'That's On Me': Younghoe Koo Takes Blame for Atlanta Falcons Loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo is known for his reliability, but his two missed kicks loomed large against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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.”

Dec 10, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons place kicker Younghoe Koo (6) leaves the field after the Falcons were defeated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium / Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Arthur Smith, Atlanta's third-year head coach, noted the two missed field goals while discussing his team's missed opportunities offensively.

However, the Falcons' loss ultimately came down to much more than just Koo, Ridder argued.

“It's not Koo's fault,” Ridder said. “As an offense, we’ve got to do better, get him in better field positions so he's not kicking 50-plus yarders every single time he’s got to go kick the ball. We’ve got to be able to go down there and push the ball and move it forward and give him easier ones if we're going to stall out or do whatever.” 

Koo shouldering the blame shouldn't come as a surprise - he's a captain for the second consecutive season, and Ridder lauded his character.

In his 70 games with the Falcons, Koo's made eight game-winners as time has expired. He's one of just eight players still around on Atlanta's roster from the last regime.

Amidst chaos, Koo's been a steadying presence. It just so happens he had a difficult day at the wrong time, with the Falcons attempting to maintain sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

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Now, Atlanta's been sent back to the drawing board, locked in a three-way tie for the division lead with four weeks to play ... and standing wholeheartedly behind Koo, knowing he's likely to face many more opportunities to kick the Falcons back into the postseason in games ahead.

“We’re going to back Koo forever,” receiver Drake London said. “He’s automatic. This was just a fluke game for him, but I know when he comes back, he’s going to be hungrier, and I guarantee he won’t miss another one.”