Chiefs hang on for win as Falcons squander pair of chances to take a lead late in 4th quarter

The Atlanta Falcons should be very thankful for one Saquon Barkley drop. The Falcons were supposed to make a big leap after a quarterback upgrade to Kirk Cousins, and they’re one highly improbable win away from being 0-3.

The Falcons started fast on Sunday night but the offense couldn’t keep the momentum going and Atlanta lost 22-17 to the Kansas City Chiefs.

They had two chances to win in the fourth quarter. The first drive stalled inside the 10-yard line and was a turnover on downs, and the final shot to win was ended when Bijan Robinson was stopped for a loss on a fourth-and-inches handoff. It was a weird play call, with Robinson being given the handoff moving east and west instead of into the middle of the line. Perhaps concerns about the offensive line, which took on some injuries, played into the call. It didn’t help that a quarterback sneak with Cousins, coming off a torn Achilles, wasn’t on the table. Give the Chiefs credit for making the plays they needed to make to get the win.

The Falcons have had a tough schedule. The combined record of their three opponents is 8-1, and the one loss came when the Falcons rallied to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 after Barkley’s drop led to a game-winning drive by Atlanta. But the NFL doesn’t have much sympathy for teams that have a tough stretch of the schedule. The Falcons aren’t playing well enough to be better than 1-2. And they’re fortunate to be 1-2.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice scores a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Chiefs take lead in 2nd half

The Falcons got off to a fast start. Cousins hit Drake London for a 14-yard score and a 7-0 lead. After the Chiefs tied it, Robinson scored and the Falcons were back up 14-7. Then the offense, which lost a couple of offensive linemen to injuries, stalled. Even worse, the Falcons had a critical turnover near the end of the half.

Instead of playing it safe when they took over with 59 seconds remaining in the half, Cousins…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-09-23 03:22:01

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