Matt Stover is the closest the Ravens have toa sure thing. Last season, he made 28-of-30 field goal attempts, a success rate of 93.3 percent ? the best ever for Stover, 39, who is entering his 18th season.
The eye-catching statistic, however, is he?s the NFL?s all-time second most accurate field-goal kicker (83.8 percent) behind Mike Vanderjagt (87.5 percent).
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Consider: His 1,715 points ranks him sixth all-time on the league?s scoring list; since 1996, no one has kicked more field goals than Stover ? 300; he led the team in scoring last season with 121 points; and his streak of 36 consecutive field goals, which ended last Nov. 19, is the third-longest in NFL history.
After 17 seasons, is he getting leg weary?
Not if his effort in the Ravens? 29-3 preseason victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 13 is any indication. Stover nailed two 50-yarders ? for the 14th time in his career. Still, he is quick to credit two teammates for his success ? holder Sam Koch, in his second year with the Ravens, and long snapper Matt Katula, in his third.
“To have [those guys] from the beginning of training camp, it?s been a real privilege,” said Stover.
Despite his success, the only former Cleveland Brown still with the Ravens never takes his job for granted.
“There?s always somebody out there ready to take your spot,” he said.
At 5-feet-11 and 178 pounds, Stover is small by NFL standards, but he has had a huge impact when it comes to giving advice.
Koch said he turns to Stover on a regular basis.
“Matt is a huge mentor to me,” said Koch, a 2006 sixth-round pick from Nebraska. “In college, you can perform at an average level every day and get away with it. In the pros, you have to be at your best all the time, or you?re going to be replaced. Matt helps me keep that in perspective.”
Return specialist B.J. Sams also listens to the longtime veteran.
“Matt is both a mentor and a coach, who can give advice to everyone,” Sams said. “He means a lot to this team. When it?s time to kick a field goal, we call him ?Automatic Three.? ”
