Justin Tucker, the Baltimore Ravens’ kicker renowned for his exceptional accuracy and expected to be a future Hall of Famer, is currently facing a challenging season. At 34 years old, Tucker entered Week 11 with a field goal percentage of 79%, ranking among the bottom seventh of kickers with at least ten attempts. This performance stood in stark contrast to his stellar career average of 89.7%.
During the recent game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tucker missed two crucial long-distance field goals in the first quarter, extending his total for the season to six missed attempts. Coming into this divisional matchup, he had made 15 out of 19 field goals, but these two misses contributed significantly to the Ravens’ narrow loss, with the final score being 18-16.
Missing those field goals could have serious repercussions for the Ravens as they vie for the division title and playoff positioning, as the six points could have altered the game’s outcome. Notably, this marks the first time in his career that Tucker, or any Ravens kicker, has missed two field goals in a single first quarter.
Tucker’s current total of missed field goals is approaching his career high of seven, a record he set in 2015. With six games left in the season, there is a possibility that he may surpass that mark if his struggles continue. Despite these challenges, Tucker has shown some promise, successfully completing all his attempts from 20-39 yards, and maintaining a high success rate on extra points with 37 out of 38 made this season.
As the Ravens move forward, there is hope that Tucker can regain his elite performance level. Given his track record and experience, fans can remain optimistic that he will bounce back and contribute effectively to the team’s success in the remainder of the season. His resilient mindset and dedication to improving may ultimately turn things around, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest kickers in NFL history.