Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is soaking up the love and accolades this week. They are well deserved after he scored six field goals including the game winner from 61-yards to beat the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football.
Tucker came to the rescue when the Ravens failed to score touchdowns against the Lions. The field goals got progressively longer throughout the game. Tucker nailed all of them from 29, 24, 32, 49, 52 and 61-yards.
With 0:38 seconds left in the game, on 4th down at the Lions 43-yard line, the Ravens had a choice to make, go for it or kick a 61-yard field goal.
Head coach John Harbaugh asked quarterback Joe Flacco what he thought, he said they should kick it, that’s when Tucker looked at coach Harbaugh and said “I got it”.
And he nailed it to win the game 18-16.
On Wednesday Tucker was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time this season.
He trended on Twitter; fans showered him with love and dubbed him #Legatron.
Tucker replied, thanked his fans and requested another nickname since “Legatron” was already given to another kicker (one of his buddies).
Even ESPN’s Skip Bayless complimented Tucker. Bayless is often critical of the Ravens and Flacco.
“We’re talking about the most spectacular weapon in football,” Bayless said of Tucker.
Bayless believes that the Ravens are a threat in the AFC:
“This team is starting to look like a real football team, like a real threat, like a team that could give New England or Denver all it wants in a postseason game. I’m starting to think the Ravens are getting on a Super Bowl roll. I’m not picking them to win the Super Bowl, I’m just saying all the ingredients are there, starting with that little kicker.”
Enjoy your time in the spotlight Justin Tucker. You earned it this week.
Zennie Abraham