41 is the Mic: Chiefs Defense Delivers 22-17 Victory Over Falcons in Week 3

It wasn't pretty but the Kansas City Chiefs moved to 3-0 on the season after a 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. Nick Jacobs (KSHB 41) and Matt Derrick (Chiefs Digest) analyze the victory by looking at where the Chiefs excelled (Rashee Rice and Nick Bolton) and what opportunities for improvement remain (getting Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce back on track). Matt and Nick also peek ahead at the Chiefs' trip to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers in an AFC West battle where Jim Harbaugh's squad faces injury challenges.
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[@ryanwhite9437]

Chiefs run defense was awesome last night. I sont say that very often lol.. terk Wharton is having a stellar season

[@tigeratlas]

Kelce is an ancient TE. A drop off is inevitable. Chiefs are in the process of shifting the offense from Kelce-centric to rice-dominant. Of course kelce doesn’t perform like he did three-four-five years ago.

[@mikehouse68]

OMG you seem to know everything... tell us... share with us your knowledge. or or or STFU Kelce is fine.. he's being Double and Triple fucking teamed ! Ummmm maybe keep to keeping your mouth shut and just watching the actual game. Ughhhh

[@jakebarnes1950]

The Chiefs are 3 and 0. Mahomes is way less than his best so far and is not happy with his protection by the tackles. We have had some tough injuries. The Chiefs are 3 and 0 and by the way the Chiefs are 3 and 0.

[@Kyle36147]

But have you considered the chiefs are 3-0

[@angelmanfredy]

Yeah, but what is their record? Asking the real questions here.

[@angelmanfredy]

@@Kyle36147yeah, but have you looked at their record?

[@jackiemoon5906]

Great point from Nick. This team has always needed an elusive speed back, it would open up so much for this offense. I wonder if Chiefs could go back would they have played Suamatia more during the preseason? I get you want him working with the first team OL but he needed reps and the starting OL didn’t play many preseason snaps.

[@mikehouse68]

Bwahahahaha We are a PASS team.. the MINUTE they start running the Ball over Passing.. you and whoever this Nic guy is will change your fucking tune.

[@jackiemoon5906]

@@mikehouse68 listen here jackass

[@jackiemoon5906]

@@mikehouse68 where did I say chiefs should become a run heavy team? A speed back would help out in passing situations as well idiot

[@jackiemoon5906]

@@mikehouse68 news flash the run game has been more effective this year doofus. Also very weird way to type lol/ haha. Michael idk why your ignorant ass came to my comment trying to act smart, you’re not.

[@jackiemoon5906]

@@mikehouse68 such a great passing team that struggles to pass? Weirdo response Michael

[@Tkjbj4ever]

I agree teams finally have it figured out after 12 years, Kelce is the engine in this team. They aren’t saving Kelce for the playoffs. In every interview, Pat and Reid say they want to get Travis the ball.

[@cd33832]

Exactly…teams are literally trying to take him away, thus Rice and others benefiting from it. Not sure why people aren’t seeing this. Personally I think Kelce will get going soon, but right now he’s just simply not needed as much even though Patrick is still trying to find him

[@rickhendrickson2460]

It’s like you guys forgot that we got Kareem Hunt sitting on the practice squad?

[@PrinceAmac]

The thing is, our left tackle play last night was actually pretty good. PM15 is still not on the same page with guys. A Rice drop, another Kelce drop. Missed Worthy at the end of the game, may have been on Worthy...

[@Chiefs555]

It was good because he was getting chip help most of the game. It was exactly what we would do when OBJ was our left tackle.

[@paullohrentz1170]

According to Matt D question for Andy, Worthy ran correct route & other receiver was not where he was to be. Rice

[@dbmagee21]

David bhaktiari is waiting for the chiefs to call.

[@syeah1505]

He's always hurt

[@irishbullmatt]

Hell no

[@josaywhat.]

Holy smokes Nick of course of course, he doesn't trust his left tackle which was why Patrick has a bit too many interceptions already this season 😓

[@musicmashups]

Also Nick, they were never going to get Alt. Unless you think trading away years of draft capital to move up from #32 to #4 is a good investment. Its not.

[@FinallyTuned]

Feels like things off the field may be affecting the Kelce-Mahomes dynamic.

[@luttrelll5517]

Collinsworth said Wanya at LT has been the plan. I wonder where he heard that from or I misunderstood his comment.

[@irishbullmatt]

Collinsworth doesn't know S***

[@carolkrinke3041]

They need a reliable experienced left tackle on the line. Someone Patrick can trust.

[@musicmashups]

The line looked good today. Judon had like 3 pressures that entire game. Mahomes just isnt playing good ball, and he admitted that in the press conference. Simmons historically has his number and Mahomes could never throw deep cause of how good the Falcons' secondary is. His chemistry with Kelce is gone: Mahoems keeps not seeing him wide open. Worthy's poor route running also cost us multiple crucial first downs.

[@TedLee-e8k]

CHIEFS ROLL. AGAINST CHARGERS😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@angelmanfredy]

Worthy failed to keep running his route on a key play at the end which would have been the opportunity to seal the game (no last-minute wins). The Chiefs could be 0-3, yes, but they also left yards and points on the field because of penalties and mistakes. Those will get shored up. Brown will return. Pacheco will return (later). We got this.

[@cd33832]

But they’re 3-0 and they’ll survive as long as necessary without Pacheco. Once Kareem Hunt gets activated, he’ll split time with Carson Steele and the running game will be even stronger. The fact is that this team isn’t even close to clicking on all cylinders and they’re 3-0! The rest of the league should be scared 😱

[@trebyu]

? Is it just me, or does is seem like all of the other receivers are only MEANT to be BLOCKERS?

[@MrCashewkitty]

Pat is NOT playing well. Travis is getting open plenty. This is a choice from either Pat or Andy to not involve him, no matter what they say. Pat has continued to underthrow balls and be off. It seems he doesnt get away with all the crazy, off platform throws like he used to. I'm personally not overly worried as we've all been through this year after year only to wat h them put it all together.

[@Reema-tz9ek]

Mahomes has been playing poorly, throwing behind guys and missing Kelce who was wondering wide open on almost every play wdym he has only 2 target a game. Pat needs to step it up, and people need to stop blaming Kelce.

[@jackiemoon5906]

Agree. It’s confirmation bias. Chiefs bloggers have been wanted to say “I was the first on the Kelce fell off” wave. We just saw Kelce have a dominate playoff run, I don’t get it. Geoff Schwartz every time he comes on the postgame show you don’t have to continue saying you believe this is kelces last year.

[@FinallyTuned]

Do the Cowboys (or anyone else) have a WR we could trade for?

[@sandman9390]

No cap money for a top receiver 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@FinallyTuned]

@@sandman9390 Not top. Someone young.

[@chrisschrimpf8298]

I was hoping for Diontae Johnson but Carolina won today so delayed the start of a potential fire sale. I assume it would need to be a team in the NFC as trade partner.

[@sandman9390]

I see

[@danielfrazier6548]

It's amazing how Jacobs thinks he knows better than Coach Reid, hey maybe he should be the coach because of his superior knowledge 😂

[@NickJ71]

And where did I say that?

[@jackiemoon5906]

I’ll never understand the people who think you can’t question your team

[@KeithDondey]

He is more positive than he used to be. We all know the chiefs are as usual, a work in progress. A3-0 work in progress 😄

[@KeithDondey]

@@NickJ71you didn’t. And I’ve listened to you for a long time. I’d say you are way more positive than years ago….. but most of us are. 4 super bowls in 5 years can do that- 3-0. Not playing great. Major improvement in multiple areas needed.

[@PrinceAmac]

You realize it's his job to analyze and have an opinion correct? You confused about how the internet and sport talk works?

[@shaneglenn4790]

So it seems to me that nick Jacob’s is giving mahomes a pass for playing average ball because the opponents are giving kc their best shot . Well I might be mistaken but after kc won their first championship it seemed like every opponent they faced moving forward was giving them their best shot. Guess what the Chiefs offense still dominated back then regardless. The difference now is that mahomes is playing like an average quarterback. First off I also get the opportunity to watch the all 22 film. What I have noticed most is mahomes is consistently missing open targets. Someone explain to me why the Chiefs even decided to draft worthy ? Mahomes has now missed worthy deep the last two games. Against Cincinnati his pass was under thrown by 5 yards at least. And tonight he missed worthy for six . Mahomes looks to be the worst deep ball thrower in the league. Plus kelce has been open across the middle of the field. The offensive struggles are a combination of two factors. Piss poor play calling by Reid / Nagy and average play from Mahomes and the left tackle. Most of the blame falls at Mahomes feet . He has not looked normal since Super Bowl 57 .

[@Idlewyld]

Yeah, let's blame Mahomes for 2 straight Rings and a 3-0 start with multiple starters injured and a 34-year-old TE.

[@danielfrazier6548]

Something is going on with Mahomes, I think it has to do with that witch Swift; she's bad news for the Chiefs, ever since she endorsed that other witch Kamala Harris driving a wedge between Kelse and Mahomes; I wish Taylor swift would go away

[@Realtalkwithlin]

@@Idlewyld I know right. I agree with you. Fans just always acted like this. Remember last year? A lot of trash talk from our own fans then playoffs they acted like they always had faith in this team! Back to back win and 3 rings within 6 years is best of the best. Why do people still complaining? 😂. Some people take this for granted.

[@matthewplymale8696]

While I can agree Patrick isn't playing his best ball and making some bad mistakes, but c'mon man , How ya gonna place all the blame at his feet ?... #1 receiver out , #1 running back out .Rookie tackle blocking his most important side , his blindside. A tight end at end of his career and struggling these first 3 games and not himself .They have played 3 powerhouse teams (well falcons) have talent not powerhouse like other 2 .. The man is throwing to an old receiver that's riddled with injuries (juju ) a true rookie in worthy and second year player in (rice) ..And through all that were 3-0... Yea some luck has fallen to get that but last year we lost so many by a point or so while they're finding ways to win those kind of games this season , coming off back to back bowls , and being the 2nd team in history to do that and be 3-0 starting id say theyre doin pretty damn well... And Worthy has messed few routes up on them throws u speak of , misunderstanding and not on same page , that will be fixed ,A lot things to work on and fix but to put all blame on Mahomes is just crazy...

[@NickJ71]

How Am I “giving him a pass”? It’s one of the top questions we get. I explained why I think it is happening.

[@dawood121derful]

The Falcons were robbed of victory by the PI non-call by Bryan Cook. For me, that threw water on the supposed victory. That would have put the Falcons at 1st and goal at the 1yd line. Yes Mahomes has been average by NFL standards and Nagy is a below average play caller. Their red zone calls were awful just trying to run into the middle of the Falcons defense with Grady Jarrett in there. The Chiefs are just scratching out uninspiring victories right now and should be at least 1-2. Most of the positives are on the defensive side of the ball.

[@Idlewyld]

Falcons had a chance to gain 1 yard to win the game. They couldn't do it. There were several horrible calls that also went against the Chiefs. Stop acting like 1 PI call decided the game.

[@dawood121derful]

@@Idlewyld it did, so it’s ok for the Chiefs to win on a PI call but not to lose one?

[@tigeratlas]

The bogus CJ roughing call gave ATL a fresh set of downs instead of punting. They scored on that drive. So subtract that score and add a score for the Cook PI and you get the same outcome. Enjoy the win, it was legit.

[@sandman9390]

​@@dawood121derfulbut the Falcons didn't lose because of a "bad call", they lost because when they had over 4 minutes left in the game, with 3 timeouts, they could not score 🤷🏻‍♂️....that was a bad call in the endzone, or rather "Non-call" on Cook, but had they not picked up the flag on the hold by Bijan, or the bogus call on Chris Jones for RtP, or the OPI that was flagged as a DPI on McDuffie, ETC, Etc...this would not even be a subject the delusional could even begin to cry about! It is just the every game inconsistencies of the refs 🤷🏻‍♂️...but it's just silly to think they are in the Chiefs pockets, when they get plenty of bogus penalties themselves. Patrick is near the bottom in getting Roughing the Passer calls. He gets interceptions reversed one in 452 attempts whereas Burrow has one in 327.7, but no one says the refs are in the Bengals🤔🤷🏻‍♂️ because...they are losers!....people only whine about the winners 😉👍