Justin Tucker made a 66-yard area purpose to cap off a 19-17 Ravens win over the Lions. Tucker’s last-second make marked the longest area purpose in NFL historical past; it beat the earlier document 64-yard document that Matt Prater had held since 2013.

The kick barely obtained there. Tucker’s try hit the crossbar on the way in which down and managed to bounce by means of. Had it been even inches shorter, it might have bounced within the different path.

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That is why Tucker’s unorthodox transfer to included a crow hop in his lead-up to the sphere purpose try was so crucial. You’ll be able to see Tucker take the additional little jump-step as he begins his strategy to the ball. 

That allowed Tucker to get a bit of additional energy on his kick, and it probably was the distinction between a win and a loss for Baltimore.

Tucker knew that it might take all the pieces he needed to make the kick. He had come up simply quick on a 65-yard try throughout warm-ups, as he detailed after the victory. 

“Fortunately, we discovered an additional yard-and-a-half that I did not have three hours earlier than,” Tucker stated, per ESPN. “I am grateful for that.”

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The crow hop performed no small function find that additional yard and a half, although Tucker could not actually bear in mind a lot in regards to the play in its quick aftermath.

“I actually have to take a look at it,” he stated of the game-winning area purpose. “I used to be sort of having a bit of little bit of like an out-of-body expertise for a minute.”

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That is completely honest. In spite of everything, Tucker had simply etched his identify into the NFL document books and cemented himself as “the perfect kicker in historical past,” as Ravens coach John Harbaugh defined.

“When you may have a kicker like that, you need to give him a chance like that. For him to come back by means of like that’s simply historic.”

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