There’s no doubt Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback, and arguably the best football player, in the NFL right now. However, he isn’t the Falcons’ biggest threat on Sunday night, and The Morning Shift explained why.
“He lines up literally everywhere on the defensive line,” Beau Morgan said
Mike Johnson piggybacked off what Beau had to say by talking about how not only does Jones line up everywhere on the defensive line, but also how the Chiefs don’t make it obvious where he’s going to line up from play to play.
“They do a good job defensively of not allowing you to know where he’s at because then you can’t chip on him, or help on him, or misdirect him every snap,” Johnson said.
Even though Jones doesn’t have the speed TJ Watt does, his versatility and movement all around the defensive line to Mike’s point won’t allow the Falcons to double team him, chip him, or misdirect him on every play. There will be plays where he has one-on-one matchups, so that’s where the danger comes in.
When it comes to Mahomes it’s not that he’s not dangerous in his own respect, but after facing Justin Fields and Jalen Hurts in the first two weeks of the season, this Falcons defense is more suited to face a mobile quarterback. Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Dave Archer joined The Morning Shift Friday and pointed out the fact that Mahomes isn’t necessarily looking to run, but extend plays.
Dave pointed out that Mahomes doesn’t have the breakaway speed that a Fields or a Hurts has, so guys like Matthew Judon and the other Falcons edge-rushers can be more “relentless” when rushing Mahomes.
Lastly, it also helps that the Falcons have the guy who’s intercepted Mahomes the most on their defense in Justin Simmons, who has five career interceptions against the Chiefs quarterback. The next closest player only has two.