The Falcons’ kicking issues may have just improved with their recent signing. They started the season with tenured veteran kicker Younghoe Koo, but things didn’t go very well, as he missed a 44-yard field goal in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that could’ve put the game into overtime. Atlanta ended up losing the game.
After the contest, head coach Raheem Morris spoke about the missed kick, saying, “We gotta make those.” They eventually benched Koo the following week to elevate kicker Parker Romo from the practice squad. Although Koo was hailed as one of the most accurate kickers of this era, the Falcons released Koo and gave the nod to Romo.
Falcons’ Kicking Woes With Romo
Parker Romo’s first few games with the Falcons went well, notably in Week 2, where he went 5 of 5 on field goals, which led them to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 22-6. Romo only played seven games for the team, but in that span, Romo made 11 of 14 field goals and 12 of 13 point after attempts.
Romo was off to a great start. In Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, Romo made a 38-yard field goal, but after a Drake London touchdown in the 4th quarter, Romo missed the extra point, which would have tied the game at 24. The Patriots got the ball back, ran out the clock, and defeated Atlanta 24-23.
It was reported by Terrin Waack of the official team site that Morris spoke about the kicking misfortunes on Monday, saying, “Obviously, we’ve got to look at that, and we’ve started that process already.”
“We’ve worked out a bunch of different people, so we better bring people in and figure out what it’s going to be this week. At the end of the day, you’ve got to make that kick. Like we talked about, those pressure situations aren’t built on practice fields, they’re built in games, and they’re built in that environment.”
Falcons Make a Change at Kicker
Waack and other sports media outlets also reported that the Falcons waived Parker Romo and worked out former Washington Commanders and free agent kicker Zane Gonzalez, who impressed coaches during the workout so much that they signed him, thereby waiving Romo.
But the kicking carousel may not be over as they have kickers Lenny Krieg and Ben Sauls on the practice squad. So if Gonzalez isn’t playing well, they have other options.
Gonzalez hasn’t played yet this season, but in his career, he has played 44 games and has an 80% field goal rate, having made 96 of 120.
The Falcons will face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Berlin, Germany.
The Falcons are currently at a 72.5 (C-) grade and No. 19 ranking in PFSN Offensive Impact Score, while the defense holds a 73.7 (C) grade and No. 17 ranking on PFSN’s DEFi leaderboard.
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