Getty Ravens K Justin Tucker celebrates a successful kick field goal attempt.
The Baltimore Ravens snapped a miserable five-game home losing streak that tied a franchise record with their 19-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. While that streak came to a thrilling end, another historic streak was extended when future Hall of Fame kicker Justin Tucker drilled a 43-yard game-winner as time expired in the primetime divisional bout.
“JUSTIN TUCKER WINS IT FOR BALTIMORE!”
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The five-time First Team All-Pro’s clutch kick didn’t just give the Ravens sole possession of first place in the AFC North standings, it also marked his 19th career game winner, improved his perfect conversion rate on kicks in the final minute of regulation, and extended his streak of successfully converted kicks in the fourth quarter and overtime to an NFL record 61 in a row.
“This was a big team win that we needed to have, division opponent,” Tucker said in his post-game press conference on October 9, 2022. “To be able to come out on top is a great feeling.”
Tucker is already the most accurate kicker in league history and is the model of consistency that makes clutch kicks with a regularity where many players at his position aren’t nearly as dependable on a weekly basis. Even though he has the utmost trust in his preparation and teammates blocking, snapping, and holding for him, he still admittedly gets nervous sometimes.
“Whether I’m feeling confident, or nervous or outright afraid, that’s why I always make it a point to say a brief prayer as I’m lining up the kick,” Tucker said. “I want to make sure I go through my routine as efficiently as possible.
As exillerating as his game-winning boot was, it wasn’t even his most impressive kick of the game. That well-deserved distinction belongs to the 58-yarder he nailed through the uprights in the third quarter. Even though Tucker hold the record for the longest field goal in league history and has made 52 kicks from 50-plus in his illustrious career, head coach John Harbaugh did admit that the decision to trot him out for that one wasn’t easy to make given that the game was tied 10-10 and a miss would’ve set the Bengals up with great field position.
Justin Tucker makes 58 yards look easy! #RavensFlock
“We’re going to put them at the 50-yard line if we miss that field goal and give them an opportunity to do something,” Harbaugh said in his post game press conference. “That was not an easy choice, but in the end, the scale tipped towards Justin. Justin deserves all the credit, but so does Nick (Moore) and so does (Jordan) Stout. Those guys did a great job.”
Running Game Continues to Improve
After recording just 63 yards on the ground in their season opener, the Ravens have recorded 155 or more rushing yards in each of their last four games. While MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson still lead the team in rushing from his quarterback spot and did so again with 58 yards against the Bengals, the running back position stepped up and made several meaningful contributions for the third game in a row.
“That’s just what we have to keep working for. It’s a big part of our formula,” Harbaugh said. “The ability to do that – and not just do that – we want to be able to run the ball on first and second down too, and get first downs doing that without ever getting to third down or third and short. It’s just a big part of who we are, and we still have some work to do there, and we have to keep improving, but they did a good job tonight.”
It’s not a coincidence that the resurgence of their running game outside of Jackson has coincided with the return of third-year running back J.K. Dobbins to the lineup. With fellow standout Justice Hill out with a hamstring and despite still being on a “pitch count” according to Harbaugh, he still finished second on the team and led the Ravens running backs in rushing against the Bengals with 44 yards on eight carries with an average of 5.5 per carry. He ran the ball with incredible physicality as he continue to look more and more like his pre-injury self since returning from a torn ACL that cost him all of his 2021 campaign.
J.K. won’t be denied 😤😤😤
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“I think I am doing pretty good, making strides every week,” Dobbins said in his post game press conference. “I’m trying to do it one game at a time.”
Front Seven Defesnive Standouts
The Ravens secondary has stepped up in major the past two weeks with the way they limited two of the league best young quarterbacks to season-low outputs through the air. However, against the Bengals, several members of their inside linebacker corps and defensive trenches had impressive games as well.
After coming underfire for under performing and being inconsistent to start the season to th point where the team decided to poach a season veteran from another team’s practice squad leading up to the game, both of the Ravens’ starting inside linebackers came up big against the Bengals.
Third-year pro Patrick Queen finally recorded his first interception of the season after having golden opportunities bounce of his hands and chest the past two weeks. It came against his former college teammate at LSU in Joe Burrow and just at the right time one play after the Ravens’ offense turned the ball over on downs at the Cincinatti 41-yard line. He also finished as the team’s leading tackler with seven total that included five solos was the highest graded Ravens player overall against the Bengals according to Pro Football Focus.
QUEEN OF THE NORTH 👑
@Patrickqueen_ gets the INT
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Veteran Josh Bynes is also a former teammate of Burrow’s with the two having played together in 2020. He recorded his first sack of the season after coming unimpeded on a blitz for a huge seven-yard loss and finished as the team’s second leading tackler behind Queen with six total tackles that included four solos.
Go ahead then @bynestime56 🔥
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Outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Jason Pierre-Paul had great games both setting edge against the run and rushing the passer. They dominated early on especially with the way they shut down Cincinatti’s second drive of the game as their team got off to a hot start. Pierre-Paul led the team in pass deflections with two and recorded his first sack as a Raven in his second game and consecutive start. Both of them recorded a tackle for loss, and Oweh finished with four total tackles.
First sack as a Raven for JPP 😈
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“He seems like he’s doing a good job” Harbaugh said about Pierre-Paul. “I felt good about him. He got pressure on the quarterback, played the run. Still, there’s little things that he’s going to be upset about that he could have played a little bit better, but he really cares. This guy loves football, and he wants to be good. I just think he’s kind of rounding into shape right now too, so he’s only going to keep getting better.”