You win some, and you lose some, and that seemed to be the case for the Falcons on Sunday against the Chiefs. Atlanta started out strong on their first drive and showed flashes of offensive success throughout the game, but there was never any real consistency beyond that opening drive. Mahomes is tough as nails, even with the uncertainty surrounding Travis Kelce, but the defense proved they can handle one of the league's better offenses on Sunday evening.
I’m not one to blame the refs, nor do I believe the officiating crew can truly decide a game. Atlanta went 2-for-9 on third downs — what if they had been above 50%? Maybe that would've had a bigger impact on the result. Or what if Drew Dalman and Kaleb McGary hadn’t gone down, forcing the Falcons to rely on two backup offensive linemen against a tough Chiefs defensive line?
That said, the missed DPI call was horrendous — how does that not get called? Oh well, we move on. Grab your favorite snack as I dive into some of the key points from Sunday's loss to the defending champs.
Defense
Will I Ever Have a Good Reporst On The Pass Rush?
Overall, the defense held up its end of the bargain, limiting the Chiefs' offense to just 22 points and holding them to under 50% on third-down conversions. That's a result I would take every Sunday against such a high-powered offense. However, the recurring theme remains: the Falcons’ pass rush continues to be nearly non-existent, and their abysmal performance could have made things much worse.
The defense managed to amass 7 QB hits, but they mostly came when Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket. It felt like the Falcons' D-line and pass rushers were outmatched throughout the game. Even when they sent extra pressure, little happened, with Kaden Ellis being the only inside linebacker to record a QB hit. There was a minor improvement, as Mahomes had an average of 2.65 seconds to throw compared to Jalen Hurts' 3.42 seconds last week. But there’s still no excuse for recording zero sacks. Statistically, it's now proven that Atlanta’s pass rush is struggling, ranking 31st in sack percentage, and they are isolated at the bottom in win rate and PFF grade. Jimmy Lake and Raheem Morris need to find a way to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks before offenses begin to exploit the weaker points in the Falcons' secondary.
Simmons and Bates Keep Making Plays
With Justin Simmons now recording his first interception of the season, both he and Jessie Bates have one apiece, showcasing just how dynamic a duo they are. Simmons’ interception on Sunday wasn’t just his first of the season — it was the sixth time he has picked off Mahomes. So far this year, Simmons hasn’t seen many targets, with only seven passes thrown his way, 4 of which were completed for just 29 yards.
Jessie Bates didn’t record an interception, but he made some big plays for the Falcons as usual. Bates had six total tackles and defended a key pass in the 4th quarter against Travis Kelce. These two safeties have been a huge blessing for the Falcons' defense and fanbase. Mahomes became the first quarterback this season to throw for over 200 yards against the Falcons' defense, and these two safeties have been a significant reason for that stat.
Offense
I’m not really sure how I felt about the Falcons' offensive performance against the Chiefs. There were some great drives, especially the opening seven-play touchdown drive, which was one of the more consistent series we've seen all year. We also saw a beautiful 50-yard bomb to Kyle Pitts that set up Bijan Robinson’s first touchdown of the season. I thought Cousins looked solid overall; the interception he threw was tipped into the air, and he didn’t take many risky throws like we saw in Weeks 1 and 2. You can tell Cousins and the wide receivers are still trying to find their rhythm. There were a few throws to both Drake London and Pitts that should have been lofted higher to let the tall receivers go up and get the ball, but unfortunately, they were underthrown. Despite some inconsistent play from Cousins, he has already developed a connection with a newcomer to the Falcons' offense.
One surprising standout this season has been Darnell Mooney. Heading into the season, the Falcons wide receiver depth was a concern after Rondale Moore’s season-ending injury in training camp. However, Mooney has stepped up and made big plays, currently leading the team in receiving yards. On Sunday, Mooney caught all 8 of his targets, racking up 66 yards, with 46 of those coming after the catch. Mooney has complemented London very well this season. London is right behind Mooney in yards and has two more receptions and one more touchdown. Watching both of them perform consistently over the last few weeks has been enjoyable.
Unfortunately, with most positives come negatives, and there were plenty on Sunday. As I mentioned earlier, the Chiefs' defense held the Falcons' running game in check, with Atlanta rushing for just 3.3 yards per carry. The Falcons' “bread and butter” play, the outside zone run, was countered effectively by Kansas City, which stalled the Falcons' offense for most of the game. Another ongoing issue has been the Falcons' struggles on third down. On Sunday, Atlanta went just 2-for-9 on third downs, bringing their season total to 6-for-27 (22.22%). If there’s one glaring area where the Falcons need improvement, it's third down. In these high-leverage moments, Robinson must change the tide for the Falcons’ offense. To be a good football team, you have to execute in those situations, and the Falcons haven’t been able to, which has led to their two losses.
Plenty of factors could explain how the Falcons lost this game, whether it was the missed DPI call, the injuries to the offensive line (McGary and Dalman), or their struggles on third down. However, I think the Chiefs played a better game and rose to the occasion when it mattered most. That said, I don’t think the Falcons played terribly, either. This team showed they can hang with the best and avoid the blowouts we’ve seen in past years. I’m content (though not fully satisfied) with the direction this team is headed. Atlanta will face the New Orleans Saints in their first NFC South matchup of the year, and what better way to kick it off than against the (S)'Aints at home?
Conrad's Three Stars
1st Star – Drake London (6 receptions, 67 yards, 1 Touchdown)
2nd Star – Justin Simmons (5 total tackles, 1PD, 1 Interception )
3rd Star – Darnell Mooney (8 receptions, 66 yards)
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