The Ravens still need Justin Tucker - ESPN

AS THE HEARTFELT speeches, boisterous laughter and other sounds of victory were dying down in the Baltimore Ravens' locker room, kicker Justin Tucker stood by his stall in sweats and a knit cap earnestly trying to explain the inexplicable.

The Ravens had just clinched a playoff berth by beating their division nemesis, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tucker defied a cold, stiff wind and an uncharacteristic spell of inconsistency to make two field goals — including a 51-yarder — to help propel the Ravens to a 34-17 late-December triumph. The performance was particularly satisfying for Tucker, whose two missed field goal attempts were the difference in an 18-16 loss at Pittsburgh in Week 11.

«I take it really, really personally [when I miss kicks]. As much as I try to stay positive about it, it's very real that I kind of lean into the negative reinforcement sometimes,» Tucker said. «I tell myself, 'You have to make this kick if you are worth anything to this team, if you're worth anything to your teammates… You have to make this kick. You don't have a choice.'»

For the bulk of Tucker's 13-year career, it was unremarkable for him to make field goals, even the most challenging ones. Coming into this season, he had connected on 90.1% of his field goal attempts, making him the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He also helped redefine his craft by routinely making long kicks — including an NFL-record 66-yarder in 2021.

This season, however, Tucker's greatness has proved elusive.

The kicker many teammates, rivals and analysts call the GOAT made only 73.3% of his field goal tries during the regular season, the second-worst rate among NFL kickers with at least 30 attempts. He made just six of 11 (54.5%) from 50 yards or more. Renowned