Chiefs’ march to third consecutive Super Bowl title comes to Atlanta

The Green Bay Packers won the first two Super Bowls. Since, eight teams have won back-to-back titles, but none have been able to notch that elusive third one.

The Chiefs are trying to accomplish what the 1974 Dolphins, 1976 and 1980 Steelers, 1990 49ers, 1994 Cowboys, 1999 Broncos and 2005 New England Patriots couldn’t do.

“They’ve done nothing but show us excellence over the last couple of years, and it is impressive,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “You got to give the big fella (Chiefs coach Andy Reid) a lot of credit. Andy Reid has done an amazing job going back to Philly, to Kansas City he’s done nothing, but show excellence throughout his career.”

Morris was the defensive coordinator for the Rams when they won the Super Bowl after the 2021 season. After quarterback Matthew Stafford, the former Georgia standout, was injured, the Rams sank to 5-12 while trying to repeat.

“I am not qualified to answer that question,” Morris said when asked about the Chiefs’ chances. “It’s always tough to do those things, but you got to hit the reset button. They know as well as anybody that you have to go back and hit the reset button. Every year is a different year. Every single week is a different week.”

Morris believes there is some truth to the idea that defending champs get everyone’s best game. Also, how a team tries to recover from deep runs into the playoffs is key.

“They have played a lot of football, and they have played a lot of football for a long time,” Morris said. “It’s how much rest do you need, and how much readiness do you need? They have found the perfect solution to the answers to those questions. Rest and readiness. ... Those guys getting on the football field and becoming their best self.”

In addition to the past two Super Bowls, the Chiefs won the Super Bowl after the 2019 season. The turnaround started when they traded up to draft Mahomes with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

There are some parallels to the Falcons’ quarterback situation. When the Chiefs drafted Mahomes, they had an established veteran quarterback in Alex Smith. They sat and developed Mahomes until he learned how to read NFL defenses.

When Mahomes was ready, the Chiefs traded Smith to Washington.

The Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency this offseason and drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eight overall pick in the draft. He’s the quarterback of the future.

The Mahomes project has worked out wonderfully for the Chiefs.

“He’s the best,” Morris said. “You don’t want to ever argue with history, but when you talk about in the game right now, being a two-time Super Bowl champion the last two years, going to multiple Super Bowls, being one of the best players that’s played our game. ... You don’t want to get into the comparisons since (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning) retired. ... He’s definitely going to go down in that argument with the best of the best.”

Mahomes and his array of weapons are hard to defend.

“He’s smart,” Morris said. “He’s unique. He can move around. He can buy time. He can play within the framework of the system. He knows what you’re doing on defense.”

Mahomes is not freelancing as much as he did earlier in his career.

“He’s grown up to the point of seeing everything at this point,” Morris said. “He’s seen every trick, every trade, every gimmick, every gamut, whatever you want to call it. He’s played at the highest level. He’s played in the highest game that we all want to play in.”

Four-time All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, 34, has been Mahomes’ favorite target. They have built a nearly unstoppable passing connection.

“You can’t necessarily go and draw his routes up on a card,” Morris said. “You can’t draw his routes up on a piece of paper. I’m not even sure what his routes are. I’m not sure if Patrick knows. I’m not sure if he knows, but they work.”

Kelce took over the mantle as the game’s top tight end after the retirement of former Falcons and Chiefs great Tony Gonzalez in 2013. Kelce was drafted in the third round (63rd overall) in 2013. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2015.

“They’ve done it for such a long time, and we know a little bit of that from Tony Gonzalez from his time here,” Morris said. “What he was able to do with those unique ... type features. … You definitely (must) play for a very long time when you’re covering Travis Kelce. I’ve learned that the hard way.”

Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who played at Oklahoma State, has been studying Mahomes since his time at Texas Tech.

“I was working with PFF (Pro Football Focus), just breaking down quarterbacks, and had seen him in the Big 12 for forever, throwing for 500 yards in 55-54 game shootouts,” Robinson said. “So, had seen him play a ton in person. Saw him play against Oklahoma State in person.”

Mahomes’ arm talent was dazzling to Robinson.

“Then you just saw the instincts and the vision, and right away you’re saying, ‘There’s really no way that this shouldn’t work out,’ as long as he’s committed to the game, and he loves it,” Robinson said. “Obviously, he’s proven to be a football junkie, and he’s an incredibly smart guy.”

The knock on Mahomes was that he threw a lot of interceptions.

“He played with a defense that wasn’t great,” Robinson said. “He was in some situations where he had to stay aggressive. That’s where some of the interceptions (came from) and that maybe turned some people off. But he’s shown to be an incredibly smart player. A good decision maker. He’s a problem every single week.”

Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake also is impressed with the Chiefs.

“It’s a fantastic football club,” Lake said. “The Super Bowl trophies that they have in their trophy case right now symbolizes that. You watch the film, and you can see why they have those Super Bowl trophies. Talent all over the field. Quarterback can do it all.”