The Ravens are backing Justin Tucker after costly kicking issues continue

The Ravens are backing Justin Tucker after costly kicking issues continue

BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Ravens continued to express their confidence in Justin Tucker after the worst game of the seven-time Pro Bowl kicker’s career.

Tucker failed to convert on two field goals and an extra point on Sunday, which was the difference in a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. This was the first time in Tucker’s 13 NFL seasons that he missed three kicks in a game.

In the space of three months, Tucker went from being the most accurate kicker in NFL history to having a job in question on the team.

“If you ask me, ‘Are we going to move on from Justin Tucker?’ “I don’t really plan on doing that right now,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I don’t think that would be wise.”

After his extra point attempt hit the left upright in the first quarter, Tucker had two chances in the third quarter to put Baltimore ahead. With the Ravens trailing 14-12, Tucker missed the ball wide left on a 47-yard attempt and pushed a 53-yard attempt wide right. It looked like a high snap contributed to the final miss, but that was no consolation for Tucker.

“I feel like I cost us this, but it doesn’t really benefit anyone to think about it,” Tucker said. “The only thing we can do – what I can do – is just keep working, keep moving forward and take it one step at a time. I hate that I’ve had to have the same conversation over this season, but that comes with the territory in this job description. Either the kicks are good or they aren’t, and today I didn’t do a good enough job to help our team win the football game.

Tucker made two field goals on Sunday, from 34 yards in the first quarter and from 50 yards just before halftime. But the repeated missed shots have become a surprising story for Tucker, who has had the highest field goal conversion rate in NFL history for most of the last eight seasons.

Tucker’s eight missed field goals are his most in a season.

When asked if he had confidence in Tucker, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson quickly replied, “Hell yeah.”

Jackson added: “He’s still the GOAT. Let’s get back to who he is, that’s all. Whatever’s going on, just tune it out.”

The 35-year-old Tucker is the only remaining member of the Ravens’ last Super Bowl championship team in 2012. He entered this season with an NFL-best 90.2% completion rate, making 395 of 438 field goals. Just three years ago he set the NFL record with a 66-yard field goal in Detroit.

Tucker’s track record of consistency and speed is why his struggles this season have been so concerning. Through 13 weeks this season, Tucker ranks 33rd in the NFL with a 70.4% conversion rate (19 of 27). His ten misses (eight field goals and two extra points) lead the NFL.

“He’ll be the first to tell you he has to make kicks because he can,” Harbaugh said. “I just think if you look at Justin Tucker’s story, you have to say he’s capable of it. This is something he wants to do and we will all want him to do it.”

This is Tucker’s biggest break-in, but not his only one. Tucker’s worst season to date was 2015, when he missed seven field goals. He bounced back the next season, making 38 of 39 field goals (97.4%).

Tucker said he will use the upcoming bye week to figure out what he needs to correct.

“We will turn over every stone,” Tucker said. “I’m definitely going to do that individually, just to address any issues I have with my technique, anything tangible, anything concrete that I can fix. The only thing we can do is just get back to work and do the things that we know will help our team win football games.”

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