Chiefs @ Falcons Game Preview

Good Morning Chiefs Kingdom,

Today we bring you a game preview, a press conference recap, the Week 3 schedule, and more.

Go Chiefs!

— Luke Gromer

Chiefs News

Week 3: KC @ ATL

• 🏈 Who: Chiefs (2-0) @ Falcons (1-1)

• 📆 When: Sunday, 7:20 pm CT

• 📍 Where: Atlanta, GA

• 📺 Watch: NBC

  • 🎙 On the Call: Mike Tirico & Cris Collinsworth

• 🎧 Listen: 96.5 FM The Fan in the KC area

  • 🎙 On the Call: Mitch Holthus & Danan Hughes

• 📕 Line: KC -3.5

• ⚕️ KC Injuries:

  • 🩹 Isiah Pacheco (out) & Hollywood Brown (out)

#1: The Running Backs

Pacheco is on IR and will miss at least six weeks.

He’s averaged 20.5 touches per game over the first two weeks.

That’s a lot of touches that are now going to spread between Carson Steele (a rookie) and Samaje Perine (he was signed three weeks ago). Keontae Ingram was also elevated from the practice squad, but will likely be sent back once Kareem Hunt is in shape and ready to go.

How will the running backs perform in Pop’s absence?

#2: Defending TEs

The Chiefs have been burned by tight ends in the passing game two weeks in a row.

Atlanta has a athletically gifted TE in Kyle Pitts who has underachieved since coming into the league. Look for the Falcons to try to get Pitts involved early in this game based on how tight ends have fared against the defense thus far.

Can the linebackers and safeties slow down the Falcons’ tight ends?

#3: Mahomes

Mahomes expressed after the Bengals game, then again on Wednesday, that he was displeased with his performance last week.

Mahomes rarely struggles in back-to-back games, and he’s ruthlessly committed to getting better. Expect a laser-sharp Patrick Mahomes in primetime this week.

Can Mahomes limit the turnovers and connect on explosive plays this week?

Dave Toub

• On Butker’s range: “It feels good to have a guy like Butker that can make them.” Toub reported that his range in a vacuum is 68 yards. He said he’s seen him make it from 73 with the wind at his back.

• On Chamarri Conner: “He was good last year… and now it’s his second year and he’s that much better.”

• On P Matt Araiza: “The goal of this last week was no touchbacks, and he did that.”

Steve Spagnuolo

• On Chris Jones and the defense: “He’s attracting a lot of double teams right now… One of the things we probably need to do a better job of is getting into some longer third downs… We have to play better on 1st and 2nd down.”

• On Leo Chenal: “Leo’s been huge… We’ve used him in a lot of different spots… That tells you a lot about the player he is and what we think of him.”

• On opposing TE’s success: “We hope to get better at it, but we’re not going to hit the panic button.” Spags noted that some of it has been bad luck and a few blown assignments.

• On Trent McDuffie: “He ought to feel real proud about [his performance against Chase and the Bengals]… Trent’s been kind of leading that whole crew. It feels like he’s a 10-year vet but it’s only his third year. We need him to keep playing at a high level.”

• On Kirk Cousins: “I think he’s so smart as a football player, and he’s one of those guys that can chuck it anywhere… I always think a guy like Kirk gives his team a chance to win no matter what the score is.”

• On defense in the 2-minute drill: “Most of them are in what we call a challenge mode… What really helps in a 2-minute drill is a sack… We practice it a lot.”

Matt Nagy

• On the RB group: “Part of this game is injuries… Now it’s the next-man-up mentality… For us, it’s making sure we put them in optimum situations.”

• On Carson Steele: “I would say there’s a lot of confidence with Carson. I would say he’s probably as ready as he could be being a rookie in this position.”

• On Kareem Hunt: “I think he looks good… [In] his situation, just kind of relearning the offense… For the most part, he’s been impressive.”

• On using Carson Wentz on QB sneaks: “Who knows. We’re open to all and any ideas.”

• On the Falcons defense: “They really play hard. They’re a defense that keeps a lot of things in front of them.”

• On LT: Nagy said the starter at LT has not been decided and that the decision will fall to Coach Reid.

Chris Jones

• On George taking away half a sack: Jokingly… “I don’t want the dinner. I just want the half a sack!” Watch Jones’ full comical response here.

• On succeeding against double teams: “It takes relentlessness.”

Several assistant coaches also spoke to the media.

View all press conferences in their entirety here

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Around the NFL

The Latest

Result: Jets 24, Patriots 3

• Aaron Rodgers threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns and reached 480 total touchdowns in his career

• The Patriots had less than 200 yards of total offense

Source: ESPN

• Bengals WR Tee Higgins returned to practice yesterday

• Lions HC Matt Campbell is selling his home to move somewhere with more privacy due to harassment that has occurred since his address was leaked

• Packers QB Jordan Love has a chance to play this Sunday

• Texans RB Joe Mixon did not practice for a second straight day with an ankle injury

• Texans TE Brevin Jordan tore his ACL and will be out for the remainder of the season

• Vikings WR Justin Jefferson said he plans to play on Sunday

• 49ers TE George Kittle did not practice yesterday with hamstring tightness

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Worth the Click

• 🎙 Travis Kelce shared why the Chiefs have success in close games and also talked about how he needs to be better

• 🐅 A Bengals player has a weird phone background related to the Chiefs

• 🏈 Grab some new Chiefs gear from Rally House*

• ⚾️ The Royals have an 89% chance of making the playoffs with just 9 games left

• 🎟 Grab your Chiefs tickets before prices go up*

• 🕺 Jason Kelce’s dance moves are a special thing

• 🤔 Peyton and Eli Manning’s nephew, Arch Manning, will start his first game at QB for #1 ranked Texas on Saturday

• 📺 Episode 3 of the Chiefs’ in-house docu-series, The Franchise, dropped last night

• 😂 Since the Bengals don’t have Super Bowl t-shirts to sell, they’ve resorted to selling these 

• 🏔 See which QBs are climbing or falling off Nick Wright’s Mahomes Mountain

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