As soon as the flag was thrown for pass interference, Younghoe Koo realized he would have a chance to win the game for the Atlanta Falcons.
Koo made a career-best 58-yard field goal with just two seconds left, helping the Falcons come back for a 26-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints, even though they didn’t score an offensive touchdown on Sunday.
Koo kicked four field goals in total, also making kicks from 53, 44, and 42 yards, which provided the Falcons (2-2) with a much-needed home win. This was his eighth game-winning kick in the last 10 seconds since the start of the 2021 season, the most in the league during that time.
“We’ve been in that situation a lot and you know that’s how it is in this league,” the 30-year-old from South Korea said. “A lot of the games, the majority of the games in this league, come down to a one-possession game.
Every point matters and our unit takes a lot of pride in that.”
The Falcons lost their first two games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and looked like they might fall to 0-3 in Atlanta when Alvin Kamara scored on a 1-yard run with a minute left, giving the Saints (2-2) a 24-23 lead.
A 30-yard pass interference penalty on Paulson Adebo gave the Falcons a chance at the New Orleans 40-yard line. Kirk Cousins threw three straight incomplete passes, but it didn’t matter.
Koo successfully kicked the longest field goal in the stadium’s seven-year history with plenty of distance to spare, leading to the Saints’ second consecutive close loss after two dominant wins to start the season.
Koo raised both arms in celebration before being surrounded by his teammates.
“I’ve made that in practice,” he said. “Once we got to the 40, I knew I had a chance.”
