The Atlanta Falcons dropped the season opener to the Tampa Bay Bucs 23-20 in a fashion that is frustratingly familiar. It is a franchise that seems to have found only one consistency. That is finding new ways to frustrate a tortured fan base that hasn't seen a playoff berth since the 2017 season. With this in mind, there is a far higher sense of urgency to make things work this season.
These hopes are off to a rough start in a loss that has no shortage of failing pieces that can be blamed. Starting with a player who was given a golden chance to push the Falcons into overtime, and instead sent them home.
1. Younghoe Koo
Koo seemed to see the void Kirk Cousins' benching left open and didn't hesitate to become Atlanta's next game-wrecker. While the stat sheet might say 2-of-3 in what doesn't appear to be an awful day, this should be the final straw for the Falcons' coaching staff and front office. If you're serious about putting together a winning organization, you cannot rely on a kicker who has become the polar opposite of clutch. As sad as it is for a once-popular player, it is time to admit defeat and turn the page.
What doesn't show up in the stat sheet is the fact that only one of Koo's field goals should've hit. The trio of attempts were all well inside 50 yards, with one missing wide right and another bouncing off the upright and in. Koo was incredibly lucky to hit his second kick and would pull his next one even further, making sure luck couldn't interfere.
The Falcons have now lost at least three games over the past two seasons based on not having a reliable kicking game. Last year's results cost Atlanta a playoff spot with Cousins and Koo running an impressive tag team on Atlanta's collective playoff hopes. Even after Michael Penix's words of encouragement, it is time to cut the kicker, understanding that it's hard to get much worse at the position from here.
2. Zac Robinson
What was this game plan from Atlanta's offensive coordinator Zac Robinson? You understand the force that Vita Vea is on the inside and attempt to establish the passing attack early in the game. However, when you want to balance out the offense on the ground, you do so in an incredibly basic and concerning fashion. Running Robinson into the teeth of the defense isn't going to get results. Use a bit of misdirection and put the back in open space, allowing him the ability to create missed tackles and continue to put on a show.
Drake London's lack of touches early in the game with Darnell Mooney out also raised some eyebrows. After the first drive, everything was a struggle, and Robinson didn't have the answers to support his young quarterback. When Atlanta made the biggest plays, it was often Penix going off script and finding a way to move the chains. This isn't ideal for a young quarterback who needs strong support from the OC.
Perhaps the most egregious decision of all was early in the game when momentum was obviously tilting in Tampa's direction and Robinson called a dive play. Choosing to run directly at Vita Vea, understanding you have a new starting center, and opting to do it with Robinson instead of Allgeier is simply unacceptable.
3. Falcons' Pass Rush
Where was the revamped Atlanta pass rush? After looking solid on the first two drives of the game, the Falcons' defense settled back into problems fans are tired of discussing. Pass rushers weren't getting home with Mayfield able to move around in the pocket and simply wait for one of his talented receivers to get open. Even as the Falcons' secondary continued to fight, there simply isn't a legal way to keep receivers locked down with how long Atlanta's pass rush was giving Baker in the pocket.
Atlanta defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich attempted to breathe life into the unit by bringing a consistent extra rusher late in Sunday's game. All this seemed to do was make it easier for Mayfield to pick apart the secondary and eventually score the game-winning touchdown. If the Falcons are going to be a contending team this season, the pass rush has to be drastically better.
Neither rookie option popped, and new veteran addition Leonard Floyd was unable to make a play either. While it is still incredibly early under a new coordinator, this isn't how fans wanted to see the season start. Is it really possible that, after all the offseason moves, the pass rush is still among the league's worst?
4. Terry Fontenot
Atlanta's GM deserves to share in the blame here, along with Zac Robinson, for what happened offensively late in the game. Mooney was already out, and London would suffer an injury on one of the final plays of the game. Needing to get into field goal range, Penix was dropping back and attempting to force the ball into receivers who are far from reliable. Casey Washington is in his second season and was underwhelming in limited chances a season ago. Ray-Ray McCloud is great as a third or fourth option, but not exactly the ideal primary receiver.
With this in mind, Fontenot must share a portion of the blame here for not adding enough depth at the position. Atlanta is attempting to develop its next franchise quarterback in Penix. One would think that this would create a level of urgency to find a potential solution if one of your top two options were to go down.
It allowed the Bucs to focus on the run and play a lot of man defense, forcing someone to beat them with a level of consistency. This didn't happen, and the Falcons absorbed another heartbreaker. Perhaps this wouldn't have been the case if Fontenot had done a better job at adding depth to an incredibly important position for his young quarterback.