Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens Should Let Justin Tucker Kick From 70+ Yards

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:46 a.m. ET

Fansided, Joe Schiller/FanSided via Ebony Bird

Justin Tucker should get the opportunity to try to kick a field goal from 70+ yards

There is no question that Justin Tucker is the best kicker in the game and the Baltimore Ravens are lucky to have him. Last season, he surpassed Cowboy’s kicker Dan Bailey to become the most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history. He did not miss a single extra point and only missed one field goal, which was blocked. Time after time, Tucker bailed out a struggling Ravens offense.

Because of his leg power and his inability to miss, it has fans wondering how far Tucker really can make a field goal from. The current NFL record is 64 yards by Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater. Tucker is not far behind with a career high at 61 yards.

The NFL has been slowly trying to eliminate the return game because of injury concerns. The league voted to move the kick-offs up 5 yards for the 2016 season to increase the amount of touch-backs.

Because of this, Tucker is consistently booting it out of the end-zone. He gets a cheer from the Baltimore crowd when the kickoff goes through the goal posts. Head coach John Harbaugh even went as far to suggest that the NFL should consider adding a bonus point if the kickoff goes through the uprights.

It is clear that the Ravens have something special with their kicker, but will they let him attempt a field goal from 65-70 yards?

Going To Happen Eventually

Whether let the Ravens let Tucker try it from that far or not, there are going to be kickers who will try to kick it from 70+ yards. It has already happened before. In 2007, Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski attempted a field goal from a 76 yards. As ridiculous as it sounds, players are only going to get more and more athletic. Eventually, someone is going to come close or hit it from that far.

It is more entertaining for the game when kickers are trying longer field goals. During the Pro Bowl, Tucker and Prater went back and forth at each other kicking field goals. A video on Twitter showed Tucker hitting a field goal from 75 yards. Prater one upped him, by kicking a 76 yard field goal.

Now THAT is a #ProBowl kick! 75-yards out from Justin Tucker… nbd.pic.twitter.com/IxKfM7HDWw

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) January 25, 2017

pic.twitter.com/ihwxT8oD28

— Matt Prater (@MattPrater_5) January 28, 2017

Obviously these are from a tee and not in a game situation, but it is still very impressive to watch. Both of these kickers have the leg to do it and it would be great to see the two push each other to as far as they can go.

Even if Tucker has the boot, it still takes the decision from the head coach to make it happen. With how inconsistent the Ravens offense has been, making a field goal from 65-70 yards is 100% better than punting the ball away. Some of Tucker’s longer field goals have cleared the goal posts with room to spare. There have been situations where he could have attempted from 65+ yards, but Harbaugh would elect to punt the ball.

I understand the strategy of pinning your opponent and not wanting them to return the kick, but a field goal could be the difference between winning and losing a game. At the very least, the Ravens should give him a chance to try from 65 yards or longer.