Opening up at home to begin the season is always an advantage. The Atlanta Falcons were afforded that luxury in Week 1, yet they failed to capitalize, falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in heartbreaking fashion.
Atlanta came out red hot, striking in just three plays. The Falcons went 65 yards in 1:46, capped by a Bijan Robinson reception for the game’s first score. But the offense quickly cooled. Atlanta wouldn’t find the end zone again until under a minute left in the first half, settling for a 41-yard field goal.
From that point, the game was in the hands of second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The first-year starter showed why the Falcons drafted him No. 8 overall last year. In the fourth quarter, Penix orchestrated a marathon 18-play, nine-minute drive that looked like it might deliver the win. On fourth-and-4 at the goal line, he scrambled, stretched the ball across the plane, and gave Atlanta a late lead with just over a minute left.
But Baker Mayfield spoiled the moment. On Tampa Bay’s ensuing possession, the veteran hit rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka on a 25-yard strike, putting the Buccaneers back in front by three. Penix wasn’t finished, though, driving the Falcons to the Buccaneers’ 26-yard line to set up what could have been overtime heroics deliver by Younghoe Koo. Instead, history repeated itself in familiar fashion.
Younghoe Koo misses when it matters most
Veteran kicker Younghoe Koo had been solid earlier in the afternoon, converting from 41 and 36 yards. But when it counted most, he pushed a 44-yard attempt wide right, sealing the loss for Atlanta.
“It’s tough, obviously. But as always, just got to get back to work. Definitely frustrated. Had a great offseason, great camp. Two weeks leading into Week 1, I felt great. I still do,” Koo said after the game.
For longtime Falcons fans, the ending felt like déjà vu. The franchise has been haunted by last-minute heartbreaks, and this one came with added sting because Koo’s struggles were no secret.
Raheem Morris chose to stick with Koo
When Raheem Morris named Koo his starting kicker ahead of the season, he admitted it was based on “emotional bank accounts” with the veteran. This was despite the team signing Lenny Krieg in the offseason to provide competition after Koo’s disappointing 2024 campaign.
Last year, Koo hit just 73.5 percent of his field goals (25-for-38) and converted only 7-of-11 from 40 to 49 yards. Those shaky numbers already had fans uneasy, and now the leash appears short.
“We have to bring a competitive edge. We have to go out there and look,” Morris said Monday. “We have to bring in people to compete. It definitely creates that sense of urgency. It’s about the process you have to go through from a physical and mental standpoint.”
As much as Koo deserves heat for the Week 1 miss, Morris shares his fair share of the blame. He made the call to stick with him.
Running game a problem for Falcons
Despite having two stud running backs in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta’s ground game was lackluster to say the least. The Falcons managed just 69 rushing yards on 2.5 yards per carry.
Penix nearly matched Robinson and Allgeier's individual rushing totals (24 yards) with 21 yards of his own and even added a touchdown. Robinson did most of his damage through the air, finishing with six catches for 100 yards and a score. His versatility will remain a weapon, but Atlanta’s inability to run consistently stalled drives and left the offense one-dimensional.
Drake London fails to deliver
Receiver Drake London is coming off a career year where he established himself as Atlanta’s WR1 and a reliable target for Penix. But against Tampa Bay, he struggled to replicate that form.
Targeted 15 times, London hauled in eight passes for 55 yards and no touchdowns. On the critical fourth-quarter drive, Penix looked his way multiple times in the red zone, but the two couldn’t connect. The first was a slightly missed throw by Penix. The other near-catch in the end zone slipped away from London, adding to the frustration.
London eventually left the game with a shoulder injury. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that London is day-to-day with a sprain. The injury likely explains some of the inconsistency, but it also raised questions about whether he should have pulled himself earlier.
For the Falcons, the opener was a blend of promise and frustration. Penix looked poised and capable, Robinson flashed star power, and the defense held Mayfield in check for most of the afternoon. But some of the same kind of issues that have defined Atlanta for years still persisted.
