Former Ravens Kicker Matt Stover Confident Justin Tucker Will Bounce Back
Matt Stover was one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL during his 13 years in Baltimore, but the former All-Pro was not immune to slumps. So he knows what Justin Tucker is going through.
Stover has no doubt that Tucker will return to form.
"Justin has set a standard that's never been seen in the NFL," Stover told The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker. "Who am I to say he's not going to work out of it? Of course he is."
Tucker, whose missed field-goal attempts this season (from 53, 56, 46, 50, 47 and 50 yards) have all been wide left, reiterated after his two misses in the Ravens' 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers this past Sunday that he hasn't lost confidence. In Tucker's third and final attempt Sunday, he drilled a 54-yarder.
Stover said having the proper mindset is essential to getting back on track.
"The desire to want that ball is the No. 1 trait a kicker has to have," Stover said. "I always worked myself back into that mode after I had a poor performance. It didn't make that next kick easy. In fact, it was a bit more difficult. But I wasn't running from it. I jumped right back into the fire, and that's how I handled it emotionally."
Sports psychologist Dr. John Silva, who once helped Hall of Fame kicker Morten Andersen overcome a slump, told Wacker that he would advise Tucker not to mess with his technique or let in too many outside voices.
"His skill and routine have gotten him this far in his career," Silva said. "The worst thing he could do now is start fooling around with it in season. … I would imagine he's going to come out of this slump. I worked with a lot of place kickers. If they're good and they have long careers, they all go through some period of time where things aren't exactly right for them."
Speaking on Glenn Clark Radio, Stover also said he doesn't see anything wrong with the rest of the Ravens' field-goal operation, from long snapper Nick Moore to holder Jordan Stout.
Former NFL Star Says Ravens' Loss to Steelers Was Just 'Little Hiccup'
As disappointing as the Ravens' loss to the Steelers was, it doesn't change the fact that they have the talent to make a deep postseason run.
Former NFL wide receiver Golden Tate said on “Good Morning Football” that he still believes the Ravens are a special team that can get over the hump and into the Super Bowl.
"Absolutely. This feels like a little hiccup," Tate said. "They have a run game, and a dangerous run game. … When you have a good defense and a good run game, you can control games. And if it wasn't for silly, knuckleheaded mistakes, they win this game.
"You have a running back [in Derrick Henry] that is the best in the world, maybe even MVP. In the postseason, you want to grind out games and you want to just control the game, hold onto the ball, play that gritty defense that they have. So I feel like this year is very different than the past."
Ravens' Odds of Winning AFC North Have Taken a Hit
While the loss in Pittsburgh didn't derail the Ravens' season, it did make winning a second straight AFC North title more difficult.
Next Gen Stats' playoff probability model gives the Steelers (8-2) a 68% chance to win the division and puts the 7-4 Ravens' chances at 32%.
That said, NFL.com’s Ali Bhanpuri noted that there's a lot of football still to be played.
"The way the Steelers are playing, their two-game lead seems insurmountable for Baltimore. But five divisional contests over the next seven weeks, plus meetings with the Eagles and Chiefs, could certainly put a dent in their advantage," Bhanpuri wrote. "So though the division win probabilities might have see-sawed in Pittsburgh's favor after Sunday, this race isn't over yet."
The Ravens, who are currently the sixth seed in the AFC, have a 96% chance to make the playoffs, according to NGS. A win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night would increase their odds to 99%, while a loss would lower their odds to 91%.
"By surviving Cincinnati's second-half comeback Sunday night, the Chargers (7-3) extended their win streak to four games and swapped spots with the Ravens in the AFC hierarchy," Bhanpuri wrote. "Just in time, too, with the HarBowl on tap for MNF. A win for Jim would put the Chargers in prime position to secure a playoff berth in his first season at the helm, while a loss for John (paired with a PIT win) could relegate the Ravens to also-ran status in the North and drop their odds to take the No. 1 seed to Denver-like levels.
"Fortunately for the older Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson is 17-4 for his career in games immediately following a loss and 6-2 overall on Monday night (including a 1-0 mark this season)."
Looking at What's Gone Right, What's Gone Wrong With Todd Monken's Offense This Season
ESPN took stock of each team's play-caller at this point in the season. Here's Jamison Hensley’s assessment of Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken:
What has gone right? "Monken has Baltimore clicking in all phases. Lamar Jackson is a favorite to win his third NFL Most Valuable Player award, Derrick Henry is leading the NFL in rushing and the offense is topping the league in total yards per game (430.1). The Ravens have been so explosive that they're averaging 7.09 yards per play -- the second most through 10 games of a season in NFL history behind the 2000 Rams' 'Greatest Show on Turf' at 7.31."
What has gone wrong? "The Ravens acknowledge only they can stop this high-powered offense. Baltimore has committed 48 offensive penalties, tied for second most in the NFL. The biggest issue is the league-worst 24 offensive holding penalties. Baltimore can be even more efficient if it limits the third-and-long situations."
Key to second half: "Carry the momentum into the playoffs. Since Jackson took over as Baltimore's starting QB midway through the 2018 season, the Ravens have averaged 27.0 points in the regular season. But, with Jackson in the postseason, Baltimore's scoring has plummeted to 16 points per game. The Ravens know they will go only as far as Jackson carries them."
