Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his supporting cast came out on the right side of Sunday night’s matchup against the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, recording a 22-17 victory over Atlanta to move to 3-0.
While the Falcons weren’t able to replicate the same type of late-game heroics they pulled off against the Philadelphia Eagles, they came close to upsetting the defending Super Bowl champions on Sunday night.
Mahomes walked away from Week 3 with a lot of respect for Atlanta and thinks the team has a bright future.
“That’s a good football team,” Mahomes said after the game. “I expect them to get better and better because whenever you bring a lot of different pieces in, it takes a little bit to get it going throughout the season. But, yeah, that’s going to be a team that’s going to make a lot of noise as the season goes on.”
There’s no question Mahomes was sincere in his comments after barely escaping with the win. For most of the game, Atlanta seemed to be in control. The Falcons held a 14-13 halftime lead before the Chiefs went on a 9-0 run in the third quarter.
While the Falcons scored just three points in the second half, they had the ball in the red zone in the final minute but were stuffed on a fourth-down rushing attempt. The Chiefs got the ball after Atlanta turned it over on downs and held on for the win.
“I think we have a lot of pieces we need to be successful. I think we have to get better,” quarterback Kirk Cousins said after the game. “I think we’ve left a lot of opportunities out on the field so far, but I think most offenses would say that around this league right now and I look forward to the challenge starting right away this week of just trying to be a better offense as we move forward because I do think that we can be.”
The Falcons will aim to return to the win column this weekend when they face a New Orleans Saints team that’s also looking to bounce back after suffering a Week 3 loss to the Eagles. Sunday’s NFC South matchup starts at 1 p.m. ET in Atlanta.
