Special teams: Coverage to be key

The Falcons’ special teams, specifically the coverage units, will be the X-Factor against the Chiefs.

They must come up with a way to contain Tyreek Hill, who had a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and returned a free kick for a touchdown Sunday night, becoming the first rookie to score in three different ways in the same game since Gale Sayers in 1965.

Falcons special-teams coordinator Keith Armstrong got fired up when talking about Hill, a 5-foot-10, 185pound receiver from West Alabama who was taken in the fifth round.

“He’s the best returner that I’ve seen in a while,” Armstrong said. “He can do it all. He’s fast. He’s quick. Explosive. Can make a ton of people miss.”

Hill, who played at Coffee High in Douglas, started his career Oklahoma State, but was dismissed from the team after being arrested on domestic-violence charges. He plead guilty to the charges and is on probation.

Hill’s 3-yard touchdown catch allowed the Chiefs to convert a two-point conversion to send last week’s game against Denver into overtime. He ran for a 3-yard score in the third quarter, and his free kick return went 86 yards for a touchdown and left the NFL wonder if he is really as fast as Sayers, the “Kansas Comet.”

“He can stop on a dime,” Armstrong said. “He can make you miss and then pick back up.”

Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins will be on the hot seat against the Chiefs.

“It’s another opportunity to go out there and just showcase the work that we put in here,” Collins said.

Because it wasn’t clear if left cornerback Desmond Trufant would play against the Eagles and Cardinals, those teams couldn’t prepare for Collins. Trufant (torn pectoral muscle) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and is out for the season.