When playing the Chiefs, even at home, opposing teams often need everything to go right to come away with a victory. That wasn’t the case on Sunday night in Atlanta, as injuries, some poor decision-making, and of course, the refs led to yet another close victory for Kansas City. However, the Falcons showed more improvement in their third game of the season, proving they can hang with any team in the league, even when things aren’t going their way.
Horrendous Offensive Line Play
This probably had more to do with injuries than anything, as the Falcons lost both Kaleb McGary and Drew Dalman in the first half, and it had major implications on the final result. Atlanta could not move the ball on the ground, and they also couldn’t protect Kirk Cousins. The fact they were even able to muster 17 points with the opportunity to win the game multiple times at the end shows how far this team has come.
With that being said, it’s looking unlikely that McGary or Dalman will be back for the Falcons upcoming divisional matchups against the Saints and Buccaneers. Nobody is going to feel sorry for them, and nobody is going to give them any breaks. Guys must step up in their place and play better than they did on Sunday night, or the Falcons will be behind the eight-ball quickly.
Bijan Robinson‘s Pass Blocking
In just over a year in the league, Bijan Robinson has become known for his electrifying moves and incredible contact balance, leading to chunk plays. He’s a star in the making, but an aspect of running backs that is often overlooked is pass blocking, an area that Robinson has made significant strides in this season.
There were several examples over the first two weeks, but Robinson really excelled in pass protection against the Chiefs, and the Falcons needed it after two starting offensive linemen went down. This play is the perfect example.
Stop what you’re doing and watch #Falcons Bijan Robinson blocking here on that long Kyle Pitts reception. pic.twitter.com/G8D4Y0lRe1
— Evan Birchfield (@EvanBirchfield) September 23, 2024
There’s not many running backs in the league that would feel comfortable in that situation, but Bijan Robinson is one of them. He relishes the opportunity to hit defenders and protect his quarterback, which led to a 50-yard pass to Kyle Pitts, setting the Falcons up for a touchdown. Robinson’s final stat line of 16 carries for 31 yards may look dreadful, but his ability to impact the game in every facet is beginning to set him apart from the rest of the running backs in the league.
Falcons Offense Must Improve Situationally
When it comes to situational football, the Falcons offense and defense are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The defense had an extraordinarily difficult time stopping the Chiefs running attack, and then also had to deal with Patrick Mahomes. Yet, they held the Chiefs to just 22 points, thanks to a red zone interception and several stalled drives that ended in Kansas City field goals. That’s how you win close games, but the Falcons offense can’t get out of their own way in the same situations.
Atlanta deserved a pass interference call on third down that would have likely given them the lead late in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, they didn’t get it, but their fourth down attempt on that drive was a disaster, resulting in an uncompetitive incompletion intended for Drake London.
However, the Falcons defense would force the Chiefs to go three-and-out, giving their offense one last chance to win the game. Kirk Cousins had the offense buzzing down the field… until they got to third and one inside the red area. The Falcons had two opportunities, needing just one yard, and were unable to move the chains, ending the game.
The play calls were questionable, and the execution was disastrous. This has been the case far too often for the Falcons over the first three weeks. There are a lot of new pieces on offense, including a new quarterback and a first-time offensive coordinator. It can take some time to gel, but the Falcons have to get better in these situations if they want to win the NFC South.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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