By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The Falcons’ season opener didn’t end the way we wanted as fans of this team, but it sure wasn’t a disaster either.

Atlanta fell 23-20 to Tampa Bay, and yeah, that stings, especially when the game came down to a very makeable field goal. Younghoe Koo pushed a 44-yarder wide, and just like that, the Falcons started the season 0-1.

It’s tough because that moment overshadows some good things the Falcons did.

But make no mistake, the kicking situation is officially something to watch. Koo missed nine kicks last year, and when your head coach admits he changes his decisions based on whether or not he trusts the kicker, that’s a problem.

By Monday, Atlanta had already brought in Parker Romo to compete with Koo and rookie Lenny Krieg. Having three kickers in the building tells you all you need to know about the nerves inside Flowery Branch.

But here’s where I lean a little more positive: Atlanta still had a shot to win.

In a sloppy, uneven game, against a team like the Bucs that knows how to ugly things up, the Falcons had the ball in the fourth quarter with a chance to tie. That’s not nothing.

Let’s talk about Michael Penix Jr. He’s not a rookie anymore, and while he wasn’t throwing bombs all over the place, he looked steady. He completed 23 of 30 short throws and even ran one in late to keep Atlanta alive.

The deep ball? Yeah, that part was ugly. He went 0-for-7 on throws beyond 15 yards. But before everyone panics, remember this: he didn’t have Darnell Mooney.

Without Mooney’s speed to stretch the defense, Tampa could just load up on Drake London. London still caught 10 balls, but he averaged less than seven yards per grab. That’s not a Drake problem; that’s a spacing problem.

The good news? Raheem Morris said Mooney’s shoulder is close to being ready. When he’s back, it’s going to open things up for London, Pitts, and Bijan, and you’ll see Penix hitting some of those deep shots.

And honestly, I loved what I saw from the defense, at least in flashes. They pressured Baker Mayfield on almost half of his dropbacks. That’s huge compared to last year.

James Pearce Jr. looked like the real deal, and nine different defenders recorded at least one pressure. The issue was finishing. Mayfield escaped a few times, scrambled for chunks, and that’s where the game got away.

But if you’re giving me a choice between a defense that can’t touch the QB at all and one that’s flying around but not quite closing yet, I’ll take the latter every day.

Those plays are going to start breaking the Falcons’ way soon.

So yeah, there’s frustration. You’ve got to make a 44-yarder at home. You’ve got to take advantage of opportunities. But it’s Week 1, not Week 15.

The Falcons didn’t get blown out. They didn’t look lost. They were a couple of missed plays away from forcing overtime.

Now, the road gets tough: Minnesota, Washington, Buffalo, and San Francisco are on deck.

If the Falcons want to avoid an early-season hole, the kicking issue needs to get sorted out fast, and Mooney’s return has to inject some juice into the passing game.

But here’s the bottom line: this team looks different, and I mean that in a good way.

They have a young quarterback who’s calm under pressure, a defense that’s hunting the ball, and plenty of talent at the skill spots.

If they clean up the little things, and someone steps up in the kicking game, I believe Atlanta’s still in good shape.

It wasn’t the start fans wanted, but it’s not time to hit the panic button either.