Koo's Career Long FG Lifts Falcons Over Saints: 3 Takeaways

The Falcons took a last-second victory over the Saints on Sunday.

Atlanta Falcons place kicker Younghoe Koo made the game winning field goal against the New Orleans Saints. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons took a thrilling 26-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as kicker Younghoe Koo connected on a 58-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to lift the Falcons to their first home win this season.

After allowing a late touchdown, the Falcons received help from a 30-yard defensive pass interference penalty to move into Saints territory. But Atlanta's offense failed to move it further downfield, forcing Koo to make a career-long for the win.

And as he has so many times before, Koo delivered.

Here are three observations from Atlanta's critical victory ...

Falcons Offense Struggles, Does Enough

The Falcons failed to score an offensive touchdown Sunday, but still finished with over 315 yards of offense. And when Atlanta desperately needed points, trailing 24-23 with one minute left, it worked its way downfield with help from the defensive pass interference penalty.

Koo's game-winning kick marked the Falcons' fourth field goal drive of the game. Atlanta struggled finishing drives, often due to self-inflicted wounds -- it had a touchdown to Bijan Robinson get taken off the board due to a holding penalty on left tackle Jake Matthews, one of nine penalties the team committed.

The Falcons had only 14 first downs to the Saints' 25, and ran only 51 plays to New Orleans' 70.

Atlanta's offense needs better, but it did enough to win.

Defense Settles Down, Until ...

After the Saints' first two drives, Atlanta's defense appeared lost. New Orleans scored touchdowns on both of its possessions, and the Falcons hadn't shown much resilience.

But over New Orleans' following six drives, Atlanta allowed only three points. The Falcons forced three punts, a turnover on downs deep in their own territory and scored points with linebacker Troy Andersen's pick-six.

Yet when Atlanta's defense had a chance to seal the game, it faltered. The Saints took over on Atlanta's 42-yard line and marched down to the goal line. Atlanta stopped a pair of tries before running back Alvin Kamara found paydirt on a one-yard run with one minute remaining.

The Saints finished the day with over 360 net yards of offense and dominated time of possession, nearing 36 minutes.

Defense, Special Teams Give Falcons Points

Atlanta failed to score an offensive touchdown Sunday, but it still found the endzone twice thanks to key plays from the other two phases.

After the Falcons were forced to punt on the game's opening series, Saints returner Rashid Shaheed motioned a fair catch inside his own five-yard line. But Shaheed muffed it, and Falcons gunner KhaDarel Hodge recovered the ball in the endzone.

The play marked Atlanta's first special teams score of the season, and the team's defense achieved similar success midway through the second quarter.

Saints quarterback Derek Carr intended to throw a screen pass to receiver Chris Olave. Instead, the ball was deflected by Falcons outside linebacker Matthew Judon, and the redirected course took the pass into the waiting arms of Andersen.

Some 47 yards later, Andersen was in the endzone with the first defensive touchdown of his NFL career.

The Falcons, as the final score shows, needed help scoring from all three units.