Leading up to the Baltimore Ravens‘ Week 2 matchup against the Detroit Lions, one player was consistently brought up more than any other.
Nope, it wasn’t Lamar Jackson. Instead, it was Justin Tucker, who made six field goals in Detroit during a 2013 regular season game, including a career-long, game-winning 61-yarder as time ran out.
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Tucker one-upped himself on Sunday, hitting an NFL-record 66-yard field goal as time expired to give the Ravens a 19-17 win over the Lions, bringing their record to 2-1 on the season.
The kick had just enough distance, bouncing off the crossbar as the game clock ran out and Tucker’s teammates mobbed him on the field.
This angle of @JTuck9‘s record-breaking kick is incredible. #RavensFlock
Today’s win was Baltimore’s third straight game to come down to the final possession, with the Las Vegas Raiders beating the Ravens in overtime during Week 1 and Lamar Jackson converting a 4th-and-1 to seal a Week 2 upset over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ravens Twitter Explodes After Game-Winning Kick
Needless to say, Ravens fans went ballistic over Tucker’s late game heroics, proclaiming the former Texas Longhorn the greatest kicker of all-time.
JUSTIN TUCKER IS THE GREATEST KICKER OF ALL TIME AND IT IS NOT CLOSE.
It’s tough to disagree, as Tucker now owns the all-time NFL records for both longest field goal and highest field goal make percentage. Today’s 66-yard conversion unseats Matt Prater’s 2013 64-yarder as the longest in league history, a record Tucker has long pursued.
Justin Tucker FROM THE MOON
Top Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez, who grew up in Texas where Tucker attended college, tweeted out his support for a fellow Maryland athlete.
BOUNCE IT IN TUCK LETS GOOOO
Fans showed no mercy in pointing out Tucker’s dominance in Detroit during his career. He’s the only kicker to make two field goals longer than 60 yards, both of which have been game-winners at Ford Field. Video taken from the stands shows disappointment sweep the stadium as the outnumbered Ravens fans in attendance celebrate the victory.
Justin Tucker took the soul out of every Lion fan at Ford Field. Lmaooo
The crowd view of the Justin Tucker game winner is INCREDIBLE.
Nothing but pain in Detroit. (Via ig: Southenddearborn)
@BSMotorCity
Text from a neighbor who is a Lions fan: “Untuckingbelievable.”
The kick was only made possible by a 4th-and-19 conversion by Jackson, who completed a 36-yard pass to Sammy Watkins to get to Detroit’s 48-yard line, setting up Tucker’s pivotal kick.
The Ravens’ offense found a way
4th-and-19 t.co/QQZob5dUTu
The play was Jackson’s second consecutive game-saving fourth down conversion following last week’s 4th-and-1 quarterback keeper to beat the Chiefs.
Analysts Heap Praise on Tucker
NFL analysts were quick to applaud Tucker for not only hitting the game-winning kick, but breaking an NFL record in the process.
You can make a really strong case that Justin Tucker is better at his job than any NFL player in league history has ever been at their job.
Hall of Fame tight end and current Fox Sports radio personality Shannon Sharpe praised Tucker for his ability to deliver in the clutch for the Ravens yet again.
Justin Tucker, kicked an NFL record 66yd gm winning fg. Wow. Watching him warm ups, 60 yders were easy, but kicking it 66 yds with the money on the table is different story. WOW
Former NFL linebacker and Fox Sports analyst Emmanual Acho commented on Tucker’s confidence when the pair were teammates at the University of Texas, saying “Justin Tucker has never met a Field Goal he didn’t think he could make.”
Tucker’s kick is even more impressive when taken in context of statistical feats across other sports.
For example, as CBS Sports’ Todd Furman points out, Tucker outgained the entire Chicago Bears offense today with his 66-yard kick, as the Bears finished a 26-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns with only 47 total yards.
Danny Heifetz of The Ringer also noted that Tucker’s 71% career make percentage on field goals longer than 50 yards is higher than LeBron James’s 68% free throw percentage since he joined the Los Angeles Lakers.
Put Justin Tucker’s leg in the Hall of Fame. 🦵 #BALvsDET
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Ravens Fans Go Bonkers Over Justin Tucker’s Heroic Record-Setting FG