To truly grasp the kicking struggles of Baltimore’s Justin Tucker, it’s insightful to consult another kicker for their perspective. So, I reached out to one of the greatest to ever play the position.
Lawrence Tynes successfully kicked game-winning field goals in two NFC Championship games, helping the Giants secure their place in the Super Bowl. Tynes, who played for three NFL franchises from 2001 to 2013, was renowned as one of the most clutch kickers of his time. He is also a two-time Super Bowl champion.
Tynes’ opinions carry weight, and his thoughts on Tucker’s situation are quite intriguing.
“From my view on the couch,” Tynes shared with USA TODAY Sports, “I see a mechanical issue that is leading him to pull all his kicks. It seems he hasn’t been able to address the root of the problem, resulting in continued misses to the left during games.”
To truly grasp the kicking difficulties faced by Baltimore’s Justin Tucker, it’s helpful to consult another kicker for insight. I did just that by speaking with one of the all-time greats.
“I mention in-game situations because I’m sure he’s worked on it during practice. However, games present a different challenge.”
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Bill Belichick shared a similar sentiment on the “Let’s Go!” podcast.
“Clearly, there’s something slightly off regarding his technique,” Belichick described, “but I don’t perceive a deficiency in talent. I believe there’s a mechanical aspect he isn’t executing consistently. If you could pinpoint that issue, then everything might fall into place.”
“Clearly, this issue has been ongoing since last year, as there were some accuracy problems during the ‘23 season along with this current season. Therefore, I believe Coach (John) Harbaugh is making the right decision. I would continue to trust Justin Tucker. He is the most precise kicker in football history. He achieves excellent height on his kicks and has been highly consistent. Although he is currently experiencing a rough period, it doesn’t seem to me that his skill level has diminished. There appears to be something mechanically off at times. I think they simply need to put in the effort to identify and correct it.”
Tucker has missed five attempts over the past three games. For him, this is akin to an average kicker missing 50. Tucker is like The Avengers among kickers. (I’m not sure if he’s Thor, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, or the archer, but you understand the comparison.)
In general, what Tynes is experiencing right now ranks among the most extraordinary tales not only in the NFL but in all of sports.
Let’s shift focus from Belichick to Tynes. As someone who is passionate about kicking, I could engage with Tynes for hours. He’s truly captivating.
“You can easily try to compensate too much for a miss to the left and then end up missing to the right, which happened on Sunday,” Tynes explained.
Tucker had a missed extra point along with two missed field goals in Baltimore’s 24-19 defeat to Philadelphia.
“To put it simply,” he stated, “mentally, he is having a tough time, and that’s the crux of the matter.”
How does Tucker resolve this? No one has the answer. If they did, it would have already been addressed.
What’s evident is that the Ravens face a tough decision. Harbaugh can choose to stay with Tucker and trust that he will overcome his problems. If he does, the team can move forward and potentially make a substantial playoff run.
Alternatively, Harbaugh can continue to back Tucker, and if the kicker fails to rectify his issues, he might miss a kick that costs the team in a playoff matchup.
These choices are not straightforward.
As he frequently does, Tynes captured the situation perfectly.
“He is the greatest kicker of all time who has never experienced even a minor slump in his career,” Tynes remarked. “This is his first one, and if we’re being honest, he isn’t coping with it well. I would hate to be in the Ravens’ position right now because while you believe he can resolve it, what if he doesn’t and it results in a playoff loss for the team?”
Indeed, this is a challenging situation for the Ravens.
