Tucker is the NFL’s best kicker. Period. The Ravens are becoming a growing threat in the AFC playoff picture. Pitta snaps his touchdown drought. The race for the AFC North feels right. A Mornhinweg-Flacco meeting helps boost the offense.
The Wonders of Justin Tucker, One More Year of Cutler in Chicago, Crackdown on Taunting? How About a Crackdown on Flopping
Almost a year ago exactly, we were lamenting a Justin Tucker miss in Miami and wondering whether he had lost his touch. He wasn’t looking pretty outside of 50 yards and added another 50+ yard miss to his record that could have won the Ravens a road game. Now, we sit here in 2016 and know that Justin Tucker is the best damn kicker in the league. And, as Gary Gramling of MMQB discusses, it’s by a wide, wide margin. The Ravens could have lost, conservatively, at least one more game if it wasn’t for their incredible kicker, who is now 8 for 8 beyond 50 yards (this article was written before the game yesterday, so the stats are a week old).
And Tucker is enjoying every minute of this season…
?#RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/7PjusxaBtZ
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 5, 2016
Gramling goes on to discuss what the NFL should do about plays like the one that ended last week’s game against Cincinnati (c’mon let’s be honest, they really should) and that NFL fans shouldn’t feel too bad for the Bengals. After all, Vontaze Burfict did get away with a flop that looked like it belonged in a game of World Cup soccer…
Ravens are the AFC’s gathering threat in playoff race
It’s hard to believe that, if the season ended today, the Ravens would be the AFC’s third seed. But it’s true; their chances of making the playoffs are getting better by the week. And what other team in the rest of the AFC has a better history of going into Foxboro in the playoffs and coming away with a win?
Now, as the Ravens prepare to head into play the best team in the AFC this week, Harbaugh is prepared to move up among the ranks of Boston’s biggest sports villains. Ian O’Connor of ESPN has the full story.
Ravens notebook: Tight end Dennis Pitta snaps TD drought with two scores
Have you ever thought about someone you haven’t seen in a long time and then they call you or text you later that day? That reminds me of Dennis Pitta’s situation. This week, Pitta’s touchdown drought seemed to be a big topic of conversation around town, and of course, he comes out and scores twice in a rout. Another lesser talked about streak was broken this week, too: Lardarius Webb’s interception drought. And boy was that one a beauty…
https://twitter.com/fmillerusa/status/805483737135910912
(h/t Bleacher Report)
Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun has the full story.
Steelers, Ravens peaking at right time, setting up fun AFC North race
We’ve had quite a long streak of a 3-way race in the AFC North (2015 excluded) since Andy Dalton entered the league and started taking the Bengals to their annual first-round playoff exit. But this year, it’s back to a tie between the Ravens and Steelers, and, as Dan Graziano of ESPN explains, it just feels right. As we dive further into the holiday season, Ravens-Steelers on Christmas Day is going to be a present for all NFL fans…even if our own Adam Bonaccorsi doesn’t think it’s a rivalry anymore (please…).
Flacco-Mornhinweg meeting helps Ravens unleash offense
Much was made this week of Joe Flacco’s meeting with Marty Mornhinweg in which he requested that the Ravens be more aggressive on offense. And aggressive was Mornhinweg’s strategy this week – perhaps even more so than most Ravens fans would want. Clearly, though, the meeting was productive. The Ravens came out with an offensive gameplan that Miami just could not possibly keep up with. Having said that, a 5:2 pass-to-run ratio when you had a 3-score lead for most of the game is just a tad bit high…
