Football fans love numbers. Yards, catches, touchdowns: they tell the story of a game in a clear way. In this article, we look at the player stats from the most recent regular season game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons. It was played on September 22, 2024, in Atlanta, and the Chiefs won 22 to 17.
You do not need to be a football expert to read this. We explain every stat in simple words, and we show who really made a difference. By the end, you will know who played best and why this close game ended the way it did.
Quick Look at the Game
Here is a short summary before we go into the player stats.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, September 22, 2024 |
| Place | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| Start time | 8:20 pm (Sunday night game) |
| Final score | Chiefs 22, Falcons 17 |
| Record after the game | Chiefs 3-0, Falcons 1-2 |
| Head coaches | Andy Reid (Chiefs), Raheem Morris (Falcons) |
| Crowd | 72,441 fans |
| Game length | 2 hours 58 minutes |
Both teams came into the game with energy. The Chiefs had won their first two games by small margins. The Falcons had just beaten the Eagles with a last-minute score. So fans expected a close fight, and that is what they got.
How the Game Went
The Falcons started fast. They took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a 14-yard pass to Drake London, who was all alone in the end zone because the Chiefs messed up their coverage. It was 7 to 0.
The Chiefs needed some time to get going. In the second quarter, they put together a long drive of 13 plays and 79 yards. It ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Rashee Rice. The game was tied at 7.
Then the Falcons struck again. Cousins threw a 50-yard pass to tight end Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson ran the ball in from one yard out. Atlanta led 14 to 7.
Just before halftime, the Chiefs got a big break. Tershawn Wharton hit Cousins as he threw, and the pass went wrong. Chamarri Conner caught it for an interception. The Chiefs started that drive at the Falcons’ 34-yard line. The Atlanta defense held them, so they only got a 44-yard field goal from Butker as the half ran out. Earlier in the quarter, he had also kicked a 53-yarder. The Chiefs trailed only 14 to 13 at the break.
After halftime, the Chiefs moved the ball all the way to the Falcons’ 1-yard line. They could not score a touchdown, so Harrison Butker kicked a 21-yard field goal and gave Kansas City a 16 to 14 lead. Later, Mahomes found JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 13-yard touchdown, and the Chiefs led 22 to 14. The extra point missed, which turned out to matter.
In the fourth quarter, Younghoe Koo kicked a 54-yard field goal for Atlanta. That made it 22 to 17. The Falcons later drove 83 yards in 15 plays, but the Chiefs defense stopped them near the end zone. A last stop in the closing minute sealed the win.
Chiefs Player Stats
Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback
Mahomes had a good night, but not his best one. He completed 26 of 39 passes for 217 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His passer rating was 87.2. He was not sacked even once, which says a lot about his offensive line. He also ran the ball 6 times for 17 yards.
His average was 5.6 yards per pass. That is a low number for him, because most of his throws were short. The Falcons made it hard to throw deep, so Mahomes kept the ball moving with quick passes.
His interception came in the red zone. It was picked off by Justin Simmons, a defender who has a history of catching Mahomes passes. FOX 4 Kansas City noted it was Simmons’ sixth career interception of Mahomes.
Running Backs
The Chiefs ran the ball 33 times for 128 yards as a team. That is a solid 3.9 yards per carry.
- Carson Steele led the way with 17 carries for 72 yards. That is about 4.2 yards each. His longest run was 9 yards.
- Samaje Perine carried 6 times for 25 yards. He also caught 3 passes for 15 yards.
- Xavier Worthy had 3 carries for 13 yards and 2 catches for 17 yards.
Nobody scored a rushing touchdown for Kansas City. All of the Chiefs touchdowns came through the air.
Receivers and Tight Ends
| Player | Targets | Catches | Yards | TD | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rashee Rice | 14 | 12 | 110 | 1 | 27 |
| Travis Kelce | 5 | 4 | 30 | 0 | 17 |
| Xavier Worthy | 4 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 10 |
| Samaje Perine | 4 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | 3 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 13 |
| Noah Gray | 2 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Justin Watson | 2 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Rashee Rice was the star. He was targeted 14 times and caught 12 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. That means he caught about 86 percent of the passes thrown to him. Mahomes trusted him again and again, especially on short throws. On one play, Rice also picked up a key first down by running the ball for 1 yard on a fourth-and-1.
Travis Kelce was quieter than usual, with 4 catches for 30 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster only caught two passes, but one of them was a touchdown.
Kicker
Harrison Butker made all three field goals he tried, from 53, 44 and 21 yards. He added one extra point but missed the second one after the Smith-Schuster touchdown. His three field goals alone were worth 9 points, which mattered in a game that ended with a 5-point gap.
Falcons Player Stats
Kirk Cousins, Quarterback
Cousins played well. He completed 20 of 29 passes (69 percent) for 230 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating was 89.7, slightly better than Mahomes. His average was 7.9 yards per pass, which is much higher than the 5.6 of Mahomes.
The big difference was the sacks. Cousins was sacked two times, and the Chiefs rushed him often. The interception before halftime cost the Falcons a chance to keep their lead going into the break. Cousins also had two fumbles, but the Falcons did not lose either of them.
Running Backs
Atlanta ran the ball 25 times for 82 yards, or 3.3 yards per carry.
- Bijan Robinson carried 16 times for only 31 yards, which is less than 2 yards per run. He did score a 1-yard touchdown and caught 2 passes for 21 yards.
- Tyler Allgeier was more effective. He ran 7 times for 32 yards, about 4.6 yards per carry.
- Ray-Ray McCloud had one run for 20 yards, the longest run of the day for Atlanta.
Robinson is one of the best young backs in the league, so the Chiefs deserve credit here. Their defense kept him from breaking free.
Receivers and Tight Ends
| Player | Targets | Catches | Yards | TD | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake London | 9 | 6 | 67 | 1 | 14 |
| Darnell Mooney | 8 | 8 | 66 | 0 | 26 |
| Kyle Pitts | 5 | 2 | 59 | 0 | 50 |
| Bijan Robinson | 2 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 17 |
| Ray-Ray McCloud | 3 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 15 |
Three Falcons receivers stood out. Drake London caught 6 passes for 67 yards and the first touchdown of the game. Darnell Mooney caught every pass thrown to him: 8 targets, 8 catches, 66 yards. That is a perfect catch rate. Kyle Pitts only made 2 catches, but one of them went for 50 yards and led to a touchdown.
Kicker
Younghoe Koo made a 54-yard field goal and kicked a perfect extra point after each Falcons touchdown. Kicking a field goal from 54 yards is not easy, and it kept Atlanta in the game.
Team Stats Side by Side
| Stat | Chiefs | Falcons |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 22 | 17 |
| First downs | 22 | 19 |
| Passing | 26 of 39, 217 yards | 20 of 29, 230 yards |
| Rushing | 33 carries, 128 yards | 25 carries, 82 yards |
| Touchdowns | 2 passing | 1 passing, 1 rushing |
| Field goals | 3 (Butker) | 1 (Koo) |
| Interceptions thrown | 1 | 1 |
| Times sacked | 0 | 2 |
Look at the numbers and you can see how close this game was. The Falcons threw for more yards. The Chiefs ran for more yards, had more first downs, and kept Mahomes clean. The difference came from three small things: the interception right before halftime, the short field it gave Kansas City, and the Falcons failing to score from inside the 10-yard line late in the game.
Who Played Best?
This is a matter of opinion, but the stats give us some clear answers.
1. Rashee Rice, Chiefs. Twelve catches for 110 yards and a score is hard to beat. He was the safest target for Mahomes all night.
2. The Chiefs defense. The pressure on Cousins, the interception by Conner, and the two late stops in the fourth quarter were all huge. As the AP put it in its recap, you can thank the defense for this win.
3. Drake London and Darnell Mooney, Falcons. London scored and Mooney caught everything. Together they gave Cousins a strong passing game.
4. Carson Steele, Chiefs. His 72 rushing yards helped the Chiefs control the clock and take pressure off Mahomes.
5. Kyle Pitts, Falcons. Only two catches, but one 50-yard play changed the game for Atlanta in the first half.
The one player who did not have his best day was Bijan Robinson. He did not get much room to run, but he still scored a touchdown.
Moments That Changed the Game
- The Conner interception. Right before halftime, the Falcons were up 14 to 10 and had the ball. After Conner’s interception, the Chiefs kicked a field goal just before the half ended and only trailed by one.
- The goal line stand in the third quarter. The Falcons stopped the Chiefs at the 1-yard line, so Kansas City had to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown. It kept the Falcons close.
- The 15-play drive. In the fourth quarter, Atlanta went 83 yards but stalled at the Chiefs’ 6-yard line. Back-to-back incomplete passes ended the drive. A touchdown there would have put the Falcons in front or very close.
- The final defensive stop. With under a minute left, Atlanta tried to run the ball on fourth-and-1. The Chiefs stopped Robinson, and the game was over.
Earlier Games Between the Two Teams
The Chiefs and Falcons do not play each other every year, but they have had some very close games.
- December 4, 2016: The Chiefs won 29 to 28 in Atlanta. Eric Berry scored on a 37-yard interception return and also returned an extra point for two points.
- December 27, 2020: The Chiefs won 17 to 14 at home. Atlanta lost that day, but it was another one-score game.
That makes three recent meetings, and all three were decided by five points or fewer. If these two teams meet again, you can expect another close fight.
How to Read Football Stats
If you are new to the game, here is a short guide.
- Cmp/Att: Completed passes out of the passes thrown.
- Yds: Yards gained.
- TD: Touchdowns.
- Int: Interceptions, which means the other team caught the pass.
- Sk: Sacks, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line.
- Tgt: Targets, or how many times a pass was thrown to a player.
- Rec: Receptions, or catches.
- Lng: The longest play for that player.
- Rate: Passer rating. A higher number is better, and 100 is very good.
When you read a stat line, look at the whole picture. A running back with 100 yards on 12 carries is much better than one with 100 yards on 30 carries. In the same way, a receiver with 8 catches on 8 targets is more reliable than a player with 8 catches on 15 targets.
Final Thoughts
The Chiefs and Falcons gave fans a great game on a Sunday night. The numbers show a close match with no clear winner until the final stop. Rice was the top player, the Chiefs defense made the biggest plays, and the Falcons showed they could move the ball on one of the best teams in the league.
If you want to check the stats yourself, the sources below have full box scores for the game. Always use a trusted site when you look up numbers, so you know they are right.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of the Chiefs vs Falcons game, and who scored?
The Chiefs won 22 to 17 on September 22, 2024. Kansas City scored on touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes to Rashee Rice and JuJu Smith-Schuster, plus three Harrison Butker field goals. Atlanta scored on a Kirk Cousins pass to Drake London, a 1-yard run by Bijan Robinson, and a Younghoe Koo field goal.
Who had the best player stats in the game?
Rashee Rice had the best numbers. He caught 12 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. On the Falcons side, Drake London (6 catches, 67 yards, 1 touchdown) and Darnell Mooney (8 catches, 66 yards) were the top receivers. Among quarterbacks, Kirk Cousins had the better passer rating (89.7 to 87.2) and more passing yards (230 to 217), but Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdowns and was not sacked.
When did the Chiefs and Falcons play before this game?
Their two earlier games were on December 27, 2020 (Chiefs 17, Falcons 14) and December 4, 2016 (Chiefs 29, Falcons 28). The Chiefs won both games.
