Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs survived their first road test of the season on Sunday night as they beat the Falcons 22-17.
Mahomes made it his third straight game with an interception to open the season but Rashee Rice’s 110 receiving yards and a touchdown propelled his team to a 3-0 start.
The Falcons got the ball back with 2:26 remaining in the game but couldn’t find a go-ahead score in front of their home fans.
Bijan Robinson was stopped on a 4th-and-inches deep in Kansas City territory with less than a minute left and Kansas City was then able to kneel the clock out.
‘It was a team effort, that’s how this season’s been,’ Mahomes said after the game on NBC. ‘We’ve been in these moments before.’
Rashee Rice stole the show for the Chiefs as he posted 110 receiving yards and a TD
Kelce was the team’s second-leading receiver but appeared frustrated on the sideline
It was another quiet night for Travis Kelce as the tight end had just four catches for 30 yards, though that was the second-highest figure on the Chiefs.
The performance came without girlfriend Taylor Swift in the stands after she had attended the Chiefs’ first two games of the season.
The game also featured another officiating controversy, as safety Bryan Cook was not called for pass interference on a pivotal fourth quarter 3rd-and-5 despite wrapping his arms around Kyle Pitts and not facing the ball while it was midair.
The pass fell incomplete and then Atlanta were unable to convert a 4th-and-5 with 4:08 remaining – rendering their 15-play, 83-yard drive fruitless.
The two-time defending champion Chiefs have now won their first three games by a combined 13 points.
More to follow
