The Atlanta Falcons suffered a gut-wrenching 20-17 loss at the hands of their division rivals on Sunday in New Orleans in a game that saw Raheem Morris’s squad control most statistical categories. The defeat pushed the Falcons to a 6-4 record, and while there were several missed opportunities, one factor stood out: the uncharacteristic struggles of kicker Younghoe Koo.
Koo, a seven-year NFL veteran known for his accuracy, missed three crucial field goals. The forgetful afternoon drops Koo’s field goal success rate to 70.8% for the season (17-for-24), marking the lowest conversion rate of his career. All of these misses have occurred within the last six weeks, a dreadful stretch for one of the league’s most accurate kickers over the course of his career, but Raheem Morris hasn’t given a thought to making a change.
“I’m gonna ride that thing ’till the wheels fall off,” Morris said at Wednesday’s press conference regarding the struggles of Younghoe Koo.
“He’s won games for me. He got me a job, he brought me back to a job. I’m gonna ride that thing till the wheels fall off.”
Raheem Morris on instilling confidence in Younghoe Koo and stepping back allowing him to figuring things out on his own. #Falcons— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) November 13, 2024
Kickers—no matter how accurate—often wrestle with the mental aspect of the game, and there’s understandable concern for Koo moving forward. A reliable kicker can make or break an NFL game, and Koo’s recent misses add a layer of uncertainty as the Falcons enter the second half of the season.
However, suggesting that a better replacement is available on the street is asinine. Kicking remains a problem for many NFL teams, even if Atlanta has enjoyed stability in this area largely thanks to Koo’s consistency over his six years with the Falcons. Just last season, Koo was recognized as one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, and more recently, he sealed a home win over the Saints with a 58-yard game-winning field goal.
Younghoe Koo has secured numerous victories for the Falcons over the years, earning the benefit of the doubt. Atlanta’s best path forward for the kicking game is not to look elsewhere but to hope Koo regains his rhythm and confidence.
Raheem Morris is correct; there is no other option.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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