The Atlanta Falcons saw firsthand how detrimental a bad kicking game can be to a season.
You could argue the Dirty Birds would've made the playoffs if not for poor play and an injury at the overlooked position.
Luckily, the front office didn't ignore the struggles and aggressively signed an intriguing kicker to compete with one of the most revered Falcons over the past decade.
Atlanta Falcons have exciting competition brewing at kicker
It is no secret that Younghoe Koo wasn't good last season. He missed too many field goals before landing on the injured reserve to finish the season.
Was his ineffectiveness due to the nagging injury that ended his season prematurely?
The next few months will tell us everything
We all want to see Koo bounce back; he has been as clutch as anyone. However, the Falcons cannot have a repeat of last year.
That is why they took a shot in the dark by signing German kicker Lenny Krieg after acing his test at his pro day.
It will be exciting seeing these two battle it out during training camp and preseason.
Every kick will bring so much pressure; one miss could be the difference between continuing your NFL dream and being on the streets.
It isn't often you see an apples-to-apples battle in football. There are usually countless factors that go into comparing one player to the next, but in this instance, it will come down to putting the ball between the uprights.
Obviously, there are nuances to the position but it ultimately comes down to going 1/1.
Another aspect of this position battle are the stories behind the players.
Both have overcome moving to a foreign country to pursue their dreams. You cannot help but root for both of them. It is rough that only one player will come out on top.
In the end, we can only hope the Atlanta Falcons finish the preseason knowing they have a reliable kicker. Hopefully, one of them tears it up, making the decision easy for Raheem Morris.
