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'It's going in': Why Falcons specialists were unsurprised by Younghoe Koo's game-winning field goal

Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo, holder Bradley Pinion and long snapper Liam McCullough came through when the team needed them most.

ATLANTA — As reporters swarmed kicker Younghoe Koo for postgame interviews, punter Bradley Pinion and long snapper Liam McCullough packed up their belongings a few lockers away.

Koo answered questions in a rather neutral tone. Pinion and McCullough carried on a conversation amongst themselves.

They were all oh-so casual, one would never guess the three specialists just pulled off a game-winning 58-yard field goal that finalized the Atlanta Falcons' 26-24 victory Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

"To be honest," McCullough said, "I wish it was a little bit longer."

He jokes, but he's also serious. He believes that strongly in Koo.

And why shouldn't he? Koo made four field goals against the Saints alone, averaging 49.25 yards per boot. He was good from 42, 44, 53 and 58 yards out. To McCullough's point, the 58-yard game-winner cleared the crossbar with room to spare.

That puts Koo at 9-for-9 on field goal attempts this season. He has now successfully made three field goals from at least 50 yards out.

The 58-yarder marked a new career long for Koo, though, who has made 163 of his 183 career attempts.

"I know I have the leg for it," Koo said. "So, just going through the process and just trying to make good contact on it."

Koo's previous long was 54 yards. He has hit that distance seven times, including once this season in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"It's weird that we've had so many makes at 54 yards," McCullough said. "I'm happy for him now that the number is bumped up."

The first 54-yarder came in 2020, which just so happens to be the same season McCullough and Pinion arrived in Atlanta. Koo's longest distance before that was 50 yards in 2019, his first season with the Falcons. And before that, it was 41 yards for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017.

McCullough joined the Falcons as an undrafted free agent. Pinion came from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with seven seasons already under his belt, including four with the San Francisco 49ers.

"We've been doing this for going on three years now together," Pinion said. "It's just knowing that we trust each other, like I know (McCullough) is going to give me a great snap and I know I'm going to give Koo a good hold and we know Koo is going to make it. History keeps repeating itself, so why not keep doing it?"

The trio has clicked so well they've become a trifecta.

In fact, Koo's success rate is better since Pinion and McCullough entered the mix. In his two seasons without them, Koo made 81.3% of his kicks. With them, he has been good 90.5% of the time.

So far, they're perfect this season.

"Liam and Bradley have been money all year," Koo said. "Without them, the kick doesn't go in."

The credit goes all the way around, too.

"If everybody just does their job, it's going in," Pinion said.

Said McCullough: "As long as we get the opportunity, I know that thing is going in with Koo back there and Bradley holding."

While each has his own unique personality, they all only possess one operating mode on game day.

Steady. Consistent. Unshakeable. Even-keeled. Insert any other word that can be used to describe why Koo, Pinion and McCullough were individually and collectively so laidback after clinching the Falcons' first NFC South win in front of 72,204 fans.

"You kind of have to be as a specialist," McCullough said. "You can't ride the highs and the lows, because every time you go out there, you get one shot. You don't have a drive to make a mistake and then come back the next play. You get one shot every time you're on the field, so you have to stay level that whole time."

Get an inside look at the matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during Week 4, presented by Grady.

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