKobi Lane fractured his wrist and had surgery, pushing him onto injured reserve for at least four games. Baltimore moved quickly to patch the roster by promoting veteran Chris Moore, while head coach Jesse Minter said the team wants Lane back as soon as possible once he is healthy enough to return.
The bigger concern for the Ravens is that Lanes absence comes with Zay Flowers still day-to-day because of a hamstring injury, leaving the passing game a little thinner than anyone would have liked this early in the season. Baltimore can manage that for a stretch, but the home opener now carries a little more pressure on the rest of the wideouts to stabilize the offense while the team waits on two key pieces to get right. [Read more 🡒]
Tavius Robinson Might Be Giving Ravens Defense What It Was Missing
Tavius Robinson gave the Ravens a notable lift in Week 1, and it came at exactly the right time for a defense looking to look sharper up front. Baltimores defensive line showed real improvement against Indianapolis, with Robinson finishing with seven pressures and a sack as the Ravens helped hold the Colts to 149 passing yards and only two plays over 25 yards.
The bigger question now is whether this was a strong opening statement or the start of something more sustainable. Baltimore posted a league-best 52.9% pressure rate, Jesse Minter praised Robinsons performance, and the defense should have more pieces coming back from injury while the coaching staff keeps tweaking things, which gives the Ravens a chance to build on what looked missing a year ago. [Read more 🡒]