The Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) will look to remain unbeaten here in Week 3 of the 2024-25 NFL Regular Season after narrowly escaping with back to back victories over Baltimore and Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons (1-1) are flying high after upsetting Philadelphia on the road in Week 2. Sunday Night Football is the perfect venue for what should be an entertaining matchup. Kickoff is set for 8:20 PM EST on September 22nd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Most of the bounces have gone Kansas City’s way through the first two weeks of September, as the Chiefs could easily be 0-2 overall without catching some huge breaks late in the fourth quarter against tough opponents.
Atlanta surprised a lot of people on Monday Night Football against the Eagles, pulling off an electrifying comeback with under a minute left in the fourth quarter. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins showed tremendous poise down the stretch before connecting with Drake London on a game-winning touchdown with just 34 seconds left on the clock.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Chiefs listed as 4.5-point road favorites. The spread has decreased by a full point after early betting, as Kansas City is currently available at -3.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 46.5 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be nationally televised on NBC. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Kansas City Chiefs Snatch Victory Away From Bengals
There was nothing pretty about the Chiefs second win of the season on the road in Cincinnati, as the Bengals appeared to stop Mahomes and Co. on 4th and long before a late flag was thrown that allowed Harrison Butker to kick a game-winning 51 yard field goal as time expired.
The biggest story on offense for Kansas City heading into Week 3 was the loss of RB Isiah Pacheco, who was placed on IR after fracturing his fibula. Reports are now suggesting that Pacheco may not even return this season at all, which obviously would be a massive blow for the Chiefs. It appears as though rookie Carson Steele will be given first crack at the starting role, although Samaje Perine and newly acquired Kareem Hunt will also compete for touches in the backfield.
The Chiefs defense was fairly solid against Cincinnati last weekend, allowing just over 300 total yards and two touchdowns. Kansas City really did a great job defending against the run, as no Bengals rusher managed to gain more than 34 yards on the ground.
Atlanta Falcons Soar Past Eagles In Final Minutes
Eagles fans watched in disbelief after everything went wrong for Philadelphia following the two minute warning in the fourth quarter as Atlanta rallied to win 22-21 late. The impressive comeback victory moved the Falcons back to .500 on the season overall. QB Kirk Cousins looked better in his second start with his new team, completing 20 out of 29 passing attempts for 241 yards and two touchdowns.
Bijan Robinson found a little bit more room on the ground following a tough matchup with the Steelers in Week 1, racking up well over 100 all-purpose yards against an above average Eagles run defense. Veteran wideout Darnell Mooney surprisingly led the way for the receiving corps, finding the end zone on one of his three catches for 88 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Atlanta did a tremendous job against a highly talented Philadelphia offense. While they did concede almost 400 total yards of offense, they forced several field goals to keep the game close when it mattered most. The Falcons did give up 76 yards and a touchdown to DeVonta Smith, but no other Eagles pass-catcher recorded more than 38 receiving yards.
Our Chiefs vs Falcons NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
Despite the impressive comeback victory by Atlanta in Week 2, I’m still a bit surprised this spread is as close as it currently is. Kansas City has already found a way to win back to back close games against two opponents who both should push for a playoff spot in the AFC North.
The biggest test for the Chiefs on Sunday evening will be on the ground, as Pacheco had really blossomed into a highly dependable running back over the past year. His energy and speed will be hard to replace, so it will be interesting to see how Carson Steele responds in his first full game as a starter for one of the most prolific offenses in the entire NFL.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Chiefs -3.5
Even without Pacheco, I think that Kansas City is the optimal play against the spread in this particular spot. Not only do the Falcons have to fight off a bit of an emotional hangover after such a dramatic win, they also head into this game on short rest after playing on Monday Night Football in Week 2. It is also important to note that Atlanta really struggled to put points on the board against the Steelers in their home opener, while they were only had a 10% to win against Philadelphia with under two minutes in the game before Saquon Barkely dropped a routine pass that would have iced the game for the Eagles.
Mahomes still has plenty of weapons on offense including Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce, and Xavier Worthy. That could spell trouble for an Atlanta secondary that struggled to contain George Pickens in Week 1 and DaVonta Smith in Week 2. Kelce specifically has been extremely quiet to start the year, but I expect that to change on Sunday night with Pacheco out of the lineup. Lay the 3.5 points and take the Chiefs to cover on the road!
