After their riveting Monday night win against the Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons are getting ready for their matchup with the defending back-to-back Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Sunday night.
The Chiefs are in search of their third Super Bowl in a row and are in the very capable hands of head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Chris Jones is one of the pass rushers in the NFL, and Travis Kelce is always a threat at tight end. In addition they have one of the best quarterback in the league in Patrick Mahomes.
It might sound like the Falcons are in for a rough time on Sunday putting it like that. And they might be. Through two weeks though, the Chiefs have looked very beatable, pulling out two very close wins. They were a toe away from going into overtime with the Ravens in Week 1, and beat the Bengals on a last second field goal in Week 2 after a defensive pass interference penalty on the Bengals on fourth-and-16. Mahomes’ performance in that game was not up to his usual standard, throwing for 18 completions with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
It’s a game that could set the tone for the Falcons’ season; coming off a miracle win in Philly on Monday night and then turning around and beating the Chiefs in another primetime game will solidify the Falcons as a real contender, setting high expectations for their remaining schedule.
If Kirk Cousins can keep the momentum going from his game-winning drive on Monday night, things could get interesting. The Chiefs have allowed the second most passing yards through two weeks at 513, though it’s worth noting they’ve played against Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, two arguably top-five quarterbacks. He’ll have to look better than he did in the first three quarters on Monday night or things could get ugly for the Falcons’ offense.
There’s no reason to believe Bijan Robinson might slow down, though. He’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry, second in the league among running backs with 30 or more rushing attempts. He’s been efficient and explosive, and is expected to continue being effective as long as he and the offensive line remain healthy.
A point to watch is if Kelce gets more involved with the Chiefs offense this week. Through two weeks his only stats are four catches for 39 yards, though he is a factor as a blocker too. He’s still a nine-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All-Pro who holds many records, including for seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards (seven consecutively — another record on it’s own) and for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season (1,416). He’s expected to get rolling at some point, and a primetime Sunday night game will be his next opportunity.
Expect the Falcons to come out hot off the momentum of their recent nail-biter of a win. Anything less would be a disappointment, not to mention boring. Everyone’s watched the Chiefs win consistently for what feels like forever at this point, and the Falcons have a chance to swing things around for themselves by proving they’re a real team to compete with against the defending champs.
The Falcons kick off against the Chiefs on Sunday night, Sept. 22 at 8:20 p.m. EST.
