For most NFL teams, crossing the opponent’s 40-yard-line means you’re in scoring range. But for the Atlanta Falcons, that line of comfort doesn’t exist right now.
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has to call plays differently than nearly every other play-caller in the league. Where most offenses can confidently trot out their kicker from 50+ yards, Atlanta simply doesn’t have that luxury.
In fact, the Dirty Birds don’t start to feel comfortable about a field goal until they cross the opposing 30.
The roots of this problem go back to September, when the Falcons made the stunning decision to release longtime kicker and former Pro Bowler Younghoe Koo.
The Falcons' kicker woes are the root of the team's biggest problem
Koo’s fall from grace came fast: after missing a game tying attempt in Week 1 against Tampa Bay, the team moved on just days later. And he's now on the New York Giants' practice squad.
The Falcons turned to Parker Romo, a strong-legged but unproven option from the practice squad. At first, it seemed like the move might work.
Romo went 5-for-5 in his debut against Minnesota, including a 54-yarder that briefly restored some belief. But that optimism didn’t last.
Since that opener, Romo’s reliability has been anything but steady. Through five games, he’s 9- for-12 (75%) on field goals and a perfect 9-9 on extra points. But the numbers don’t show the context: On field goals longer than 40 yards, Romo is just 1-of- 3.
In Carolina, the Falcons didn’t even attempt a field goal inside the opponent’s 40, instead going for it multiple times on fourth down. And against Buffalo and San Francisco, play calls near midfield leaned heavily toward aggression or punts rather than trusting the kicker.
This isn’t about analytics anymore, it’s about trust.
Every time they approach the 35-yard-line, it feels like a question: push for more yards or risk kicking it?
That tension changes how Robinson and Morris call plays. It changes how the offense operates on third down. It even changes how opposing defenses play them, knowing Atlanta is less likely to settle for three.
The 49ers’ game on Sunday night made that contrast painfully clear. San Francisco’s kicker, Eddy Pineiro, drilled a 55-yard field goal.
Whether it’s sticking with Romo or finding another answer this offseason, the Falcons need their special teams to be more reliable. A team this talented can’t afford to live in fear of its own kicking game.
Until Atlanta fixes that, they’ll keep leaving easy points, and potential wins, on the field.