This article is part of our NFL Observations series.
Justin Tucker is the greatest kicker of all time, and it's not especially close. In fact, I don't think there's another NFL player at any position who separates himself from the pack by such a wide margin. (I realize Jerry Rice's career numbers separate him for the WR pack, but that's mostly due to longevity.) And it's not just that Tucker made the 55-yard game winner -- it's that you knew he'd make it ahead of time and that the kick was never in doubt.
I watched the 40-minute version of this game Tuesday morning, so I feel like I missed some things. Suddenly, mid way through the fourth quarter, the Ravens have this white guy in at quarterback, and they're only up six, so I'm thinking my Ravens minus one bet was in trouble. But Trace McSorley made a nice throw to a wide open Marquise Brown to extend the drive, only Brown let it slip right through his hands!
The Ravens punted, and the Browns drove for the subsequent TD easily, to take a one-point lead, thanks to Kevin Stefanski shrewdly going for two when they were down eight. But on 4th-and-5 from the Browns 44, Jackson (who apparently had cramps) miraculously returned, throwing a 44-yard TD to a wide open Brown. The Ravens made the two, to go up seven, but left too much time (nearly two minutes) on the clock. Of course, the Browns scored to tie it, but themselves scored too quickly, leaving the Ravens a full minute with their GOAT kicker.
- Lamar Jackson missed some open receivers, notably Mark Andrews for an easy would-be long TD that Jackson overthrew. He also slipped several times on the muddy field, resulting in four sacks and costing him opportunities to run or throw. Still, Jackson went 9-124-2 on the ground, didn't turn the ball over and cashed in big when it counted most. The Ravens are still dangerous, even if their defense is average at best right now.
- Gus Edwards (7-49-2, 1-1-4-0) ran with more vision and purpose than J.K. Dobbins (13-53-1), and Mark Ingram didn't see a single touch.
- Mark Andrews got involved late and should have had a long TD.
- Baker Mayfield (343 yards, two TDs, 23 rush yards, one rush TD), made one bad mistake, a near pick-six that resulted in a Ravens TD. Otherwise, he was pretty good, though he scrambles too much for someone that slow. I'd like to have seen them run more early on, but Mayfield had to throw once they got down 34-20.
- Nick Chubb (17-82-2, 2-2-21-0) ran hard, but he's under-utilized. He should get the Derrick Henry treatment, and he's a better pass catcher than Henry. They did line Chubb out wide a couple times, too. Kareem Hunt (6-33-1, 7-6-77-1) is a good player too, but he's not the early-down hammer Chubb is.
- Donovan Peoples-Jones (5-3-74) had his second straight strong game. He looks like a player to me, and Rashard Higgins (10-6-68-1) isn't bad, either. It would be cool to see this team with a healthy Odell Beckham, but with those two and Jarvis Landry (9-6-52), their receivers aren't bad.
- Landry, by the way, threw another nice pass, a 12-yard completion to Chubb. He's 4-of-4 this year, and would definitely have been an upgrade over the Denver QBs a couple weeks ago. (Not sure he's better than Russell Gage though.)
