Is it a very good time to be a kicker within the NFL? It positive appeared prefer it early in 2024, when recent legs like Brandon Aubrey of the Dallas Cowboys made even 50-yard area targets look routine. These days, nevertheless, among the league’s most achieved particular teamers have fallen into critical ruts. That was hardly ever clearer than in Week 11, when All-Execs like Jake Elliott and Justin Tucker missed a number of area targets apiece.
Elliott’s Philadelphia Eagles obtained a decisive victory over the rival Washington Commanders final Thursday, however solely after first overcoming three missed kicks from the previous Professional Bowler, together with an additional level. Tucker’s Baltimore Ravens, in the meantime, fell to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers by simply two factors Sunday, the identical day he missed first-half area targets of 47 and 50 yards.
And so they’re not alone of their struggles. Elliott and Tucker, who’re tied because the second-highest-paid kickers within the NFL behind solely Harrison Butker of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, are at present simply two of 5 veterans enduring career-low area purpose percentages this season. The Cincinnati Bengals’ Evan McPherson additionally despatched two area targets broad left towards the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday evening, together with a go-ahead 51-yard attempt late within the fourth quarter.
Take a look at how these kickers’ 2024 points distinction to their profession averages coming into Week 11:
Kicker | Workforce | FG % | Profession Avg. |
---|---|---|---|
Justin Tucker |
Ravens |
72.7 |
89.7 |
Jake Elliott |
Eagles |
73.7 |
85.0 |
Dustin Hopkins | Browns | 70.0 | 85.3 |
Evan McPherson |
Bengals |
71.4 |
82.7 |
Jake Moody |
49ers |
80.0 |
82.2 |
Tucker got here into Week 11 with the most effective profession area purpose price (89.7%) of any kicker in NFL historical past, whereas Elliott ranked simply inside the highest 25. The latter can be an ideal 16-for-16 with postseason area targets. Maybe their 2024 struggles are infectious?