Tracing the Current Struggles of NFL’s Most Accurate Kicker, Justin Tucker

Justin Tucker’s Uncharacteristic Performance

Situated in Owings Mills, Maryland, the Baltimore Ravens are currently witnessing an unexpected slump from their star kicker, Justin Tucker. Known for being the most accurate kicker in the history of NFL, Tucker has surprisingly become the least accurate this season. For the first time in his 13-year career, Tucker has missed a field goal in three consecutive games. His unsuccessful attempts were all wide left, from distances of 53, 56, and 46 yards. Tucker’s current success rate stands at 62.5% (5 out of 8), the lowest among kickers with at least three attempts.

Troubleshooting the Technique

John Harbaugh, the Ravens’ coach, addressed Tucker’s performance on Monday, attributing it to a technique issue. He expressed confidence in Tucker’s ability to identify and rectify the problem. “He knows exactly what it is and just needs to smooth it back out. I’m very confident that he will,” Harbaugh said.

Still Leading in Overall Accuracy

Despite his current struggles, Tucker still holds the all-time highest field goal accuracy among kickers with a minimum of 100 attempts. His overall conversion rate is 89.7% (400 out of 446), narrowly beating Harrison Butker and Eddy Pineiro, who both have a success rate of 89.5%.

Long-Range Kicks Prove Challenging

Tucker, 34, has shown difficulty with his long-range kicks recently. After successfully converting 67% of his kicks beyond 50 yards in his initial 11 seasons, including the record-breaking 66-yarder three years ago, he’s only managed to convert 1 out of 8 attempts from 50 yards or longer in the past two seasons. This includes misses from 53 and 56 yards this year.

A Missed Attempt in Sunday’s Game

In the Ravens’ recent 28-25 victory over the Cowboys, Tucker’s 46-yard attempt started on track but eventually veered left. This marks only his second miss under 50 yards in a game played in an indoor or retractable roof stadium.

As Sunday’s game drew to a close, Harbaugh offered Tucker a hug and shared a half-minute conversation with him on the sideline. Harbaugh reinforced his support for Tucker, saying, “Justin knows that we support him. I’ve tried to make sure he knows that that’s part of it. The talent, the ability, all that stuff is there; that hasn’t gone anywhere. We see it all the time, but it’s a technique thing I think we approach from a technical standpoint. Justin is a pro. I have a great belief that he’ll get the job done.”