ATL Standard

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons are gearing up for a challenging September schedule in the 2024 NFL season.

"We have to step up to the challenge," Falcons safety Justin Simmons stated. "End of story. You either rise to the occasion, or you fall."

The Falcons began their season hosting their former head coach, Arthur Smith, now the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator. Following that, they played their first prime-time game since 2022 on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. These two games left Atlanta with a 1-1 record as they prepare for a Week 3 contest against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. In Week 4, they will face their undefeated NFC South rival, the New Orleans Saints.

"You're going to find out a lot about yourself early," said Falcons inside linebacker Troy Andersen. "Definitely some good teams that we have on the schedule and have had on the schedule. It's a great challenge to test yourself."

The Falcons lost to the Steelers 18-10 but managed a narrow victory over the Eagles with a score of 22-21.

Kansas City arrives in Atlanta with an unblemished 2-0 record. Since Patrick Mahomes became their starting quarterback in 2018, Kansas City has posted an impressive September record of 17-4, translating to an 80.95% win rate. The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams are tied for second best at 15-7 (68.18%), followed by the Green Bay Packers at 15-7-1 (65.22%).

In contrast, the Falcons are tied for 29th place in September performance with a record of 7-15, equivalent to a win rate of 31.82%.

These records reflect broader regular-season trends: Kansas City leads with a regular-season record of 77-24 from 2018 onwards; Buffalo ranks second; Green Bay is fifth; and Los Angeles ties for eighth place.

Since Mahomes took over as starting quarterback in Kansas City, he has significantly impacted their trajectory.

"He's definitely going to go down in the argument with the best of the best when you get into those arguments," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris remarked about Mahomes' legacy. "And he's still going... He's one of the best that we've seen in whatever generation you want to talk about."

Mahomes' career includes accolades such as being a two-time Associated Press MVP and six-time Pro Bowler among other recognitions.

Prior to Mahomes' tenure, Kansas City made five playoff appearances in eight seasons. Under his leadership, they have reached four playoffs and won three Super Bowls.

Atlanta faces another formidable opponent this Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Kansas City at 8:20 p.m. ET in another prime-time showdown.

"I'm really excited," Simmons expressed anticipation for Sunday's game. "If you want to be the best, you got to play the best and you got to win against the best."