Ravens Kicking: Tyler Loop's Injury Forces a Roster Move

Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter confirmed that backup kicker Jake Moody will take over field goal duties for Thursday's matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The decision follows a potential placement of starting kicker Tyler Loop on injured reserve, a move that resolves uncertainty regarding the team's kicking unit during the short week.

Minter stated that Loop is dealing with a minor issue that has progressed slightly. When asked directly if Moody would kick, Minter answered, "At this point, yes." This shift places Moody, a former third-round pick from Michigan, in a critical role against the Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium.

The urgency of the change follows Loop's performance in the Ravens' 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The second-year kicker missed a 34-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter. That miss continues a pattern of inconsistency for Loop, who has converted only two of his five attempts from 40 to 49 yards this season.

Despite the struggles, Loop has delivered clutch performances in the past. He successfully converted a 64-yard field goal in a victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil. However, the team remains wary of his reliability after he missed a 44-yard attempt in the final seconds of last season's finale, a miss that eliminated Baltimore from playoff contention.

Moody was signed to the Ravens' practice squad on October 19 for the second time this season. His track record offers a different statistical profile than Loop's. In his NFL career, Moody has made 64 of 82 field goal attempts, with a career-long kick of 57 yards. In playoff games for the San Francisco 49ers, he has converted six of eight attempts.