Baltimore Ravens: Is Justin Tucker Our MVP?

Obviously a kicker is never going to register in the race to be the NFL’s MVP, but he is the Baltimore Ravens’ most valuable player right now:

With the offense having a hard time to get going no player is more valuable than Justin Tucker. The Ravens have asked Tucker to kick nine field goals and he has made all nine. Tucker is three for three from beyond 50 yards. His longest kick this season was also his most crucial, a 53 yard field goal that gave the Ravens a 19-17 lead over the Jaguars. Tucker was just named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month.

When you think of Ravens kickers before Tucker two things come to mind. First there is the legend of Matt Stover. When Stover left it took the Ravens a while to fill the void. Steven Hauschka missed a last second field goal that spoiled a 17 point comeback against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. Next, Billy Cundiff got a chance to be the Ravens kicker. When Cundiff missed a chip shot field goal in the AFC Championship game, the need for a kicker was painfully felt by the Ravens fan base. Finally the Ravens ended up with Tucker. As long as number nine is with the Ravens, we can count on the kicker in Baltimore.

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The Ravens beat the Bills by six points. Next they beat the Browns by five points. Most recently they outlasted the Jaguars by two points. When you look for the Ravens biggest problem this season, it has been getting in the end zone. The Ravens have scored 57 points. 27 of those points came from field goals. A player that scores 47 percent of your points is incredibly valuable.

Tucker is arguably the most clutch kicker in the NFL. How could we ever forget the kick that took us to the AFC Championship game in the 2012 playoffs? The double overtime kick in the frigid conditions against Denver was a thing of beauty.

The 61 yard attempt in Detroit as time expired was a revelation. When he hit that every Ravens fan went crazy with elation.  Over and over again, Tucker has proven to be a great kicker. When the Ravens play it’s never easy on the heart. It seems like the Ravens are almost trying to give us heart failure in the fourth quarter. When Tucker runs out on the field, it is the one thing that puts the purple sea at M&T Banks stadium at ease.

Having a great kicker gives the Ravens a mental advantage. John Harbaugh knows that he can depend on Tucker. When the Ravens need it the most, Tucker delivers. . Tucker believes in himself and the Ravens believe in him.

The Ravens are one of the few organizations that has a kicker in their ring of honor. Stover is deserving of that honor. If it were not for Stover, many of the Ravens glories would have never happened. The Ravens used to go into a game asking the defense and Stover to win games for them. That has been the formula that is currently working for the Ravens and Justin Tucker.

Next: Do Ravens Have A Championship Caliber Defense?

Now I’m not saying Tucker is the most valuable player in the NFL. He doesn’t stand a chance to win that award. Even if he were to break every kicking record in the NFL, it’s not happening. However let me ask you a serious question. How many players have been this important to their team? Tucker is the Baltimore Ravens MVP through three games.