Can the Falcons shock the NFC? | Breakfast Ball
The 2024/25 NFL Season is almost here, and Craig Carton, Danny Parkins, and Mark Schlereth make some bold predictions about who makes the playoffs in the NFC. This includes the Atlanta Falcons being the 1-seed.
Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo had all the pressure on his shoulder, as he came onto the field to attempt a 58-yard field goal, which would be a career-long, for the win against the New Orleans Saints.
With seven seconds left on the clock, Koo stepped into his field goal attempt and launched into toward the end zone. It had the leg, it had the accuracy, and the Falcons took down their NFC South foe, 26-24, thanks to Koo’s clutch kick.
After starting the season red hot at 2-0, the Saints are now 2-2, which matches the Falcons.
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins throws a pass against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis-Imagn Images)
This matchup was a thriller all the way to the end, but the Falcons wouldn’t have needed Koo’s heroics if it wasn’t for Alvin Kamara bursting into the end zone on third-and-goal on the previous drive to take a 24-23 lead. Kamara had 77 yards on 19 carries, while catching seven of Derek Carr’s passes for 42 yards.
But Kirk Cousins, who already had a game-winning drive in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles, took the ball knowing he had just one minute to get into field goal range for the potential game-winner.
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A crucial play came on second-and-10 from Atlanta’s 30-yard line, as Paulson Adebo was called for defensive pass interference on the Falcons’ Darnell Mooney, who was 30 yards downfield. That placed the Falcons immediately into New Orleans territory to set up the field goal.
Cousins didn’t have his best game in this one, as he didn’t throw a touchdown but had one interception on 21-of-35 passing for 238 yards.
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis-Imagn Images)
In fact, the Falcons’ offense didn’t have an offensive touchdown in this game, as linebacker Troy Andersen had a 47-yard pick-six on Carr, who was 28-for-36 for 239 yards without a touchdown himself, and the Falcons got on the board first after Rashid Shaheed muffed a punt in the first quarter that went for a touchdown.
Koo was 4-for-4 on his field goal attempts, and with his two extra points, he was responsible for 14 points.
Meanwhile, for the Saints, versatile offensive weapon Taysom Hill found the end zone twice on his six carries.
Atlanta Falcons’ Younghoe Koo kicks a field goal against the New Orleans Saints. (Brett Davis-USA Today Sports)
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Chris Olave (8 catches, 87 yards) and Shaheed (8 catches, 83 yards) led the way in the pass game for the Saints, while Drake London led the Falcons with six catches for 64 yards.
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