The Atlanta Falcons must be very grateful for one Saquon Barkley drop.
The Falcons had been presupposed to make an enormous leap after a quarterback improve to Kirk Cousins, they usually’re one extremely inconceivable win away from being 0-3. The Falcons began quick on Sunday night time however the offense could not hold the momentum going they usually misplaced 22-17 to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
The Falcons had two possibilities to win within the fourth quarter. The primary drive stalled contained in the 10-yard line and was a turnover on downs, and the ultimate shot to win was ended when Bijan Robinson was stopped for a loss on a fourth-and-inches handoff. It was a bizarre play name, with Robinson being given the handoff shifting east and west as an alternative of into the center of the road. Maybe considerations concerning the offensive line, which took on some accidents, performed into the decision. It did not assist {that a} quarterback sneak with Cousins, coming off a torn Achilles, wasn’t on the desk. Give the Chiefs credit score for making the performs they wanted to make to get the win.
The Falcons have had a tricky schedule. The mixed document of their three opponents is 8-1, and the one loss got here when the Falcons rallied to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 after Barkley’s drop led to a game-winning drive by Atlanta. However the NFL would not have a lot sympathy for groups which have a tricky stretch of the schedule. The Falcons aren’t enjoying nicely sufficient to be higher than 1-2. They usually’re fairly lucky to be 1-2.
Chiefs take lead in 2nd half
The Falcons obtained off to a quick begin. Kirk Cousins hit Drake London for a 14-yard rating and a 7-0 lead. After the Chiefs tied it, Bijan Robinson scored and the Falcons had been again up 14-7. Then the offense, which misplaced a few offensive linemen to accidents, stalled. Even worse, the Falcons had a crucial turnover close to the top of the half.
As a substitute of enjoying it secure after they took over with 59 seconds remaining within the half, Cousins dropped again to go, had his arm hit as he was pressured behind a banged-up offensive line and the Chiefs picked it off. The Chiefs obtained a discipline aim proper on the finish of the half to chop Atlanta’s result in 14-13.
The third quarter was all Chiefs. They went on a few 11-play drives, chewing up many of the clock and scoring a discipline aim and landing. Atlanta barely had the ball within the third quarter and trailed 22-14 going into the fourth quarter.
The one excellent news for the Falcons is the Chiefs hadn’t put them fully away regardless of some possibilities to take action.
Falcons have a shot in 4th quarter
The Falcons obtained a discipline aim, then pressured a punt. They trailed 22-17 with a shot to get an enormous win over the two-time reigning champs. It would not be their final probability.
The Falcons had been backed up on their very own 6-yard line however then the tempo began to choose up on offense, very similar to the two-minute drill that received them the sport towards the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. London caught an enormous go on fourth all the way down to hold the drive alive. However on back-to-back performs contained in the 10-yard line, Cousins threw incomplete to Kyle Pitts (with officers maybe lacking a defensive go interference name) and London and the Chiefs took over on downs.
The Falcons obtained one other probability proper earlier than the two-minute warning. The Chiefs punted after Mahomes misfired to Xavier Worthy on third down, when Worthy appeared to cease his route. That gave Cousins one other probability for his second-game profitable drive of the season. The drive was stored alive by a few Chiefs penalties, and the Falcons drove contained in the 20-yard line. They confronted fourth-and-inches with lower than a minute to go. The Falcons inexplicably ran a large play to Robinson and he was stopped nicely in need of the road of scrimmage.
The Falcons had possibilities to win. They’re simply not able to win but. The Chiefs are used to being in that place and it confirmed.
