Younghoe Koo sets record as Falcons win ugly in NFC South opener

The Atlanta Falcons are 2-2 on the season after narrowly escaping the Saints in a 26-24 win. Despite winning Atlanta fans have little reason to be excited about this team. The game management and lack of success on offense were difficult to look past.

What made the game watchable offensively for the Falcons was the reliability of Younghoe Koo. The Atlanta kicker finished 4/4 on the day including the game winner as time expired. It was a 58-yard kick that set both Koo's personal best and a new record in Atlanta's stadium. To say it was a kick that saved Atlanta's season wouldn't be hyperbolic but accurate.

Younghoe Koo saved the Atlanta Falcons season and bought time for the offense to figure things out

Along with Koo, Matthew Judon, and Atlanta's punt coverage unit deserves major credit. It was Judon's pressure on Carr that allowed Troy Andersen to pick the ball off and score one of Atlanta's two touchdowns on the day. The second touchdown was thanks to hustle from Atlanta's special teams unit falling on a muffed punt in the endzone.

The fact those were Atlanta's only two scores on the day and Kirk Cousins threw an interception it was a miracle win. A game that New Orleans had control of early on but as injuries and mistakes mounted the Falcons took advantage.

You can't leave this game feeling great about anything on Atlanta's side except for Tyler Allgeier and the legend of Younghoe Koo. After that what is there to celebrate? Atlanta's defense was bullied and the offense appears broken. Watching Kirk Cousins visibly frustrated on the sideline was all the evidence needed of how far this team has to go.

Unfortunately, they don't have long to figure it out with a red-hot Tampa team headed to Atlanta for Thursday night. A win the Falcons need to take control of the NFC South and prove their 2-2 record isn't the luck it has appeared to be.