For a while there, it looked like Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker would never be the same player again.
Tucker, the most-accurate kicker in NFL history, had a nuncharacteristically poor start to the season. Through the first four games, he made just five of eight field goals with a miss in each of the first three. Misses from 50+ yards out continued a disturbing trend from last season, but it was his 46-yard miss in Week 3 that really set off the alarms.
After not attempting any field goals in Week 4, though, Tucker came up clutch in a vintage performance against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. He made both of his field goal attempts, ande they couldn’t have come at a better time.
The first kick came with 1:35 left in regulation, when Tucker drilled a 56-yarder to tie the game at 38 and eventually force overtime. Before Sunday, Tucker made just one of seven kicks from 50+ yards away since the start of last season, so seeing him nail a deep kick once more was a sight for sore eyes.
“I’m just, I’m so proud of Justin,” head coach John Harbaugh said after the game. “That’s not an easy kick by any stretch and he drilled it. You saw later, not an easy kick. Lot of wind up there.”
The second kick then came in overtime, when Tucker hit a 24-yarder to give Baltimore a 41-38 overtime victory. It may have been a chip shot, but considering the roller coaster that was the end of this game, ending it makes him a hero no matter what.
Tucker previously cited a “technique issue” as the reason for his struggles, but based on Sunday’s performance, that now seems to be a thing of the past. He’s a huge part of the team, and if the Ravens want to reach the goals they have for themselves, they’ll need him to play like he did in this game.
