Josh Karty, a rookie kicker for the Rams, is eager to embrace the pressures of his NFL debut against the Lions, stating, "Why not just jump straight into the deep end? I definitely like high-energy environments. It's just a lot of fun." This reflects his readiness to tackle challenges head-on, especially in a place like Ford Field, which is notoriously tough for opposing players.
After a disappointing previous season, where the Rams' kickers struggled significantly with field goals, having a 74.4% success rate that ranked them 30th in the league, Karty comes in with a strong collegiate background, making 51 of 60 attempts at Stanford. This performance was a key reason why he was chosen by Rams' general manager Les Snead.
Karty's preseason experience was mixed but promising, as he made five out of six field-goal attempts, though he acknowledges the need for continuous improvement: "Got a little bit of experience with everything. That was kind of great. Use them all as learning experiences and move on." This suggests that he is willing to learn from setbacks.
The Rams' special teams dynamics could shift with Karty's addition, given new NFL kickoff rules. It's not clear how special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn will utilize him alongside second-year punter Ethan Evans and long-snapper Alex Ward, especially considering Evans also has kickoff capabilities.
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