Most fans of the National Football League would die for a clutch kicker. When the game is on the line, the only kicker that everyone trusts is Baltimore's Justin Tucker. There have been years where guys like Adam Vinatieri, Harrison Butker, Stephen Gostkowski, Sebastian Janikowski, and David Akers have been named in the same company as Tucker, but none of them compare to the ruthless efficiency that is Tucker.
Tucker has never had a perfect season, but he has the best field goal percentage of all time. Tucker is the one who is most trusted to ice the game. No one is at his level.
I would like to vote for Daniel Carlson. Carlson's career percentage is not up to par with the likes of Tucker or even Butker, but he has earned himself the "clutch" denominations.
Carlson made his 38th consecutive field goal. Carlson's last missed field goal was almost a year ago when the Raiders were on a bye. He's answered the call every time.
Vinatieri made 44 field goals for the Colts over the course of the two years. Tucker had a 35-game streak between December 13, 2015 and December 4, 2016 Tucker is currently on a streak of 28 consecutive makes, but he is not close to catching up to Carlson.
Carlson is automatic from the deepest depths. Carlson and Tucker have both kicked field goals from 50-plus yards out. Carlson is 14 of 15 Tucker is 13 of 15 and Butker is 12 of 14.
Carlson is on pace to lead the league in both field goal attempts and field goals made for the second year in a row. The only season in which Tucker had such a season was in 2013). Tucker had three seasons with a field goal percentage over 90 percent. Carlson is close to matching that. Tucker had a career field goal percentage of 70% through his age 27 season. Carlson is sitting at 85%.
Tucker is better at scoring extra points. Since the extra point was moved back in 2015, the man's career hitting percentage has gone up to 98.8%. On extra points, Carlson has a 94.6% rate. That is still an amazing success rate. It is better than butker, Nick Folk, and Vinatieri. Carlson has these kickers surpassed in both field goal percentage and extra point percentage.
Carlson has inspired confidence in Raiders fans because they love to lose games in heartbreaking fashion. A Raiders field goal is about as certain as death or taxes today. As the Raiders tried to march down the field during their two minute drill in last night's game, the few Raiders fans I was with felt great about their chances. They knew that if Carlson got the chance, he would make it. Confidence with the game on the line is something that can be overstated.
I wonder if Carlson is as good as Tucker. I don't think I'm ready to say that. Tucker has been kicking at an elite level for a long time than Carlson has. He is the second best kicker in the NFL right now, and he is clutch.
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