Justin Tucker’s Uncharacteristic Struggles in the 2024 NFL Season
Justin Tucker, who has long been heralded as the NFL's most precise kicker, is enduring an unusually turbulent 2024 season. Known for his impeccable accuracy and holding the esteemed title of the most accurate kicker in NFL history with an 89.7% success rate, Tucker has come face-to-face with a challenging year that tests his renowned precision.
Field Goal Accuracy Takes a Dip
As of Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season, Tucker's field goal accuracy fell to an uncharacteristic 79%. This decline places him among the bottom tier of eligible kickers, ranking seventh-worst among those with at least ten attempts. The drop in percentage is significant for a player of Tucker's caliber, who has historically been a reliable component of the Baltimore Ravens' special teams unit.
Despite his legendary status in the league, Tucker seems to find himself potentially setting an unwelcome record this season. By Week 11, he had already missed six field goals, inching perilously close to his career-high of seven misses in a single season, which he experienced back in 2015. His performance is drawing attention not just because of its unexpectedness but also because it alters the strategic dynamics for the Ravens.
A Tough Game Against the Steelers
Adding to his woes, Tucker encountered a particularly tough game against divisional rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Heading into the game, he had completed 15 of 19 field goal attempts this season but missed two crucial attempts in the first quarter alone. The missed trifecta included two pivotal kicks, a 42-yard and a 50-yard attempt, marking the first occurrence for Tucker, or any Ravens kicker, of missing two field goals in the opening quarter of a game.
Breaking Down the Distances
One of Tucker's steadfast claims this season is his perfect record on field goals from 20 to 39 yards, having gone 9 for 9. This range has remained his stronghold amid other areas of inconsistency. From 40 to 49 yards, however, he has managed a 4 of 6 record, showing a dip but still keeping within the realm of acceptability. It is the attempts from beyond 50 yards where Tucker has notably struggled; for the 2024 season, his record stands at 2 of 6. Spread over the past two seasons, this distance has become increasingly problematic, with Tucker landing just 3 out of 11 of such long-range attempts.
Consistent With Extra Points
Where Tucker has shown some semblance of reliability is in his extra point attempts, converting 37 of 38 opportunities in 2024. This consistency underscores his proficiency in shorter precision kicks and presents a silver lining amid what has been a turbulent field goal season.
Looking Toward the Rest of the Season
The Baltimore Ravens have six games remaining after their challenging matchup against the Steelers and will be looking for a resurgence from their star kicker post-bye week. This brief respite gives Tucker the opportunity to make necessary adjustments and recalibrate.
While Tucker's current season stands in stark contrast to his usual performance, both the Ravens and their fans will be hoping that he recaptures his form as they make their postseason push. With a track record as glittering as Tucker's, the possibility of a return to form seems more likely than not, albeit with an awareness that even legends can have off seasons.
The remainder of the 2024 season will thus offer not just a test of Tucker’s technical skills but perhaps more critically, his mental fortitude. As one of the sport’s storied kickers, all eyes will be on Tucker to see how he rebounds from this challenging spell.