Tucker’s Struggles Continue: A Season of Challenges for the NFL’s Most Accurate Kicker
Justin Tucker's name has long been synonymous with precision and consistency in the NFL. As the most accurate kicker in the league’s history, boasting a remarkable career success rate of 89.7%, Tucker’s performances have often been a security blanket for the Baltimore Ravens. However, the 2024 season has been less kind to the steadfast kicker, challenging the standards he's set in his illustrious career.
Through the first 11 weeks of the 2024 season, Tucker's field goal accuracy has slipped to an uncharacteristic 79%, marking a significant drop by his standards. This places him among the seventh-worst kickers in the league for those who have attempted at least ten field goals thus far. It’s a stark divergence from the norm, as fans and pundits alike watch with heightened curiosity and concern.
This decline in accuracy hasn't gone unnoticed on the field. Tucker has already missed six field goals this season, nearing his career high of seven, set back in 2015. Such figures have been unexpected from a player known for clinical execution, raising questions about this sudden change in form.
One of the more startling events of Tucker’s season occurred in a divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Going into the game, Tucker’s record stood at 15 successful goals out of 19 attempts. Nevertheless, during the first quarter, he missed two crucial attempts—a 42-yarder and a 50-yarder—an unusual sight for Ravens’ fans accustomed to watching Tucker clinch such opportunities with effortless finesse.
Remarkably, it was the first instance where Tucker, or any Ravens kicker for that matter, missed two field goals in the opening quarter of a game. The struggles with field goals of greater distance are palpable—where Tucker has been perfect from 20 to 39 yards, successfully going 9 for 9, his accuracy dwindles beyond that range. He is only 4 of 6 from 40 to 49 yards, and his record from beyond 50 yards this season reflects struggles, at 2 for 6. This challenges his longer-term effectiveness, given his 3 of 11 performance from that range over the last two seasons.
Despite these setbacks, Tucker has maintained near-perfection on extra points in the current season, converting 37 out of 38 attempts. This indicates that while there is a clear issue with longer-range field goals, Tucker's overall reliability isn't entirely in question, preserving some of his hallmark consistency.
The Ravens' path ahead includes six additional games following their tussle with the Steelers, providing Tucker and the team with opportunities to regain their footing. The upcoming bye week will be integral, offering time to assess strategies and focus on adjustments necessary to enhance performance in the second half of the season.
As the season progresses, the spotlight remains on Tucker. Will he manage to find the form that earned him the title of the league's most accurate kicker in history? Can the Ravens continue to rely on his legendary boot, especially in critical moments? The conclusion to this unfolding narrative waits in the games to come, intensifying the anticipation for every kick, every play, every chance to prove why Justin Tucker is not just a kicker, but a game-changer.