What To Watch In The Falcons-Chiefs Game

The Atlanta Falcons had a bit of a tumultuous off-season. Most of the starters returned on both sides of the ball, which is either good or horrible, depending on your perspective. The coaching staff is what has changed.

It's unfair to pin too much credit or blame on coordinators before a regular season snap, but we're finally at the point where we can begin to evaluate what kinds of changes Dirk Koetter and Mike Nolan will bring to the offense and defense, if any. The way this team plays against a worthy Chiefs squad will tell us quite a bit about those potential changes and how the team is gelling under new coaching.

For the offense, that obviously means getting the passing game clicking effectively against a good Chiefs secondary. For the defense, it means getting after Matt Cassel without imploding completely against a terrific Chiefs ground game. What happens today will help set the tone for the rest of the season, and I damn sure would like a nice tone.

What will you be watching for, aside from a win?