The Ravens’ attempt to continue their comeback in Santa Clara hit a snag when kicker Justin Tucker missed a 45-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
It appeared that Tucker hit a snag involving the grass on his way to taking the kick. Tucker slipped as he planted his foot on a patch of grass that collapsed like some kind of sinkhole and his kick clanged off the upright to keep the 49ers’ lead at 19-13.
The quality of the grass at Levi’s Stadium has been an issue since the building opened last season and it was bad enough this summer that the 49ers had to cancel practices scheduled for the stadium in August. It hasn’t created any other major issues during Sunday’s game, but that’s probably of little comfort to Tucker after a miss that could loom large in the final reckoning.
Any issues with the grass will likely catch the attention of the NFL, which is holding the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in February and will surely prefer to avoid having the playing surface help decide the biggest game of the year.
