Justin Tucker thinks he can make 84-yard field goal in perfect conditions
Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker once hit a 61-yard field goal to win a game in 2013.
He thinks can do better than that. Like 23 yards or so better.
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Tucker said on NFL Network on Thursday that he believes he can hit an 84-yard field goal — in perfect conditions, mind you.
“If conditions are prime — like last season we opened up in Denver, the weather was warm, the field was nice, and you’re up at altitude so the ball just carries,” Tucker said. “In pregame I think I hit the crossbar from 85, so if the situation is just prime, then maybe 84.5 yards.”
Tucker also hit a 51-yarder in the game, which must have felt like an 18-inch putt comparatively (if he’s to be taken at his word).
But is it really possible? Or is this just the highest-paid kicker running his mouth a bit? After all, that “84.5” thing was a bit … kicker-ish, wasn’t it?
Well, it’s certainly possible. After all, a college kicker (pardon — a shirtless college kicker) made an 80-yarder in practice last year. The longest made in a game is Matt Prater — in Denver, of course — with a 64-yarder. So Tucker would need to crush the ball to push it an additional 20 or so yards.
The longest ever attempted in a game was Sebastian Janikowski from 76 yards in 2008. He was, predictably, way short. Of course, Lane Kiffin was the Raiders’ coach and JaMarcus Russell was the quarterback, so feel free to draw your own conclusions about that. (Kiffin was fired following that game, too.)
In fact, the longest missed field-goal attempt in league history that didn’t come up short is believed to be a 66-yarder (in a dome) from Greg Zuerlein with a 66-yarder that was wide left as time expired in the St. Louis Rams’ 17-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins in 2009.
So we’re saying, no, Justin — it’s just not happening. Seventy-five? Eighty? Maybe. But short of an end-of-half or end-of-game situation, adding one more wrinkle to those “perfect” conditions, we just don’t see a suicidal coach even letting him or any other kicker try one that long.
After all, when is the next time he’ll be in a game in Denver, in warm weather, with 1% humidity, a 40 mph tailwind, a lethargic kick-block unit, a YOLO coach and an end-of-game/half situation? Those don’t come up terribly often.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
