Never A Doubt With Justin Tucker
A driving rain and swirling win did not deter the Ravens' confidence in Justin Tucker.
With the game on the line. there was never a doubt about Tucker's ability to make a tough kick.
Tucker rewarded his teammates's confidence by sailing a 49-yard field-goal attempt between the uprights on the final play of an intense game that gave Baltimore a 20-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
It was just business as usual despite the tough conditions.
"He's got that golden leg," quarterback Lamar Jackson said. "I've got all the faith in him. I'm on the sideline praying, but at the same time, I'm like, 'I know Tuck can do it.' He [does] it all day in practice. He just walks around play-kicking field goals, 65-yarders, so I've got all the faith in him."
Tucker has now made 15 game-winning field goals in his career. He doesn't deviate from his style of kick and is always quick to credit long-snapper Morgan Cox and holder Sam Koch for much of his success.
“The weather conditions were not ideal throughout the game,” Tucker said. “This is already a tough place to make kicks. To be able to eliminate any question mark, whether the snap was going to be good, whether the hold was going to be there, whether the timing was going to be right, it makes my job so much easier.
"So, I can really just focus on getting my studs in the ground with my plant [foot], getting out, up and through the ball and putting the ball through the uprights. Yeah, the conditions were not great, but being able to come through for this team in that moment is really special."
Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledges that he is fortunate to have Tucker as one of the league's most potent weapons.
"You wouldn't rather have anybody else in that situation," Harbaugh said. "That field, that win, that rain, all of that stuff was going on there. That's the guy you want in that situation. I'm very grateful that we have him on Thanksgiving weekend."
Or any other weekend, to be sure.
