Baltimore Beatdown
The Baltimore Ravens won their second preseason game of 2025, beating the Dallas Cowboys 31-13. There were a few things to learn from the Ravens’ victory as multiple young players stepped up.
Undrafted rookie defensive back Reuben Lowery has impressed throughout training camp and the preseason, with his performance against the Cowboys further strengthening his case to make the final 53-man roster. The versatile defender out of Tennessee-Chattanooga had an impressive interception against Dallas quarterback Joe Milton near the end of the first half, displaying the ability to cover distance quickly on the backend of the defense.
Lowery appears to have jumped second-year safety Beau Brade at this point, as Brade continued to play late into the game, which is often an ill omen for players hoping to make the roster. While he would start the year as the fourth safety behind Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, and Sanoussi Kane, Lowery has a chance to earn a role as the third safety in specific packages for the Ravens, which they employ often.
Second-year wide receiver Devontez Walker is another player who has been routinely praised for his training camp this offseason, and that translated into a strong outing against the Cowboys. Walker finished the night as the team’s leading receiver, catching six passes on eight targets for 61 yards. Walker is currently buried in an impressive wide receiver room for Baltimore, with Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and DeAndre Hopkins leading the way. A performance like this shows that he may be ready for a bigger role on the offense in his second season, though.
Following the game, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that the rookie Tyler Loop would be the team’s kicker going into the regular season, as if there was any question after the only other kicker on the roster was cut before the start of the preseason. Loop was close to kicking a perfect game against Dallas, but a 50-yard miss put a damper on an otherwise spectacular night. Loop rebounded after the miss to drill a 53-yard field goal with just over two minutes left in regulation. The Arizona kicker made five of his six kicks against the Cowboys with a long of 53 while also making both extra points.
For over a decade, Ravens fans grew accustomed to Justin Tucker making the hardest of kicks look routine. However, with a new face at the position now, it is time to remember that even the best kickers usually do not live up to the consistency that Tucker brought every year until the waning years of his career in Baltimore. Loop appears to have what it takes to be a worthy successor, but comparing him to Tucker’s heyday will be unfair, and learning to live with more misses here and there will be necessary.
