Without the Atlanta Falcons final minute come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Monday night this game would not have nearly the intrigue it offers now. If the Falcons wouldn’t have scored late, tonight’s game would involve the defending Super Bowl Champions with a perfect record against a winless Falcons team that missed the playoffs last season.
Dud.
But now we have the defending champions who survived a couple close contests at home to win a pair of games, first over the Baltimore Ravens and last Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, up against a Falcons team with a veteran quarterback and talent on both sides of the ball.
The drive last Monday night also shifted the perception of this game. The point spread posted in Vegas when Kirk Cousins started his late drive had the Chiefs favored by 4½ points for tonight’s contest. After five completions and a winning touchdown, the line shifted a point and since has been sliced another half-point with the Chiefs currently listed as a field goal favorite.
Now, here is the rub, if the Falcons would not have come back and won six nights ago the line on this game would likely have the undefeated Chiefs favored by five points. And brace yourself, if the Falcons would have gone down to the Eagles, they would have had a better chance of winning this game tonight.
Why?