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The Kansas City Chiefs' defense delivered key stops in the closing moments, helping the Chiefs maintain their unbeaten streak with a 22-17 win against Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night.
Morris avoided commenting on the controversial no-call that had fans talking. When questioned about the referees' decision not to call defensive pass interference on a fourth-down pass from Kirk Cousins to Kyle Pitts, he responded to reporters, “I like my money.”
The Falcons drove down the field with under two minutes left, positioning themselves for a chance to score. However, they couldn't convert on short-yardage carries on third and fourth down, which sealed their fate.
#Falcons HC Raheem Morris declined to comment on the no-DPI call:
"I like my money." https://t.co/0h66swR89x
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 23, 2024
The final play that decided the Chiefs-Falcons match
Chiefs safety Bryan Cook seemed to make contact with Pitts before Cousins' pass reached him, but the officials opted not to call a penalty. This decision followed a week in which Kansas City benefited from a defensive pass interference call in their narrow victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I'm smart enough to be aware not to dunk on officials. They made the call, or didn't make the call, it is what it is. We had a chance to win on the last play,” Morris continued.
Pitts couldn't maintain possession of the ball, while Cook tightly covered him during the play, leading many to believe the officials should have called pass interference. If the refs had made the right call, the incompletion would have pushed Atlanta to the 1-yard line, greatly boosting their chances of scoring before the game's end.
Atlanta's earlier decision to forgo a field goal and aim for the end zone on fourth down—a reasonable choice considering the situation and the opponent—will likely face scrutiny this week. A field goal on that final drive, along with one earlier, could have potentially secured a win.
Yet, facing a tough opponent, the Falcons went for the hail Mary, trying to make a decisive impact. Ultimately, their best late-game efforts couldn't overcome the Chiefs.
The Falcons' tenacity lately in games
To their credit, the Falcons kept fighting and nearly turned the game around at times. This iteration of the Falcons is tougher and more resilient than in recent years, demonstrating the ability to endure losses while continuing to battle and deliver solid plays.
Falcons offensive coach Zac Robinson found a way to implement a more effective game plan after some challenging moments, even while missing two crucial offensive linemen. Meanwhile, Jimmy Lake and Raheem Morris worked to tighten the defense during critical phases, particularly in the game's closing moments.
The Falcons have secured a road victory against the Eagles and nearly defeated the defending Super Bowl champions in primetime over the past two weeks. Despite their 1-2 record, it’s hard not to see this Falcons team as moving in a positive direction.
With a run in the NFC South ahead and an easier schedule to follow, there’s plenty of optimism that their improved performance and lessons learned from these first three games could lead to something significant.
Raheem Morris will seek to realign the Falcons as they take on the New Orleans Saints in an NFC South showdown in Week 4.
