He didn't get the Pro Bowl nod, but Sam Koch did get a consolation prize Wednesday morning.
The Ravens punter has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 15 after he pinned the Cleveland Browns inside their own 5-yard three times in a 27-10 win.
It was yet another display of Koch's wizardry when it comes to the precise placement and bounces of the ball, and it also earned a game ball in the postgame locker room.
It's the second time this season that Koch has received the award. He also got it in Week 12 after he had five punts inside the 20-yard line and threw for a first down on a trick play against the Houston Texans.
Koch is the first punter to win multiple AFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards in a single season since 2006.
Koch leads the league in punts inside the 20-yard line (37) and 10-yard line (16). He's tied for second on punts inside the 5-yard line (five). Koch only has three touchbacks this season.
One of those touchbacks was incorrectly ruled as such. Head Coach John Harbaugh called Koch's punt in Green Bay on Nov. 19 the "greatest punt in the history of football." Former Pro Bowl punter Pat McAfee agreed.
This week, reporters have been trying to get to the root of how Koch has such control over the football.
Koch has a wide range of different punts he can pull out of his bag of tricks depending on the situation. His attention to detail and work ethic are extraordinary.
Kicker Justin Tucker also said Tuesday that anybody in the locker room would say Koch is one of the best athletes on the team.
"He's just a gifted athlete; that goes a long way in professional sports," Tucker said.
"He can basically do anything with a football that he wants. You're talking about a ball that's shaped like a lemon and to have complete command over it, it's pretty remarkable."
