The Kansas City Chiefs notched their first victory of the preseason on Friday, defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 28-14, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes played the entirety of the first half, completing 8-of-12 passes for 138 yards, an interception and a 69-yard touchdown to wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the closing seconds of the half.
It was a fitting end to a strong night for Hill, who hauled in four catches for 87 yards on the evening.
Veteran quarterback Chad Henne later put the Chiefs in front on their initial drive of the second half, connecting with wide receiver Gehrig Dieter for a 27-yard score, and Kansas City didn’t look back.
Rookie linebacker Ben Niemann made sure of that midway through the fourth quarter with a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown to put Kansas City ahead by two scores.
Fellow rookie Armani Watts later forced a turnover of his own, forcing the ball loose from Falcons’ running back Terrence Magee for a fumble.
It was part of an impressive showing from the Chiefs’ defense in the second half, holding the Falcons scoreless after a quick start.
Kicker Harrison Butker, an alum of nearby Georgia Tech, tallied a pair of field goals to complete the scoring for Kansas City.
It all wrapped up into a strong offensive night for the Chiefs, who tallied 347 yards of offense and converted 8-of-13 third downs.
The Chiefs continue the preseason on Aug. 25 when they travel to Chicago to take on the Bears.