***Chiefs @ Falcons Official Game Day Thread***

[TopekaRoy]

[TopekaRoy]

The Kansas City Chiefs (8-3, 4-2 Away)



at

The Atlanta Falcons (7-4, 3-2 Home)



Sunday, December 4, 12:00pm CT
at
The Georgia Dome
Atlanta Georgia



Television coverage:
CBS

Kansas City


Topeka


St. Louis

Radio Coverage:
Kansas City


Lawrence/Topeka:


Manhattan, KS:


St. Louis


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[TopekaRoy]

Weather forecast: Pretty much the same as your living room.

Line: Falcons -6, Over/Under: 50

Against the Spread:
Chiefs are 5-6 Overall, 3-2 as the Underdog and 4-2 Away
Falcons are 7-4 Overall, 1-3 as the Favorite and 2-3 at Home

Notable Quotables:
Chiefs:

"We knew going into the [Denver] game, it was going to be a physical game where field position was important and not turning the ball over was going to be important. ... We wanted to protect the football, move the chains and if that didn’t happen, we would stay patient and not get frustrated. I thought Coach [Reid] did a nice job with that"

--Chiefs Co-Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy

Falcons:

"[The Chiefs have] done a great job. They are at plus-14, so the turnover margin in this game [is going to be really important]. When we are at 0 or plus in the turnover margin, we’ve done well."

--Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn

Injury Report:

Chiefs

Dontari Poe	DT	Back	Did Not Participate In Practice	Questionable
Donald Ford	LB	Hamstring	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Justin Houston	LB	Shoulder	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Jeremy Maclin	WR	Groin	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Kendall Reyes	DE	Knee	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable

Falcons

Adrian Clayborn	DE	Knee	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Paul Worrilow	LB	Illness	Did Not Participate In Practice	Questionable

[TopekaRoy]

Depth Charts:

Chiefs

OFFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Jeremy Maclin Out	Tyreek Hill	De'Anthony Thomas
TE	Travis Kelce	Demetrius Harris	Ross Travis	James O'Shaughnessy
LT	Eric Fisher	Bryan Witzmann
LG	Zach Fulton	Mike Person
C	Mitch Morse	Zach Fulton
RG	Laurent Duvernay-Tardif	Jah Reid
RT	Mitchell Schwartz Questionable	Jah Reid
WR	Chris Conley Questionable	Albert Wilson	Demarcus Robinson
QB	Alex Smith	Nick Foles	Tyler Bray
FB	Anthony Sherman	Spencer Ware
RB	Spencer Ware	Charcandrick West

BASE 3-4 Defense
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
LDE	Jaye Howard	Kendall Reyes Questionable
NT	Dontari Poe Questionable	Rakeem Nunez-Roches
RDE	Chris Jones	Jarvis Jenkins
LOLB	Justin Houston Questionable	Dadi Nicolas
LILB	Derrick Johnson	D.J. Alexander
RILB	Ramik Wilson	Terrance Smith
ROLB	Dee Ford Questionable	Tamba Hali Questionable	Frank Zombo
CB	Phillip Gaines Questionable	Steven Nelson	Kenneth Acker
SS	Eric Berry	Daniel Sorensen
FS	Ron Parker	Eric Murray
CB	Marcus Peters	D.J. White

Falcons

OFFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Julio Jones	Justin Hardy	Eric Weems
TE	Jacob Tamme	Austin Hooper	Levine Toilolo	Joshua Perkins
LT	Jake Matthews	Tom Compton
LG	Andy Levitre
C	Alex Mack	Ben Garland
RG	Chris Chester	Wes Schweitzer
RT	Ryan Schraeder	Tom Compton
WR	Mohamed Sanu	Aldrick Robinson	Taylor Gabriel
QB	Matt Ryan	Matt Schaub
FB	Patrick DiMarco
RB	Devonta Freeman	Tevin Coleman	Terron Ward

BASE 4-3 Defense
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
LDE	Brooks Reed	Adrian Clayborn Out	Dwight Freeney
LDT	Jonathan Babineaux	Cliff Matthews
RDT	Grady Jarrett	Courtney Upshaw
RDE	Tyson Jackson	Ra'Shede Hageman
WLB	Vic Beasley Jr.	Philip Wheeler
MLB	Deion Jones	Paul Worrilow Questionable	LaRoy Reynolds
SLB	De'Vondre Campbell
CB	Jalen Collins	Brian Poole	Deji Olatoye
SS	Keanu Neal	Kemal Ishmael
FS	Ricardo Allen	Robenson Therezie	Sharrod Neasman
CB	Robert Alford	C.J. Goodwin

[TopekaRoy]

Stats Leaders:
Chiefs:
Chiefs Stats Leaders 120416.jpg

Falcons:
Falcons Stats Leaders.jpg

Team Stats:
Chiefs-Falcons Team Stats.jpg
Expert's Picks:
Week 13 Picks.jpg
Prisco's Pick:

This is a tough turnaround for the Chiefs after beating Denver on Sunday night. The Falcons looked good against Arizona last week, and that offense is tough to stop. Look for Matt Ryan to have a big day as the Falcons take it. Falcons 27 - Chiefs 20

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs vs. Falcons: Game Preview
From Chiefs.com

Posted Dec 3, 2016

Pete Sweeney Chiefs Reporter Chiefs.com Email @pgsween

Sunday is key for the Chiefs and Falcons, who are playing for division crowns down the stretch

The Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone, meaning the final stretch of the NFL season is upon us.

The Kansas City Chiefs (8-3), despite winning six of their last seven games and coming off their biggest win of the season in Denver, still find themselves in second place in the AFC West behind the Oakland Raiders (9-2).

The Chiefs head to Atlanta this weekend to play a Falcons (7-4) team holding onto first place in the NFC South as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers surge behind them.

If they keep up their trends, the Chiefs and Falcons would likely be playoff teams, but the game on Sunday in the Georgia Dome could be vital in the long run for playoff position.

That’s why it is essential the Chiefs don’t get hung up on that dramatic Sunday Night Football victory. In the grand scheme of things, this one matters just as much.

“There are times when a big win can more dangerous than a tough loss to rebound off of,” Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said this week, “especially a big game in the division on national TV with everyone talking about it. Can we be mentally tough enough to handle the success and can we focus down and do all the little things this week? We got back late Monday morning. Can we handle that with going on the road again? It’s a big challenge and we’ll find out. It’s absolutely a test.”

According to points scored per game (32.5), the Falcons boast the league’s top offense. That success has a lot to do with quarterback Matt Ryan, who holds the league’s second-best passer rating (114.3), only behind New England’s Tom Brady.




Ryan has thrown for 10 touchdowns during the past four games, in which the Falcons have won three, but he has thrown interceptions in back-to-back games.

Wide receiver Julio Jones, who has already been to the Pro Bowl three times during his first five years in the league, has played in six games this season in which he has recorded more than 100 yards receiving.

“He could get the ball every play, but one of the strengths of their offense is they have a lot of weapons and they use them all,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton explained this week. “They’re not afraid to shy away.”

In addition to Jones, Ryan spreads the ball between WR Mohamed Sanu, tight end Jacob Tamme, and more recently, WR Taylor Gabriel, who has scored five touchdowns in the last four games.

“He’s very fast and very explosive,” Sutton said of Gabriel. “I think he’s really coming on as a player for them. He’s a guy that can catch something short and turn it into something big. He’s a guy that can run by you and he’s a guy that can get it on the reverses and all that. He’s a really dynamic player that you really have to be aware of and know where he’s at.”

Gabriel played college football at Abilene Christian University with Chiefs running back Charcandrick West.

Third-year RB Devonta Freeman, who is averaging 4.5 yards per carry with five touchdowns this season, is the man in the backfield for Atlanta.

Stopping the potent Falcons offense could be more manageable for Sutton and the Chiefs if linebacker Dee Ford could return to the lineup. Ford missed last week’s game against the Broncos due to a hamstring injury and is questionable against the Falcons.
Justin Houston, who had 3.0 sacks against the Broncos last week, defensive tackle Dontari Poe and cornerback Phillip Gaines, are also questionable. Poe was the only questionable Chiefs player who was held out of practice all week.

On the offensive side of the football, WR Jeremy Maclin will once again be out for the Chiefs. He hasn't played since injuring his groin during the Chiefs’ Week 9 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In Maclin’s absence, rookie Tyreek Hill has broken out as a weapon in the offense for Kansas City, picking up more of the plays in Andy Reid’s playbook every week.

“I was a little concerned with how much of it a rookie can come in and handle, and Hill hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down,” co-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy explained this week. “We just need to be conscious as coaches of not putting too much on his plate.”

Hill has amassed 217 yards from scrimmage during his last three games and is the reigning AFC offensive player of the week after scoring three total touchdowns last week against the Broncos.

Tight end Travis Kelce will be looking his third consecutive game of 100 yards or more this Sunday against the Falcons.

“He’s a good player. So, normally in big games, your good players show up and you try and doll them up,” Reid said after Kelce’s 101-yard effort against the Broncos. “He’s always going to be a part of your game plan. We’d be foolish not to make him a part, and so, then you have to kind of overcome the teams’ [plan] and try something else if they double him. We have him moved all over the place, so we’re lucky that he can do that.”

The Falcons defense, which was already ranked No. 27 in the league based upon yards allowed per game, recently received news that one of their top cornerbacks, Desmond Trufant, and one of their top pass rushers, Adrian Clayborn, headed to injured reserve. That means they will need to call on younger players and backups to step up down the stretch.

Linebacker Vic Beasley, who the Falcons selected with their No. 8 overall pick last season, leads the team in sacks with 9.5.
The Chiefs and Falcons meet for the ninth time Sunday in Kansas City’s first visit to the Georgia Dome since 2008.

It’s not a playoff game, a division game or even an in-conference game, but with the playoffs now just a short five weeks away with races this close, the game’s implications couldn’t be any greater.

[TopekaRoy]

Game Preview from ESPN.com

Another road test await Chiefs against Falcons

Timing in life can be the great decider and for the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday the timing of the NFL schedule is very good.

The Falcons (7-4) host the Kansas City Chiefs (8-3) and that alone is not evidence of great timing. What does is the condition the visitors will arrive in when the ball is kicked off just after 1 p.m. ET at the Georgia Dome.

Last Sunday night, head coach Andy Reid took a banged up K.C. team into Denver and played 75 minutes before escaping the Rockies with a 30-27 victory. It was a rock 'em, sock 'em defensive struggle for most of the evening until Cairo Santos kicked a 34-yard field goal that caromed off the left upright and was good.

"We're not satisfied with this," Reid said of the victory and how it figures into the 2016 season. "We're going down to play a good Atlanta team, so we've got to make sure we take care of ourselves and come back and practice the way we need to this week."

Another edge for the Falcons is the game against the Chiefs sits on the schedule between two big division games for K.C. -- Denver last Sunday and Oakland coming up next Thursday.

The Raiders will visit Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 8. They carry a 9-2 record into their Sunday game against Buffalo.

Can the Chiefs rebound from their lengthy and emotional victory over Denver?

"It's that time of the season you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and if you're in position to strike, I don't think you can afford to take games off," Reid said. "At this time, that can't even be an issue. Every game is so important right now."

What makes it a big Sunday for the Falcons is they hold just a one-game lead in the NFC South, with the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) nipping at their heels. After playing Kansas City, they do not face an opponent in their closing four games that has a winning record.

"Look too far down the line we're talking about six, seven, eight weeks down the line doing what you do every day just becomes a means to an end and that's the total opposite of what we do," Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said. "The main thing is being here now and how much can we improve."

The game will present quite a contrast in offenses. With Matt Ryan at quarterback, the Falcons are one of the most prolific groups in the NFL, ranking among the league leaders in yards gained (third), points scored (first) and offensive touchdowns (second).

Then there is quarterback Alex Smith and the Chiefs' offense. Nowhere in the top levels of NFL statistics can the K.C. offense be found.

The Chiefs are ranked No. 27 in yards and have scored just 20 touchdowns. They make the top half of the league numbers in only two areas: interception percentage (only four in 402 attempts) and on fourth-down conversions (77.8 percent).

Yet somehow the Chiefs continue to win -- they've grabbed six of their last seven games and have posted a 19-4 record in regular and postseason games dating to October 2015.

"Sometimes there are things that don't show up on the stat sheet and you say --- man, this guy is playing at a high level," Quinn said of Smith. "It's the decision-making, it's creating a scramble to go for a first down and it's putting the ball in the correct spot. We are all so impressed by his ability to make the right decision against the right coverage."

Atlanta's offensive success has been built on Ryan (114.3 passer rating with 26 touchdown throws and six interceptions), wide receiver Julio Jones (65 catches for 1,140 yards) and running back Devonte Freeman (998 offensive yards as a runner-receiver). Another factor has been the health of their offensive starters: The same five offensive linemen have opened each game.

"You could argue that they're the best in the league right now," Reid said of Atlanta's offense. "They're doing a nice job; explosive in all phases."

That's not so much the case with the Falcons' defense. Just this week they placed their best cover man, cornerback Desmond Trufant, on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle that he suffered in October.

The Falcons will also face the Chiefs without defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who will miss several games with a knee injury suffered in Atlanta's victory last Sunday over Arizona.

The Falcons defense ranks last in the NFL in stopping the pass, giving up an average of 282 yards per game.

This season, the Chiefs have not been a powerful passing attack, averaging just 231.7 yards per game and Smith has thrown only 10 touchdown passes. They do have two weapons with tight end Travis Kelce (57 catches for 675 yards) and speedy rookie wide receiver Tyreek Hill (seven overall touchdowns and 110 all-purpose yards per game). They are hoping to get Jeremy Maclin, who got back on the practice field in a limited basis after being sidelined by a groin injury.

Hill was chosen as the AFC offensive player of the week for his two touchdowns against Denver.

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs game plan: Scouting the Atlanta Falcons (7-4)
From The Kansas City Star

Red Zone The Chiefs and NFL by beat writer Terez Paylor

DECEMBER 3, 2016 7:00 AM

The Scheme

Coach: Dan Quinn (14-12) is in his second year as an NFL head coach, both with the Falcons, who are coming off a 38-19 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Quinn, 46, is a longtime defensive line coach who spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator under Pete Carroll. In his final season in Seattle, Quinn helped guide the Seahawks’ defense to a Super Bowl title.

Offense: Kyle Shanahan,36, is in his second year as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator and his ninth overall as an NFL offensive coordinator. He is the son of Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan. The Falcons rank third in the league in total offense, third in passing and 15th in rushing. The Falcons have passed approximately 55 percent of the time and have called shotgun formations on 37 percent of their offensive plays and use a lot of misdirection, stretch zone and play-action. They spread it around pretty good, too, as 11 Falcons have scored a touchdown — most of any team in the league.

Defense: Richard Smith, 61, is in his second year as Quinn’s defensive coordinator and his sixth overall as a NFL defensive coordinator. The Falcons currently rank 32nd in passing defense and 10th in rushing defense. The Falcons rank 15th in the NFL with 24 sacks and 22nd in turnovers forced with 12. They play a very simple defense, with only a few zone coverages, but they’ve stocked it with fast, athletic young players in the mold of the Seahawks. They blitz an average amount, but they will run a lot of stunts up front.

Special teams: Keith Armstrong, 52,is in his ninth year as the Falcons’ special teams coach and 20th overall as a NFL special teams coach. Kicker Matt Bryant has converted 92 percent of his field-goal attempts, which ranks fifth in the league. Punter Matt Bosher has dropped 14 punts inside the 20, which ranks 27th. The Falcons’ coverage units rank 14th in kicks and 23rd in punts, which means explosive Chiefs rookie Tyreek Hill could find some room to work Sunday. The Falcons haven’t returned a kick or punt for a score this year, but Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub is wary of returner Eric Weems, a do-it-all dynamo who is also a playmaker as a cover player. “I know what kind of guy he is,” said Toub, who coached him in Chicago during 2007-11. “We have our hands full with him; he has great courage.” Weems hits it north and south as a returner and is a slippery cover player who has a knack for making plays.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones Stephen Brashear - The Associated Press

Four keys to a Chiefs victory

1. Open up the playbook
First of all, you can run on these guys. Philadelphia did it two weeks ago, and the Falcons defensive line has even turned to a backup center (Ben Garland) at times to improve a shaky run defense. The inside linebackers are fast but young, and the Falcons will also miss some tackles — 85, the fifth-most in the league, according to Pro Football Focus— so the opportunity for some big plays will be there. This is also a team you can throw on, even though the ends, led by emerging youngster Vic Beasley, Jr., and veteran Dwight Freeney, have some pass-rush juice. Arizona came out throwing a week ago, with plenty of play-action, and scored a touchdown on their first drive, and the Falcons’ defense has surrendered some big plays in their zone scheme this season.

2. Capitalize in the red zone
Field goals probably won’t cut it in this game: The Falcons boast one of the league’s most explosive offenses, as they rank first in points scored. Although the Chiefs rank 31st in red-zone efficiency, the Falcons rank dead last in red-zone defense, which if there was ever a week the Chiefs would finally shake their red-zone woes, it’s this one. Throw in the fact that the secondary is not particularly fearsome without Pro Bowl corner Desmond Trufant, who is out for the season because of a pectoral injury, and Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Co. could have a big day if the Chiefs can get the running game going with Spencer Ware and quarterback Alex Smith taking some shots downfield against a somewhat vulnerable group.

3. Protect against the deep ball
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is having an MVP season. Not only completing lots of passes, he’s throwing downfield, too. Star receiver Julio Jones is having a fantastic season, averaging 17.5 yards per catch, fifth in the league. He generally lines up on the left side of the formation, which means he’ll avoid Marcus Peters, unless the Chiefs suddenly decide to change their tendencies. That should allow the Chiefs to plan accordingly; stopping Jones requires regular bracket coverage, or at the very least, a deep safety over the top. Jones isn’t the only one who needs to be accounted for. Taylor Gabriel is a speed merchant with supreme shake who can burn you deep, 47-yard score vs. Green Bay, or rack up yards after the catch, two touchdowns vs. Cardinals. The Cardinals had success running some stunts and five-man blitzes against the Falcons, so with the Chiefs’ entire starting interior defensive line potentially out this week because of injury, Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton could have the opportunity to dial up some creative stuff while leaving plenty of players in off coverage, which could be a necessity against an offense that regularly feasts on man coverage by peppering the middle with passes. “One of the strengths of their offense is that they have a lot of weapons, and they use them all,” Sutton said.

4. Corral the play-action and boot game
The Falcons have utilized play-action on 25 percent of their offensive plays (according toFootball Outsiders), which is the highest percentage in football. They are also averaging 9.8 yards per play on play-action, which ranks third. The Chiefs cannot allow the Falcons to get rolling here. Arizona had some success blitzing safeties off the edge to corral the Falcons’ boot game, which led to a few sacks. The backside ends also had some success by taking a beeline to Ryan instead of crashing down on stretch runs, which also allowed them to generate pressure when Ryan did keep the ball. If the Chiefs’ linebackers can continually maintain their gap integrity, especially on the backside of the Falcons’ zone running plays, it will give them an opportunity to harass Ryan on play-action boots.

Four Falcons to watch

No. 2, QB Matt Ryan, 31 years old, 6-4, 217, ninth season


Ryan has come into this own this season, completing an absurd 68.9 percent of his passes for 3,516 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. Has good arm talent; throws a pretty deep ball and can make all the throws. Decent athlete who lacks wiggle but can move a bit once he’s got a head of steam. Can throw with accuracy on the move. Flashes the ability to throw with accuracy under pressure. Will occasionally stare down Jones and try to gun it into tight spots. Ryan generally has a decent amount of time to throw, but is only 20th in average air distances per throw at 19.5 yards, which means he’ll pepper you with short passes. He did that last week against the Cardinals; 29 of his 34 attempts were 9 yards or shorter, according to Pro Football Focus. Sutton is wary of both Ryan and the Falcons’ running game. “The balance they have in rushing the ball and throwing the ball is a hard choice,” Sutton said. “They can beat you in either one of them.”

No. 11, WR Julio Jones, 27 years old, 6-3, 220, sixth season


Ranked No. 8 on the NFL’s Top 100 for 2016. Has racked up 65 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns this season. Generally lines up on the left side of the formation but will also work the right side and the slot, where he can be extra dangerous with a two-way go. Good route runner with strong hands, very good deep speed and ball-tracking skills. Also has good burst out of cuts and is a strong, hard runner after the catch. Strong and physical; is not susceptible to bump-and-run and consistently wins jump balls. Elite player without any obvious weaknesses; is even a good blocker for a receiver. “You hope he misses the bus,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid joked. Sutton said he’s not sure Jones can even be stopped. “All he wants to do is win,” Sutton said. “He doesn’t care about touches ... but they know where 11 is, and if they’ve got to get something, usually he delivers.”

No. 97, DT Grady Jarrett, 23 years old, 6-0, 305, second season


Three-technique tackle who lacks ideal size but possesses a stocky frame. That, combined with his solid burst and playing strength, gives him the natural leverage to routinely win against interior offensive linemen when shooting gaps. Has racked up 33 tackles, six pressures and two sacks this season. Has good quickness off the snap and can build up speed while looping around on stunts. Has strong hands and an effective swim move. Plays hard and gives good effort. “Quick, fast-twitch guy — good, high motor,” co-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said.

No. 44, OLB Vic Beasley, Jr., 24 years old, 6-3, 246, second season

First-round pick in 2015 who has developed into a disruptive player; has racked up 30 tackles, 12 pressures and 9 1/2 sacks this season. Enjoys rushing from a wide-nine technique in passing situations, which allows him to isolate tackles in space and stress them with his impressive speed and burst. Is still developing as a run defender and leaves the game on some of the Falcons’ base defensive stuff. Is dangerous when looping inside on stunts; can shoot gaps with his superb quickness. Generally rushes against the right tackle but will align as a stand-up rusher on the interior. “He’s cat-quick, and he’s a ballhawk,” Nagy said.

Bonus notes on the Falcons

▪ The primary backs are a fantastic duo. Devonta Freeman is slippery and quick with a bit of power. He also has sure hands and route-running ability; he’s a really nice dual threat as a rusher and receiver who has racked up 38 broken tackles, eighth-most in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Freeman ranked No. 50 on the NFL’s Top 100 for 2016. Tevin Coleman missed three games with a hamstring injury before returning last week. He’s a bit bigger than Freeman, and is a one-cut, downhill back with good burst up the middle and a little more power. “The backs are real challenges in coverage, too,” Sutton said.

▪ Mohamed Sanu, Sr., is a possession receiver who can work the middle. His numbers aren’t outlandish — 47 catches, 495 yards, three touchdowns — and he isn’t a burner, but he has good ball skills and can shake you with his route running. He’ll also block you, too.

▪ Taylor Gabriel is the guy who scares you. He has explosive speed and is dangerous in space. He scored two touchdowns on run-after-the-catch screen passes last week. The Chiefs will need to swarm him and wrap him up when he has the football.

▪ This is a very good receiving corps. Even Justin Hardy, who made a remarkable jump-ball catch over star corner Patrick Peterson last week, can hurt you a bit.

▪ Starter Jacob Tamme is likely out for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury, I really liked Austin Hooper coming out of Stanford. He’s going to be a good receiving tight end in this league.

▪ Jake Matthews, the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, is starting to come on, particularly as a pass blocker, but right tackle Ryan Schraeder is the more well-rounded player at the moment. He’ll have to hold up against Justin Houston to give the Falcons a chance to win.

▪ Pro Bowl center Alex Mack, a free-agent signee, has predictably made a difference. He’s provided veteran leadership and stability at a position of need.

▪ The Chiefs might want to consider attacking right guard Chris Chester, who has struggled some this year as a pass- and run-blocker.Chris Jones will need to take advantage of that matchup.

▪ The Falcons will occasionally call on Tom Compton as a sixth offensive lineman in obvious running situations

▪ It’s hard to miss Brooks Reed; he’s the edge rusher with the long, stringy hair. He’s a try-hard guy who is coming off a good game; he generated a season-high four pressures and a sack against Arizona, according to Pro Football Focus.

▪ The Falcons like to play a lot of players up front in an effort to keep the interior fresh.Grady Jarrett is the best of the bunch, but the rest don’t really scare you. Former Chief Tyson Jackson is good at holding linemen to create lanes for stunts, Justin Smith-style.

▪ Deion Jones is a very good athlete who is a little light and is still learning to play the run better. The rookie has flashed in coverage, though.

▪ De’Vondre Campbell, another rookie,is also a terrific athlete who fares okay in coverage but is still learning to be stouter against the run. The Chiefs have to try these guys.

▪ Jalen Collins has filled in well for Trufant the last few weeks. For a big corner, he has good athleticism and is often in position to make a play on the ball.

▪ Robert Alford is a little grabby; he’s been flagged seven times this year. But he’s a good corner with athleticism and feistiness. He’s been targeted 61 time, fifth-most in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders.

▪ Safety Keanu Neal is a hitter with good athleticism; he looks to deliver the blow whenever possible. The rookie first-rounder is on the way to becoming a good player but can be thrown at in coverage.

Prediction: Falcons 30-24

The Falcons looked fresh last week coming off the bye, and the NFL’s top-scoring offense can really light it up. That, plus the Falcons’ middling defense, gives this the appearance of a potential shootout, and it’s still a tad optimistic to predict the Chiefs’ shaky offense in a game like this. But the Chiefs’ schedule the rest of the way is winnable, and this could be the game that ends up lifting them to a top-two finish in the AFC, which of course means a first-round bye. So I expect the Chiefs to call their best stuff, even if several key players sit because of injury, and have a real chance at winning.

[KCMASS]

Guys...I'm so worried. Do you think we have a chance? Can we get it done? This game is HUGE!

[ctchiefsfan]

Guys...I'm so worried. Do you think we have a chance? Can we get it done? This game is HUGE!

Makes 2 of us. This game is HUGE. Wish J-Mac was going to be out there. Can we beat them? HELL YES! We beat Denver last week didn't we? WILL WE? Not so sure about that. A "let-down" after a big win like last week is not uncommon and we don't have that extra motivation that a division game carries with it. One thing is certain though...if our defense can keep us within 11 points going into the 4th quarter then this game won't be over until "the fat lady sings". I've already told my sous chef that I'm not showing up until the game is decided and that he may have to carry my slack for 30 minutes to an hour.

​GO CHIEFS!!!!