With two missed field goals in the first quarter, Justin Tucker’s future is suddenly clouded in Baltimore

When the end comes for a kicker, it comes quickly. The Ravens’ Justin Tucker, the greatest kicker in NFL history, may not be able to do it … but he’s missing a whole lot of field goals like he used to make. And that presents some real problems for a Baltimore team with Super Bowl hopes.

In the first quarter of Sunday’s decisive division game at Pittsburgh, Tucker missed field goals of 47 and 50 yards, kicks that should have been within his reach. For his career, he is 119 of 133 on kicks from 40 to 49 yards and 60 of 90 on kicks from 50 to 59 yards. For his career, he’s making field goals at an 89.7 percent clip … at least not until Sunday.

Justin Tucker, seen here earlier this season, struggled early against Pittsburgh (Rob Carr/Getty Images)Justin Tucker, seen here earlier this season, struggled early against Pittsburgh (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Justin Tucker, seen here earlier this season, struggled early against Pittsburgh (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

So far this season, Tucker has missed six of his 21 field goal attempts. Against Las Vegas earlier this year, he missed a 56-yarder that would prove crucial in the Ravens’ 26-23 loss. He missed a 50-yarder early in the fourth quarter of Baltimore’s 29-24 loss to Cleveland that would have changed the Ravens’ entire late-game strategy.

Tucker has 22 game-winning field goals in his career, most notably the 66-yarder on September 26, 2021 to knock off the Detroit Lions. He has earned the right to kick through games. The question for Baltimore and head coach John Harbaugh now is, is this just a struggle … or is this Tucker’s new normal?