Patrick Mahomes isn’t the only Chiefs player the Falcons should be concerned about. After a surprising win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football, the Falcons will now face a much tougher challenge as they host Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. The Chiefs present a far different and more difficult test than Philadelphia, with superior defensive personnel and coaching, and a stronger quarterback-head coach duo.
Mahomes is widely regarded as the best quarterback in the NFL, and it’s not even close. As Raheem Morris points out, Mahomes can do it all—whether operating within the structure of the offense or improvising outside of it. He excels both in and out of the pocket, playing from ahead or behind, and does everything at an elite level. Still, Mahomes isn’t the main player the Falcons need to focus on. Mahomes will get his yards and points regardless; Atlanta’s best hope is to minimize the damage and score points themselves.
Patrick Mahomes
The player who could truly derail the Falcons’ upset hopes is Chris Jones. While Andy Reid, Mahomes, and Travis Kelce are household names, Jones and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo are often overlooked as key figures in the Chiefs’ success. Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive minds in the league, and Jones is the Chiefs’ defensive closer. Though Mahomes is known for sealing games, Jones has made countless game-changing plays on defense over the years.
The Falcons offense has struggled this season but showed signs of life late in their win over the Eagles. Kirk Cousins led a nearly flawless game-winning drive in the final quarter, giving the Falcons hope. However, if they want to build on that momentum, they must have a plan to neutralize Chris Jones. As seen in Week 1 against T.J. Watt, certain defenders can completely disrupt a game plan. Zac Robinson needs a better strategy for handling Jones than he had for Watt.
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