Justin Tucker seems determined to deny Ravens a win with costly misses

The Baltimore Ravens entered their Week 13 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles with hopes of solidifying their place in the AFC playoff race. Instead, they’ve found themselves struggling to overcome a surprising Achilles’ heel: Justin Tucker. The future Hall of Famer, known for his clutch performances, has been anything but reliable this season, and Sunday’s game has been a prime example.

Tucker has already missed three kicks in this game - an extra point following a Mark Andrews touchdown and two field goals. The first field goal attempt, a 47-yarder in the third quarter, sailed wide left. Later in the same quarter, Tucker missed again, this time from 53 yards out, pushing the kick wide right. Both misses came at crucial moments when the Ravens needed points to stay competitive.

While the Ravens are still in this game, Tucker’s misses have left valuable points on the board, forcing an already struggling offense and a stout but tiring defense to do more than they should need to. This isn’t the Justin Tucker Ravens fans have come to rely on over the past decade.

It's time for Ravens fans to be concerned about Justin Tucker

Justin Tucker’s struggles in 2024 aren’t confined to this game. His 73.1% field goal percentage ranks 36th in the NFL, a career low by a significant margin. Tucker has also missed seven field goals this season, tying his career high, and his two missed extra points match another personal worst. For the first time in his storied career, Tucker is no longer the automatic kicker who gives Ravens fans confidence every time he steps onto the field.

Mechanically, Tucker has pointed to his kicks veering left as a persistent issue this year. While he has acknowledged the problem and attempted adjustments, the results have been inconsistent at best. This was on full display against the Eagles, as one kick went left and the other right, raising questions about whether his struggles are mental, physical, or a combination of both.

At 35 years old, Tucker still has time to turn things around, and the Ravens are unlikely to move on from him midseason. His track record of excellence earns him patience that few others would receive. But patience has limits, especially with the Ravens battling for playoff positioning in a competitive AFC.

Tucker’s redemption arc is still possible, but for now, Ravens fans have every reason to worry.

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