Ravens could have a big unexpected problem after losing to the Chiefs in Week 1

The Baltimore Ravens have always been solid in all three phases, but their Week 1 loss to the Chiefs may have exposed a major problem. The team’s loss to the Chiefs at Arrowhead is no reason to panic, and a Week 1 loss is generally something that teams can easily recover from. Well, it’s safe to assume that Baltimore will be in a pretty good place in 2024.

They won’t be quite as good as they were in 2023, but you’re crazy if you think this well-run franchise can’t get it done. However, they seem to have a major, unexpected problem with someone who may have been their most consistent player ever. Kicker Justin Tucker, folks, could be done.

Yes, cooked, washed, no longer usable.

Take these statistics, for example:

In 2023, Justin Tucker only completed 1/5 of his kicks from 50+ yards, and the one 50+ yard kick was the lowest of his career. When you’re a team like the Ravens with Super Bowl aspirations, sometimes you have to use your special teams and make a game-winning kick or even cause an unexpected turnover.

Well, Tucker, who turns 35 in November, seems to be on the decline. That’s just a fact we’ve laid out here, and it’s an unexpected one, right? I mean, he’s arguably the best kicker in NFL history and a sure-fire candidate for the Hall of Fame out of the gate. If he misses kicks that he used to make with ease, that’s going to be a big problem for the Ravens.

Lamar Jackson is also someone who has a lot of questions about his ability to win a big game. He didn’t have much luck against the Chiefs and is a two-time NFL MVP, but postseason success is virtually nonexistent. The Ravens aren’t as dominant as they were in 2023 or even 2019, and this new problem with their former top kicker could be their undoing in 2024.

It feels like kicking has gotten worse across the league since the NFL moved the extra point back. Well, Father Time is undefeated and for Justin Tucker, it feels like Father Time could be right on his doorstep. He’ll still be in Canton someday and has made seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pros, so he’s been no pushover, but this unexpected issue could be on the Ravens’ minds all season long.