Michael Penix's Heroics Undone by Koo's Kicking as Falcons Drop Opener to Bucs

The Atlanta Falcons start the year with a loss for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. Atlanta fell 23-20 to their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game came down to the final seconds, with veteran kicker Younghoe Koo missing the game-tying score wide right from 44 yards out.

The divisional showdown was a back-and-forth affair throughout, with neither team holding more than a seven-point lead at any point throughout the game. The final 137 seconds of the game featured two lead changes, including the Buccaneers' go-ahead score.

Second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr ran in a four-yard touchdown on fourth down with less than two and a half minutes left in the game. The touchdown culminated an impressive 18-play drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock.

With more than two minutes still left on the clock, the Falcons' defense let up a five-play, 63-yard touchdown drive that took just 78 seconds.

With 59 seconds left on the clock, Penix took over from Atlanta’s own 14-yard line. Down his top two wide receivers and with only two timeouts left, he began to drive the Falcons down the field. Penix started the drive off with a nice 12-yard run to move the chains. Head coach Raheem Morris used the Falcons' second timeout.

Penix then proceeded to hit wide receiver Ray Ray McCloud on a crossing route on the right sideline, and McCloud used his speed to get upfield for extra yardage. The play and catch went for 24 yards; within two plays, Atlanta had made it to midfield.

The very next play, Penix hits tight end Kyle Pitts on a quick pass, and Pitts proceeds to pick up some yards after the catch for a gain of 12. Atlanta used their final timeout. They had first and ten from the Buccaneers 36 with 27 seconds to go.

The Falcons would go on to gain 10 more yards, but ultimately faltered at Tampa Bay’s 26-yard line. Koo was given the chance to hit a 44-yard field goal to send the game to overtime, but he could not deliver.

It’s a pattern that has become all too familiar for the kicker who struggled last season before eventually going on the injured list. Koo was 31st in field goal percentage last season. He looked uncomfortable earlier in the game, banging a made field goal off the upright.

Atlanta brought in kicker Lenny Krieg this offseason. Koo was more consistent in training camp and won the job, but now with the game on the line, he has reverted to his 2024 form.

It’s time to leave the emotion out of it. Koo has had some great moments with Atlanta, but he’s not the same player he once was. It’s time for the Falcons to move on.

Finding a quarterback who can engineer two come-from-behind scoring drives in the final minutes of the game is the hard part. The Falcons have that.

Getting a kicker to reliably make field goals under 45 yards, indoors, should be the easy part.