It's been a tough season for future Hall of Fame kicker Justin Tucker, to say the least. It's undoubtedly been his most challenging since becoming the Baltimore Ravens kicker back in his rookie season in 2012.
Tucker went 22/30 in 2024, with key misses against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles contributing to losses. He was just 6/11 from 50+ yards, continuing a concerning trend. Since the bye week, the Ravens haven’t relied on Tucker much. He’s 3/3, including two successful kicks from beyond 50 yards.
However, with Sunday’s Divisional Playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills looming, that could change. Tucker might face his first real test since before the bye, and the Ravens will need him to deliver.
Will the real Justin Tucker please stand up
Baltimore will be going into a cold and hostile environment. The temperature is expected to be 17 degrees at kickoff and winds at 4-8 MPH. There is a chance of snow.
In those conditions, with Orchard Park's playoff atmosphere, the Ravens might have to call on Tucker to show his old self—not this shadow of his former self, 2024 version. It was also in Buffalo during the 2020 playoffs, on a windy night, that Tucker had one of his worst games as he missed two field goals of 40+ yards. The Ravens lost that game 17-3.
In the playoffs overall, Tucker has gone 18/22 in field goal attempts, good for 81.8%. Notably, two of those misses came in Buffalo back in 2020. After the bye, the Ravens didn’t rely on Tucker much, as the offense and defense were dominant, masking any questions about him. Now, as the Ravens continue their playoff run, Tucker may not stay under the radar for much longer.
If Tucker is called to make a big kick on Sunday in the same place where he struggled at this time a few years ago, the Ravens have to hope he can show the talent that has made him one of the best, if not the best, kicker of all time and a future Hall of Famer. If he doesn't, the Tucker questions will grow even more to the point where there could be a new kicker in Baltimore.