WASHINGTON — With just their second win Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens have high hopes to come out on top in the second half of the season.
Kicker Justin Tucker was clutch for the Ravens Sunday, making the game-winning field goal in Baltimore’s 29-26 victory over the San Diego Chargers
“We can enjoy this win for a couple of extra days. As soon as we’re done enjoying it, we’ve got to give ourselves the best opportunity to go 8-0 the last half of the season,” Tucker said in press conference after the game. “I think we’ve got just the men for the job.”
While some may think it’s unrealistic for Baltimore to win its next eight games, head coach John Harbaugh stands by Tucker.
“He wasn’t joking,” Harbaugh said to reporters this week. “Our objective is going to be to win the next game.”
The team is pumped up.
“That’s what we practice for, that’s what we grind for every day, for that emotional victory, and what better place to do it than at home in front of our fans,” defensive tackle Brandon Williams said. “We are down right now, but this win breathes some life into us. Now we have a chance to build on that from here on.”
“Every win you want to roll into momentum,” cornerback Jimmy Smith said. “We’ve got a bye week, so we get some rest, but going forward, definitely we need to build off of this.”
At the halfway mark in the season, Harbaugh believes the bye week comes at an opportune time.
“Right in the middle is probably a good time for it,” Harbaugh said. “I kind of like it right in the middle. It’s a good time for us.”
Fast forward to the second half of the season, the team has a slim chance to make it to the postseason, but the Ravens do have an advantage — a home-field advantage. Baltimore has the NFL’s third-best home record since 2008. And lucky for them, they play five of their eight final games at M&T Bank Stadium.
“Playing at home is a lot better than playing on the road, and playing road games close are a lot better than playing them all the way across the country,” Harbaugh said. “So, the fact that we’ve got those situations behind us is great.”
However, there have been only eight NFL teams that have won every game in the second half of the season since 2005, the Baltimore Wire reports.
So will the Ravens find a way to turn around after their rocky first half of the season? The question will be partially answered when Baltimore plays the Jacksonville Jaguars at home on Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. on CBS.
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