CHIEFS (8-3) VS. FALCONS (7-4)
SUNDAY, 1 P.M. ET, GEORGIA DOME, ATLANTA uTV: CBS, DIRECTV 705
Announcers: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl
About the Chiefs: A team that simply finds ways to win, Kansas City did it again Sunday night in Denver with its second overtime win of the season, beating the Broncos 30-27. QB engineered a 75-yard drive in 11 plays for a touchdown and passed for the two-point conversion that tied the score in regulation. He completed eight of 12 passes for 67 yards in the drive, including an 11-yard play on fourth-and-10 that led to the touchdown. Smith then led the two overtime drives that first tied the score and then won the game, both with a field goal. There was a bit of luck on the winning field goal, as K
banged his 34-yard attempt off the left upright, but it hit off the inside of the post and ricocheted inside the right upright.
About the Falcons: Atlanta’s 38-19 win against the Arizona Cardinals was accomplished with WR only catching four passes for 35 yards, but seven other players caught balls from QB who completed 76.5% of his throws (26-for-34) with two touchdowns and a passer rating of 106.1. The Falcons also rushed for 116 yards as RB scored two touchdowns and returning from a hamstring injury, also scored. Those three touchdowns were all in the red zone, where the Falcons were 3-for-3. Said coach
“We used a number of different packages and sets. It’s challenging to defend when that many people get the ball.” Defensively, the Falcons forced three three-and-outs and stopped Arizona on seven of 11 third-down plays, leading to the Cardinals possessing the Alex Smith led three late scoring drives in the Chiefs’ overtime win vs. the Broncos.
ball for only 25:38.
Matchup to watch: Jones vs. Chiefs secondary. Kansas City CB Marcus Peters returned Sunday after missing the previous game, but it will be tough for the secondary to slow Jones the way the Cardinals did. Even if they do, Ryan has the ability to find other receivers.
Playing his second game because of
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
a knee injury, and with OLB Dee Ford sidelined by a hamstring injury, Houston had three sacks in the first half (one of which was fumbled in the end zone for a safety) and finished the game against Denver with 10 solo tackles, five for losses, and three quarterback hits.
Chiefs’ wins in their last 21 regular-season games. Four of their last five wins have been by six points or fewer, and their last two have been by three. They also have won eight consecutive AFC West games.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Controlling the mighty mites. That would be Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill and Falcons WR Taylor Gabriel. Hill scored a touchdown rushing, receiving and on an 86-yard free-kick return while catching nine passes for 52 yards against Denver. Gabriel had four receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns (35 and 25 yards) against Arizona and also had a 27yard run. He has touchdowns in three of his last four games.
Both teams are excellent at not committing turnovers. The Chiefs have 10 and the Falcons nine, but Kansas City is at the top of the league with 24 takeaways to be plus 14 while Atlanta has just 12 for plus 3.
Last weekend, Chiefs running backs combined for 78 yards on 23 carries, an average of 3.4. The Falcons were worse, as their running backs had 24 carries for 69 yards (2.9 per attempt).
Howard Balzer