'That's On Me': Koo Takes Blame for Falcons Loss to Bucs

Since signing with the Atlanta Falcons just over four years ago, Younghoe Koo has been one of the NFL's most accurate kickers.

He entered Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tied for fourth in the NFL in field goal percentage, connecting on 24 of 25 attempts this season, or 96 percent.

Dating back to Week 13 of 2022, Koo had made 36 of 37 attempts. For his career, he'd connected on 90 percent of his field goals, the best mark in league history.

So, when Koo clanged a 50-yard field goal off the right post with 4:24 to play in the second quarter Sunday, there was a sense of surprise.

When Koo's 52-yard field goal just before halftime sailed wide left, there was disbelief.

And when the Falcons suffered a 29-25 loss inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium - by a margin close enough the missed field goals made a paramount difference - the ultra-reliable Koo was suddenly a key factor in a crushing defeat.

“Those are crucial points, right? Those are crucial turnovers,” Koo said. “I have to go back to my routine and preparation, but those six points, those are crucial swings. Guys played their asses off. I feel like I cost one today, so I’m just going to go back to work. That’s all I can do.”

Naturally, Koo's biggest struggles have come from distance, as all but one of his five missed field goals last season were of 50-plus yards.

The 29-year-old had made each of his three attempts in that category entering Sunday, one of just four kickers in the league with no misses to his resume.

From Koo's seat, everything unfolded as it normally does - from Liam McCullough's snap to Bradley Pinion's hold. He simply didn't execute his kick.

“It was a good operation by Liam and Bradley,” Koo said. “Good snap and good hold. I just didn’t hit it good, and it wasn’t good enough.”

Koo made an extra point in the fourth quarter to help the Falcons trim their deficit to 19-17 with 11:13 to play. It was his lone second-half attempt.

In the aftermath of his two misses, Koo stressed the need to reset and prepare. He plans on attacking the film room this week with hopes of turning an uncharacteristic day into a learning experience.

Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder countered with the need to make the attempts easier ... but Koo was adamant he had to step up and connect on his kicks when the opportunity arose, particularly with his second miss.

“I have to hit that,” Koo said. “I cost us today. That’s on me.”