Chiefs-Falcons 7 winners, 3 losers from NFL Week 3

Just like the Kansas City Chiefs’ first two games of the season, their 22-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons was a tough matchup against a talented team that ended up being closer than we might have imagined. On each occasion, Kansas City seemed to leave some points on the field that could have expanded its margin of victory — but late in each game, the defense found a way to shut down their opponent.

Here are a few standouts from Sunday night’s contest, as the Chiefs got to 3-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Winners

Linebacker Nick Bolton: All of his early-season struggles were forgotten when the Chiefs’ MIKE linebacker ended Atlanta’s comeback hopes with an unforgettable fourth-down tackle for loss. Bolton looked like his old self again, collecting eight total tackles — three of them behind the line of scrimmage.

Running back Carson Steele: The biggest story around 1 Arrowhead Drive during this past week was losing Isiah Pacheco to injury — and how the team would fill the void. Steele stepped up, outgaining both of the Falcons’ well-regarded backs combined. Steele registered 74 total yards, demonstrating great ball security and the ability to convert short-yardage situations. He’s earned a longer look — even when more help is available at the position.

Wide receiver Rashee Rice: Since we expected this season would feature more deep passing, we thought it could be a good one for the former SMU wideout; more opportunities would be opened for underneath routes. But through three games, Rice is exceeding all expectations. He leads NFL receivers in receptions and yards after catch — and ranks second in receiving yards. During Sunday’s first quarter, he had a diving catch to move the chains — and that was just one of seven first downs he converted. He’d finish with 12 catches on 14 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown. Those are numbers we’d expect from a No. 1 wide receiver.

Punter Matt Araiza: His three punts averaged 48 yards, which was fine. But the incredible catch he made on a high snap turned a late-game disaster into a field-flipping play. He’s making the most of his second chance in the league.

Linebacker Leo Chenal: You won’t see much in the box score — but on Kansas City’s game-sealing play, you can’t miss the former Wisconsin Badger. The Chiefs’ defensive line —featuring Chenal against a double team — blew up the middle of the Falcons’ offensive line, dooming the play even before Bolton knifed into the backfield. Chenal is getting snaps at multiple positions (including fullback) and has proven to be a strong, disruptive (and much-improved player) in nearly every one.

Wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster: Kansas City didn’t bring him back to put up huge numbers — but in the last couple of weeks, he’s shown us exactly what he is here to do: all the dirty work required of a Chiefs wide receiver (like blocking downfield) to help his team win. On Sunday, Smith-Schuster was rewarded with a 13-yard touchdown reception.

Left tackle Wanya Morris: It looks like the second-year player will get more opportunities to start. He was solid against the Falcons’ talented defense. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes wasn’t sacked — and the team could run the ball effectively. Best of all, Morris got all of it done without being penalized. We’ll see deeper analysis of Morris’ play, but he looked good as the starter.

Losers

Safety Justin Reid: Kansas City’s top safety drew a tough assignment this week. Facing (and chasing) Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts isn’t easy; his size and speed make him a matchup nightmare for any safety or linebacker. Pitts left Reid in the dust on the game’s longest play: a 50-yard catch in the first quarter. So far this season, opposing backs and tight ends have feasted against the Chiefs’ passing defense. We should note, however, that outside of the big play, the unit held Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson just three receptions and 30 yards on six targets.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: After the game, Kansas City’s star quarterback spoke openly about how he needs to play better — and we saw some big misses on Sunday night. On some of them, the Chiefs had to settle for a field goal instead of putting the game out of reach. Mahomes also had an end-zone interception when he tried to force a touch pass to tight end Noah Gray. For the second straight week, Mahomes helped lead his team to victory — but also struggled in late drives that could have sealed the game. Perhaps we’re picking nits — there’s not another player in the league we’d rather have — and the team is winning games even when he’s not at his best. We just want him to be at his best.

Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: The first-round pick was riding high after two big plays for touchdowns during Week 1. But since then, Worthy has had four catches for 34 yards on eight targets — and hasn’t quite been able to break free on designed runs. There were a couple of instances where he might not have been in the right spot on his routes, creating bad results. Struggles like these are quite normal for rookies — but especially when Kansas City is missing one of its top receivers, we’d like to see Worthy doing more with his opportunities.

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