The Atlanta Falcons are set to play on a national stage for the second consecutive week, this time facing a daunting challenge as they prepare to take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. This matchup comes after the Falcons pulled off an unexpected victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. However, facing the Chiefs presents a completely different set of challenges compared to the Eagles.
Kansas City’s defense, led by a top-tier coordinator in Steve Spagnuolo, is superior to Philadelphia’s unit in both personnel and strategy. Additionally, the Chiefs boast an elite quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, widely regarded as the best in the league, as well as one of the most accomplished head coaches in football, Andy Reid. In contrast to the Falcons’ Week 2 opponents, who had notable strengths but are not considered league elites, Mahomes and Reid bring a combination of talent, experience, and versatility that sets them apart from nearly any other team in the NFL.
Raheem Morris says Patrick Mahomes is one of the best he considers him an "Alien." What's an Alien? He says guys like Mahomes, Tom Brady, Barry Sanders, Julio Jones, Lebron James etc. Players that are just elite in their game. Says Travis Kelce is an alien too lol #dirtybirds pic.twitter.com/h85R9S5zYh
— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) September 18, 2024
Patrick Mahomes has established himself as the best quarterback in the game, and there’s little debate on that front. As Falcons defensive coordinator Raheem Morris noted, there is virtually nothing Mahomes cannot do on the field. Mahomes has mastered the ability to play both within the structure of an offense and outside of it. He excels whether he’s inside the pocket, on the move, or making off-schedule plays. Whether playing with a lead or trailing behind, Mahomes continues to execute at an elite level. His presence is enough to make any defense nervous.
Despite Mahomes’ undeniable talent, the Falcons might not be able to stop him outright—they can only hope to contain him. Given Mahomes’ ability to consistently make plays, the Falcons’ defense will have to focus on minimizing the damage. But just trying to limit Mahomes won’t be enough for the Falcons to win. They’ll need to score points and perform effectively on offense to keep pace with the Chiefs’ high-powered attack.
While much attention is on Mahomes, there’s another Chiefs player the Falcons need to be deeply concerned about: defensive lineman Chris Jones. Jones has the potential to disrupt Atlanta’s entire game plan, and his impact on defense is arguably just as important as Mahomes’ on offense. Jones, often overlooked in discussions of the Chiefs’ dynasty, has consistently been a game-changer on defense, particularly in critical moments. Alongside Mahomes and Reid, Jones and defensive coordinator Spagnuolo have been central figures in Kansas City’s recent success.
Jones is a defensive force who has a history of wrecking opponents’ offenses, especially when it matters most. While Mahomes is often credited as the Chiefs’ “closer,” Jones has frequently come through with big plays on defense to secure victories. He has a unique ability to derail an offensive game plan entirely, making him one of the most dangerous players on the field. This is the kind of challenge the Falcons must be prepared for if they hope to have a chance at victory.
For Atlanta’s offense, which has struggled through much of the season, the game against Kansas City presents a critical test. Despite showing some life in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game against the Eagles—when quarterback Kirk Cousins connected with Darnell Mooney for a key touchdown and led a near-perfect game-winning drive—the Falcons’ offense remains inconsistent. If they hope to build on the momentum from Week 2, Atlanta must have a clear and effective plan to deal with Chris Jones.
In Week 1, the Falcons saw firsthand how a dominant defensive player like Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt can single-handedly disrupt an entire game. Jones is a similar threat, and the Falcons can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of their earlier games. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson needs to devise a better strategy for neutralizing Jones than what was used against Watt.
Ultimately, if the Falcons are to have any chance of pulling off an upset against the Chiefs, they’ll need a near-flawless performance on both sides of the ball, and the first step will be finding a way to contain Chris Jones and the Chiefs’ defense.
