Justin Tucker must be better if Ravens' season is going anywhere

For more than a decade, Justin Tucker has been the gold standard for kickers, not just for the Baltimore Ravens, but across the NFL. The guy’s name is synonymous with clutch. Game on the line? Send out No. 9. Need a 60-yard dagger in the cold? He’s got it.

But even legends aren’t immune to rough patches, and Tucker’s struggles in the Ravens’ heartbreaking 18-16 loss to the Steelers are impossible to ignore.

Two missed field goals in the first quarter (a 47-yarder and a 50-yarder) marked the first time since 2022 that Tucker whiffed on multiple attempts in a single game. In a contest decided by two points, those misses were the difference.

It wasn’t just the misses themselves, though; it was how they happened. For the sixth time this season, Tucker’s attempts sailed wide left, raising questions about a potential flaw in his mechanics or approach.

Let’s be real: even superheroes stumble, but when your kicker is the greatest of all time, expectations are sky-high. So, what’s going on with Tucker, and where do the Ravens go from here?

Can Ravens kicker Justin Tucker right the ship?

This season has been uncharacteristic for Tucker, to say the least. His six missed field goals in just 11 games are already more than he missed all of last year. Add in a missed extra point, and the once-automatic kicker is starting to look, dare we say it, human.

Head coach John Harbaugh addressed the issue candidly after Sunday’s loss, saying, “Tuck needs to make kicks. He knows that.” But Harbaugh was quick to defend his guy, noting Tucker nailed a 54-yard bomb later in the game.

Mechanically, all signs point to the same issue: the ball veering left. Whether it’s a timing problem, plant foot placement, or even mental fatigue creeping in, it’s clear something is off. The Ravens’ special teams staff needs to get Tucker dialed in fast because every game is a playoff game when you’re competing for the AFC North.

Despite his struggles, the Ravens aren’t giving up on Tucker. And they shouldn’t.

This is a player with enough goodwill built up to fill M&T Bank Stadium. Cutting him isn’t even on the table, especially with no viable replacements available midseason. But Baltimore can’t afford more misses in tight games, not with the AFC stacked and January looming.

Tucker’s slump is frustrating, sure, but it’s also a test. Can the most clutch kicker in history find his footing again when it matters most? The Ravens believe so, and if we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s this: doubting Justin Tucker rarely ends well.

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