The Baltimore Ravens have always been solid in all three phases, but their Week 1 loss to the Chiefs may have exposed a major problem. The team’s loss to the Chiefs at Arrowhead is no reason to panic, and a Week 1 loss is generally something that teams can easily recover from. Well, it’s safe to assume that Baltimore will be in a pretty good place in 2024.
They won’t be quite as good as they were in 2023, but you’re crazy if you think this well-run franchise can’t get it done. However, they seem to have a major, unexpected problem with someone who may have been their most consistent player ever. Kicker Justin Tucker, folks, could be done.
Yes, cooked, washed, no longer usable.
Take these statistics, for example:
Justin Tucker has only made 10 of his last 20 FGs from over 50 yards.
Chris Boswell has made 21 of his last 25 throws from over 50 yards.
— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) 6 September 2024
From 2012 to 2019, Justin Tucker made 70.9% of his field goals over 50 yards and 90.8% of all FGs.
From 2020 to today, he has only made 61.2% of kicks over 50 yards and 88.6% of all FGs…
— Lou Scataglia (@LouScatagliaPO) 6 September 2024
In 2023, Justin Tucker only completed 1/5 of his kicks from 50+ yards, and the one 50+ yard kick was the lowest of his career. When you’re a team like the Ravens with Super Bowl aspirations, sometimes you have to use your special teams and make a game-winning kick or even cause an unexpected turnover.
Well, Tucker, who turns 35 in November, seems to be on the decline. That’s just a fact we’ve laid out here, and it’s an unexpected one, right? I mean, he’s arguably the best kicker in NFL history and a sure-fire candidate for the Hall of Fame out of the gate. If he misses kicks that he used to make with ease, that’s going to be a big problem for the Ravens.
Lamar Jackson is also someone who has a lot of questions about his ability to win a big game. He didn’t have much luck against the Chiefs and is a two-time NFL MVP, but postseason success is virtually nonexistent. The Ravens aren’t as dominant as they were in 2023 or even 2019, and this new problem with their former top kicker could be their undoing in 2024.
It feels like kicking has gotten worse across the league since the NFL moved the extra point back. Well, Father Time is undefeated and for Justin Tucker, it feels like Father Time could be right on his doorstep. He’ll still be in Canton someday and has made seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pros, so he’s been no pushover, but this unexpected issue could be on the Ravens’ minds all season long.
