Much like the Kansas City Chiefs’ first two games of the season, their 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons was a tough matchup against a talented team that was ultimately closer than we expected. On each occasion, Kansas City seemed to leave points on the field that could have increased their margin of victory — but at the end of each game, the defense found a way to shut down their opponent.

Below are some highlights from Sunday night’s match, which saw the Chiefs win 3-0 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Winners

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Linebacker Nick Bolton: All his early-season struggles were forgotten when the Chiefs’ MIKE linebacker ended Atlanta’s comeback hopes with a memorable fourth-down tackle for loss. Bolton looked like his old self again, totaling eight tackles — three of which came behind the line of scrimmage.

Running back Carson Steele: The biggest story around 1 Arrowhead Drive this past week was the loss of Isiah Pacheco to injury — and how the team would fill the void. Steele stepped up, outperforming both of the Falcons’ respected backs combined. Steele recorded 74 total yards, showing he has great ball security and the ability to convert short-yardage situations. He deserves a longer look — even if more help is available at the position.

Wide receiver Rashee Rice: Because we expected this season to feature more deep passes, we thought it could be a good one for the former SMU wideout; there would be more opportunities for routes underneath. But through three games, Rice is exceeding all expectations. He leads NFL receivers in receptions and yards after catch — and ranks second in receiving yards. During the first quarter Sunday, he had a diving catch to move the chains — and that was just one of seven first downs that he converted. He would finish with 12 catches on 14 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown. Those are numbers we would expect from a No. 1 wide receiver.

Punter Matt Araiza: His three-pointers averaged 48 yards, which was fine. But the incredible catch he made on a high snap turned a late-game disaster into a field-flipping play. He’s making the most of his second chance in the league.

Linebacker Leo Chenal: You won’t see much in the box score — but on Kansas City’s game-sealing play, you can’t miss the former Wisconsin Badger. The Chiefs’ defensive line — with Chenal facing a double team — blew up the middle of the Falcons’ offensive line, dooming the game even before Bolton broke into the backfield. Chenal gets snaps at multiple positions (including fullback) and has proven to be a strong, disruptive (and much-improved player) at nearly every position.

Wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster: Kansas City didn’t bring him back to put up huge numbers — but over the last few weeks, he’s shown us exactly what he’s here to do: do all the dirty work a Chiefs wide receiver needs to do (like blocking downfield) to help his team win. On Sunday, Smith-Schuster was rewarded with a touchdown reception of 13 yards.

Left winger Wanya Morris: It looks like the player will get more chances to start in his second year. He was solid against the Falcons’ talented defense. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn’t get sacked — and the team was able to run the ball effectively. Best of all, Morris got everything done without being penalized. We’ll see a deeper analysis of Morris’ game, but he looked good as a starter.

Losers

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Safety Justin Reid: Kansas City’s top safety had a tough assignment this week. Facing (and chasing) Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts isn’t easy; his size and speed make him a nightmare for any safety or linebacker. Pitts left Reid in the dust on the longest play of the game, a 50-yard catch in the first quarter. So far this season, opposing running backs and tight ends have feasted on the Chiefs’ passing defense. It’s worth noting, however, that outside of the big play, the unit has held Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson to just three receptions and 30 yards on six targets.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: After the match, Kansas City’s star quarterback has been vocal about how he needs to play better — and we saw some big misses on Sunday night, some of which forced the Chiefs to settle for a field goal rather than put the game out of reach. Mahomes also had an end zone interception while trying to force a TD pass to tight end Noah Gray. For the second straight week, Mahomes helped his team win — but he also struggled on late drives that could have decided the game. Maybe we’re nitpicking — there’s no other player in the league we’d rather have — and the team wins games even when he’s not at his best. We just want him to are at its best.

Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: The first-round pick was high after two big plays for touchdowns in Week 1. But since then, Worthy has had four catches for 34 yards on eight targets — and he hasn’t quite been able to get going on designed runs. There have been a few instances where he may not have been in the right spot on his routes, which has yielded poor results. Struggles like these are common for rookies — but especially with Kansas City missing one of its top receivers, we’d like to see Worthy do more with his opportunities.