The Baltimore Ravens squeezed by with a win against the Minnesota Vikings in an overtime thriller in Week 9, and they have Justin Tucker to thank for it.
It’s not quite the same feeling as Tucker’s record-breaking and game-winning field goal against the Detroit Lions earlier this season, but Tucker proved yet again that he’s as clutch as they come.
With 16 seconds left in overtime, Tucker connected on a 36-yarder to give the Ravens the lead and the effective victory, keeping them at the top of the AFC North.
King of clutch: Justin Tucker is now 6-for-6 on FG attempts in OT in his career (including playoffs)
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) November 7, 2021
Aside from scoring the game-winning overtime field goal, Tucker completed all three of his other field goal attempts and went 4-of-4 on extra-point attempts as well.
No other kicker in the league is as accurate as Tucker, and no other kicker has his nerves of steel either.
It’s one thing to be consistent in scoring field goals at varying distances. It’s another thing to score with seconds left in the game knowing the entire stadium’s eyes are upon you.
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker saves the day yet again in Week 9 victory
This was Baltimore’s third overtime game of the season, and by now, we’ve gotten a little sick of the Ravens desperately climbing their way out of their self-dug hole.
They did it against the Lions and the Colts, and they nearly got embarrassed by the Vikings in Week 9, allowing Minnesota to score swiftly and easily in the first half.
But the now 6-2 Ravens rallied from a double-digit third-quarter deficit, even surviving an overtime interception by Anthony Barr that could have easily handed the Vikings the game.
By pure grit and a bit of luck, Baltimore managed to drive into field-goal range and set Tucker up for his first overtime field goal attempt of the season. 36 yards was well within Tucker’s range, but an attempt so late in the game could rattle even the most veteran kickers.
Not Tucker.
The legendary Ravens kicker once again lifted his team to victory, spelling another agonizing defeat for the Vikings who haven’t lost a game by more than seven points all season.
With the Cincinnati Bengals’ loss in Week 9, the Ravens now have space to breathe at the top of AFC North.
God forbid the Ravens get themselves into another sticky end-of-game situation this year, they’ll always have Justin Tucker and his incredibly clutch heroics to lean on.