The Falcons pulled off something almost unheard of, recovering three straight onside kicks against the Saints. Down by 17, they scored a touchdown and went for two just for fun, but the conversion didn’t count after a botched catch. Then the chaos started. Younghoe Koo delivered a perfect onside kick, which the Saints mishandled, leading to a recovery that was nullified by an offsides call. Replay showed the player moved his feet early but didn’t cross the line, so it looked like the flag shouldn’t have been thrown.
They lined up again and somehow ran the same play with the same result—another recovery. The Saints looked confused, and linebacker Foye Oluokun had an easy path to the ball. The Saints adjusted on the third try, shifting their hands team coverage, but it still didn’t work. The kick went right over their guy’s head, and Atlanta grabbed it again. Koo stayed perfect under pressure, and it turned into one of the wildest special teams runs anyone’s seen.
Despite those recoveries, the Falcons couldn’t complete the comeback offensively. Still, Koo’s late-game execution stole the show. Sean Payton looked frustrated on the sideline, while Drew Brees sat helpless, watching his special teams fall apart.