Baltimore Ravens Defeat Cleveland Browns 27-10: 3 Big Things

Whether you want to admit it or not, Sam Koch is your 2017 Baltimore Ravens MVP

As much as it’s fun to poke at how Justin Tucker and Sam Koch are two of the best players the Ravens have on their roster, it’s true. Having the trio of Tucker, Koch, and Morgan Cox is a luxury that Ravens fans should appreciate everyday. Site Expert Joe Schiller summed it up perfectly when he tweeted this:

Last season, Tucker made his case as Baltimore’s Team MVP. He made 38-of-39 field goals, including a perfect 10-of-10 mark from 50 yards or more. This season, the focus has shifted over to Koch, while Tucker only owns four attempts of 50+ yards so far this season.

On Sunday, Koch punted five times for Baltimore. Three of those punts went inside Cleveland’s 5-yard line. Those Cleveland drives led to an interception, a punt, and a Ravens touchdown (Za’Darius Smith strip-sack of Kizer, recovered in the endzone by Brandon Williams for a touchdown). This score took place about midway through the third quarter. It marked Baltimore’s first points of the second half and gave the Ravens a two-touchdown lead. If Koch does not pin the Browns back there, the Ravens do not score that touchdown, and the game may have spiraled another direction.

Truly Special, Special Teams:

On two of those three punts, Chris Moore downed the football. Credit also should go Moore’s way. He’s been outstanding on special teams all season, particularly on punts. He did not make much of an impact in the Ravens’ passing game on Sunday, but every time Koch punted, it seemed like Moore was on top of the football every time.

Koch has been outstanding all season. According to ESPN, going into Sunday, Koch leads the NFL in punts landing inside the 20-yard line, with only three touchbacks. Leading the NFL in this category is amazing, but keep in mind that many of Koch’s 33 punts inside the 20 landed near the goal line.

The special teams unit as a whole has played amazing football all season, and that will serve the Ravens well if they reach the playoffs. Pinning opponents back and winning the field position battle is a formula many successful teams follow, and the Ravens are certainly capable of playing that type of game. The impact that Harbaugh and Jerry Rosburg have on this unit cannot be understated enough.

Is naming your kicker or punter as the team MVP telling? Yes, but Koch’s 2017 season needs to be appreciated. Aside from Terrell Suggs, Koch is the longest-tenured Raven on the roster, and the team is lucky to have him around during perhaps his best season ever.