Three Takeaways: Ravens Have a Justin Tucker Problem

The Baltimore Ravens fell short of a comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker (9) reacts to a missed field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

It was a backyard brawl that's typical of when the Baltimore Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers, but when the final whistle blew, it was a result that has become all too familiar for Baltimore when it faces its bitter AFC North rival.

The Ravens fell to the Steelers 18-16 on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium. With the loss, Baltimore has lost eight of its last nine games to Pittsburgh and fell further behind in the AFC North, trailing the Steelers by 1.5 games for first place.

Many of the same problems that plagued the Ravens in their losses earlier in the season reared their ugly head again on Sunday. As a result, Baltimore's path toward winning the division and potentially hosting one or more playoff games is much bleaker after Week 11 compared to how it looked heading into the pivotal divisional matchup.

Here are three takeaways from the Ravens' two-point loss to Pittsburgh.

Ravens have a Justin Tucker problem

Justin Tucker hasn't been his typical automatic self this season, but this time, it finally cost the Ravens.

Tucker missed two field goals in the first quarter with both kicks missing wide left from 47 and 50 yards out. The last time Tucker missed two kicks in a game was in 2018 and he has only had two misses in a game twice in his illustrious career.

Tucker, 34, has made 16 of 22 field goals this season and his six misses have already surpassed his total from last season. The veteran kicker is one miss shy of matching his career high.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know how costly two missed field goals are in a game that's decided by two points. Unfortunately for Baltimore, Tucker's two misses came in a game where a win could have put it in the driver's seat to win the AFC North for a second straight season.

Given how tough the upcoming schedule is for the Ravens, they need Tucker to figure it out sooner rather than later. If Tucker can't right the ship and find some semblance of his form from when it was almost a foregone conclusion every time he attempted a field goal, this likely won't be the first time it costs Baltimore in a close game, whether it's in the final six games of the regular season or potentially the playoffs.

Self-inflicted wounds cost Baltimore again

It's hard to win games when you have more turnovers and penalties than your opponent, and Baltimore proved that to be true once again on Sunday.

The Ravens drew 12 penalties for 80 yards compared to seven for 45 yards for Pittsburgh. Baltimore also turned the ball over three times compared to just one for the Steelers. Baltimore's fumbles by Derrick Henry and Isaiah Likely and an interception in the fourth quarter on a pass from Lamar Jackson intended for running back Justice Hill led to nine points for the Steelers.

More often than not, the team that makes more mistakes ends up losing. That adage proved true again and has been all too common for a Ravens team that has a claim to be one of the league's best when they aren't shooting themselves in the foot.

If Baltimore is going to close the gap in the AFC North, it has to avoid the self-inflicted wounds against whoever it faces, let alone a rival that leads the AFC north.

Ravens offense falters again in a big game

Baltimore's knack for becoming pass-happy when it trails in a close game or just in big games in general is among the more head-scratching things it does.

That held true again, as the Ravens threw the ball 33 times compared to running it 19 times against Pittsburgh. In each of the Ravens' four losses this season, they have thrown the ball more than they've ran it.

Henry had 13 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, while Jackson completed 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

To top it all off, Henry wasn't on the field for the Ravens' two-point conversion with 1:06 left in the fourth quarter and offensive coordinator Todd Monken's playcall was questionable at best. Jackson rolled left and with seemingly no player running a route to that side, the Ravens quarterback was forced to keep it and got stopped well short of converting the two-point conversion.

Henry only had back-to-back carries three times against Pittsburgh. Even with the Steelers being one of the league's best when it comes to stopping the run, few can hold up when Henry is getting consistent carries. The Ravens running back only getting 13 carries isn't going to cut it against a defense of Pittsburgh's caliber.

If Baltimore is going to get over the hump this season, it has to avoid falling into the same trap of trying to air the ball out when the game is still hanging in the balance. Baltimore never trailed by more than six points until the fourth quarter and could have exuded patience in the running game and kept feeding Henry the ball.

Instead, the same problem with getting too pass-happy when trailing bubbled to the surface again for Baltimore and could be the reason why it may have to go on the road for every playoff game this season if it makes it.

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