Posted Dec 22, 2013
Ryan MinkBaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer@Ravens All Ryan Mink ArticlesA week after winning the game with a 61-yard field goal, Justin Tucker missed from 37 yards.
On a night when seemingly nothing went right, even the unflappable Justin Tucker
missed.The Ravens kicker was the hero on Monday Night Football with a 61-yard field goal to beat the Detroit Lions.
He had a much easier kick on Sunday night – a 37-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
He hooked it wide left.
Tucker had a streak of 33 straight field goals, the longest active run in the NFL. He was three field goals short of tying Matt Stover’s franchise record.
“I felt like I hit it pretty solid,” Tucker said. “I probably just turned on it a little bit.”
It was Tucker’s first unsuccessful field goal since Week 2 when he missed a pair against the Browns.
“I’ve got experiences, personally, I can draw on,” Tucker said. “I go back to Week 2 where I struggled in one game – a couple misses. Just like anybody else in there, the focus is on next week bouncing back and giving ourselves the best chance we can to make a run at this thing.”
The field was a bit wet after rain earlier in the day and at parts during the game. Tucker said he was struggling with foot-to-ball contact throughout the day on the sideline and in pregame warmups.
“But it’s a little thing where usually I can just kind of grind through,” he added.
Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski, the only kicker in the league with more points than Tucker, hit a pair of field goals from 45 and 42 yards out.
Tucker is now 35-for-38 on the season. Strangely, all three of his misses have been at home. He missed three field goals last year and one was at home.
“I’ll just start by saying it’s important not to overanalyze those things,” Tucker said. “This is a tough stadium to kick in, and this is a tough division to kick in.”
Tucker was asked if he’ll simply try to start another streak.
“I guess so, exactly,” he said.
