Kicker Justin Tucker’s miss from 67 yards didn’t simply finish the Ravens’ hopes of an unbelievable rally Sunday in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It additionally ended one of many NFL’s most outstanding area purpose streaks.
Before his last-second attempt fell wanting the uprights inside TIAA Bank Field, Tucker had made 65 consecutive area objectives within the fourth quarter and extra time, the longest such streak in NFL historical past. He was additionally 17-for-17 on makes an attempt within the last minute of regulation coming into Sunday, a stretch that included an NFL-record 66-yarder as time expired in a comeback win final 12 months over the Detroit Lions.
Tucker was the Ravens’ solely dependable supply of scoring for the primary three quarters of their 28-27 loss Sunday, connecting on area objectives from 27, 29, 55 and 24 yards and surpassing kicker Stephen Gostkowski for essentially the most factors scored within the first 11 years of a profession in NFL historical past (1,458).
After quarterback Trevor Lawrence led the Jaguars to a last-minute landing and go-ahead 2-point conversion, the Ravens trailed 28-27 with simply 14 seconds left. They reached Jacksonville’s 49-yard line with two seconds remaining. Rather than have quarterback Lamar Jackson throw up a prayer, coach John Harbaugh known as on essentially the most correct kicker in NFL historical past. “I think the kick has a better chance than a Hail Mary,” Harbaugh mentioned afterward.
Tucker’s newest shot at historical past was correct sufficient, as straight as an arrow. But his lengthy run-up didn’t generate sufficient energy. Jaguars followers began cheering earlier than the ball even fell to the grass. Tucker mentioned afterward that he was “struggling to really just get the ball to go in either direction” from lengthy distance earlier than the sport.
“The fact that we had a chance and I didn’t deliver, it’s heartbreaking to me at this point, especially when it’s a kick that I know I have the ability to make,” he mentioned. “[Long snapper] Nick [Moore] and [holder] Jordan [Stout] did an excellent job throughout the day. They did a great job on that kick, too. It just kind of wasn’t in the cards for us, and the only thing that we can do is just keep working, move on and try to beat a good Denver opponent when they come to visit us in Baltimore next week.”
Bittersweet return
Everything about Ravens tight finish Josh Oliver’s efficiency Sunday was storybook — the whole lot however the ending.
Oliver, a third-round draft decide of the Jaguars in 2019, recorded group and profession highs in receptions (4) and receiving yards (74) in his return to Jacksonville, together with a go-ahead 12-yard landing catch with simply over two minutes remaining. But that was little comfort after one other late collapse.
“Definitely tough,” Oliver mentioned of the loss to the Jaguars, who traded him to Baltimore in March 2021 for a conditional seventh-round decide, then watched him become one of many NFL’s greatest blocking tight ends. “It’s a blessing to be back out on the field. I have to thank God. Coming back here healthy is a huge thing for me, but it’s also tough. It’s a loss.”
Oliver, who struggled with accidents early in his profession, now has single-season highs in receptions (11), receiving yards (130) and receiving touchdowns (two). But he may’ve had much more Sunday. One would-be landing go bounced off his fingertips early within the third quarter, and the Ravens needed to accept a red-zone area purpose.
Later, on his go-ahead catch-and-run rating, Oliver may have stayed within the area of play in hopes of draining the clock additional. But the first-down marker was on the Jaguars’ 1, and Oliver indicated that the Ravens’ precedence then was taking the lead, not managing the clock.
“I think we were thinking, ‘Score first, get up and the cards [will] fall where they do,’” he mentioned.
Controversial name
Harbaugh mentioned he didn’t get a proof from officers on why Jaguars large receiver Marvin Jones’ last-minute, shin-dragging landing catch was confirmed after a evaluate.
On the 10-yard seize over Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters, Jones received just one foot and a part of his shin down inbounds. That was sufficient, although.
“I was pretty sure that wasn’t a catch, but I think whatever they called on the field, it was so close that it was going to stand,” defensive lineman Calais Campbell mentioned. “I guess they say a shin counts as two feet or whatever. You know, I thought that for sure wasn’t a catch. [We’ve] got to just show up and play football. Whatever they call, you’ve got to live with it. We can’t control the circumstances. Just continue playing football. After they got that, you’ve got to find a way to get a stop and win the ballgame.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
