NEW ORLEANS — Chiefs general manager Brett Veach believes his team’s Week 3 win over the Falcons, 22-17 on Sept. 22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, was instrumental in getting the Chiefs moving this season.
The Falcons were driving to try to take the lead in the final minute of the game, but running back Tyler Allgeier was held for no gain on third-and-1 from the Chiefs’ 13. On fourth-and-1, Chiefs linebacker Nic Bolton dropped running back Bijan Robinson for a 3-yard loss.
“(Early-season wins) are super important, not just to get them early in the season, but to go into a hostile environment,” Veach told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Super Bowl LIX “Opening Night” on Monday. “That’s a tough place to play.”
If the Falcons had won, they would have had wins over both to the Super Bowl teams this season. The Falcons beat the Eagles on “Monday Night Football” the previous week with a last-ditch touchdown drive. Things would come unhinged for the Falcons, who were 2-6 down the final stretch.
“That came down literally to the fourth-down play,” Veach said. “Great play by Nick Bolton. Those guys had us on the ropes.”
The Chiefs went on to post a 15-2 regular-season record and win 11 one-score games.
“It was one of those series, where tight games really build character along the way, so that when you get into these late-season games,” Veach said. “You’ve kind of been there, done that. On the road. Close games. Have-to-have-it possessions. It kind of builds character along the way.”
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