Justin Tucker is having a terrible season, but he's not the worst kicker in the NFL

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is struggling this season, and that is not normal. As one of the league’s best kickers for several years now, and becoming one of the best in NFL history in fact, the Ravens fans are not used to seeing Tucker miss field goals.

But through ten games this season, he’d missed four field goals, consistently missing one in each of his first three games of the season (15-of-19), a 78.9% conversion percentage, one of the worst of his career. He was also just 2-for-5 from 50+ yards.

Now, as they are in the middle of a crucial game against AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers, Tucker missed two more just in the first quarter, from 47 and 50 yards.

To put this in perspective:

Tucker is not the worst in the league

Despite his struggles, and the fact that this may well be Tucker’s worst season in his career, he’s not last in the league. Of the 40 kickers who’ve started games this season, Tucker ranks at 33 (before the end of Week 11’s game against the Steelers).

That’s not great, but you also have to keep in mind that some kickers have only started one or two games so far. Washington Commanders' Zane Gonzalez, for example, is ranked first in the league, but has played just two games, making all three of his field goal attempts to top the other kickers.

Before the Ravens' game against the Steelers, Tucker had played 10 games. There are three other kickers who have played 10 games who rank behind Tucker - Cincinnati Bengals' Evan McPherson (13-of-17, 76.5%), Philadelphia Eagles' Jake Elliott (14-of-19, 73.7%), and Atlanta Falcons' Younghoe Koo (17-of-24, 70.8%).

Tucker’s struggles have been a topic of conversation throughout the season, with head coach John Harbaugh calling it a “technique issue”.

“It’s just a technique issue he’s working through right now,” Harbaugh said back in September. “He’s got a technique thing going on. He’ll work through it. He knows exactly what it is and just needs to smooth it back out. I’m very confident that he will.”

Tucker himself spoke on the issue as well:

Whatever the issue, Tucker’s skills will be needed for the rest of the game against the Steelers today.

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