PITTSBURGH -- As soon as Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop kicked the ball, his head sank in despair.
Loop knew immediately that his potential winning 44-yard field goal went wide right in Sunday night's 26-24 loss, which gave the AFC North title to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers and abruptly ended Baltimore's season. The Ravens (8-9) missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and recorded just their third losing season in John Harbaugh's 18 years as coach.
"For it to end like that sucks, and I want to do better," Loop said. "Unfortunately, the nature of the job is you have makes, and those are awesome, and unfortunately, you have misses, and for that to happen tonight sucks."
This was the first game-winning attempt for Loop, a sixth-round rookie who replaced Justin Tucker. Loop had been outstanding this season, making 90% of his field goal tries (30-of-33) before lining up for the kick with the game on the line.
According to Next Gen Stats, Loop had a 79% chance of making the 44-yarder. Loop said there were no issues with the snap or hold. He just mis-hit the ball.
"The second it made contact with my foot, I felt it lower," Loop said. "We talk about hitting on the fourth lace of the shoe. It felt a little lower down the foot and hit it thin."
Asked what was going through his mind when watching the kick, Loop replied, "I couldn't even remember. It just sucks."
In a back-and-forth fourth quarter that featured four lead changes, it looked like the Ravens were in position to capture their third straight division title. On fourth-and-7, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson connected with tight end Isaiah Likely for a 26-yard pass, which put Baltimore on Pittsburgh's 24-yard line with 14 seconds left.
Jackson then took a knee on the next play to move the ball from the left hash to the center of the field. Harbaugh was asked if the Ravens should have attempted to move the ball closer for Loop.
"It was a close kick. You want to center the ball," Harbaugh said. "We wanted to make sure we got the kick. We didn't want something bad to happen on the run. I don't think that was a bad decision."
As the Ravens walked off the field and into the locker room, Harbaugh had his left arm around Loop.
Loop said Harbaugh's message to him was "Just [get] back in the saddle. 'Hey, you're going to have more [kicks]. You have to get ready. It sucks, and we have your back, but we have to go.'"
The Ravens became the first preseason Super Bowl favorite to miss the playoffs since the New England Patriots in 2008, when Tom Brady got hurt in the season opener. Jackson did his best to keep Baltimore's playoff hopes alive by throwing touchdown passes of 50 and 64 yards to wide receiver Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter.
"We did all that to come up short," Jackson said. "[It's] devastating. [I am] furious. [I am feeling] all types of [emotions]. I don't know, I'm everywhere with it right now."
Loop's miss was reminiscent of Billy Cundiff hooking a 32-yard field goal attempt left in the final seconds of a 23-20 loss to the Patriots in the 2011 AFC Championship Game. The Ravens have also had their share of late-game misery recently, from Flowers' fumble near the goal line against Kansas City in the 2023 AFC Championship Game to Mark Andrews' dropped 2-point conversion attempt against Buffalo in the AFC divisional round last year.
"I think it only gets harder," Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley said. "Coming up short with the type of team that we have, it doesn't feel good."
