FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The on-field chemistry between Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce is undeniable and may pose the biggest threat to the Atlanta Falcons’ success on Sunday.

The two have been a dynamic duo since Mahomes became the starter in 2018. Kelce was good before that, to be honest. But most of his stats have only improved since then.

“They just have a unique connection,” Falcons safety Justin Simmons said. “When you play against guys like that, they can almost just look at each other and signal what they need to do to finish the game. I think they’re both so smart.”

They’re a big reason the Chiefs have won three Super Bowls in the last five seasons, including the last two. Quarterbacks usually get the biggest share of a team’s success, and Mahomes was named MVP in each of those championships, but Kelce was his favorite target in the regular season that got the team there. Their partnership is mutually beneficial.

Mahomes already got his flowers in Week 3 and an entire story was dedicated to his success in September. Now it’s Kelce’s turn to be in the spotlight.

“Kelce can line up and kind of diagnose what the defense is presenting and they can adjust their routes and their play accordingly,” said Simmons, who played regularly against the Chiefs from 2016 to 2023 when he was with the Denver Broncos. “We’ve seen it time and time again. Everyone’s asking, ‘Why is he free?’ And that’s because they’re really good at what they do.”

Kelce has led all NFL tight ends in receiving yards since 2018. He has totaled 7,467 yards. The next best is George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers with 5,875. Kelce’s league-leading 52 receiving touchdowns are also 16 more than Kittle’s.

Those numbers only cover the time Kelce has worked with Mahomes, because for the Falcons, they’re more important together on Sunday. But Kelce is also the best tight end since he entered the league in 2013. He has seven 1,000-yard seasons so far in his career from 2016-2022, so he was good – really good – before Mahomes.

In fact, Kelce has been named to the last nine consecutive Pro Bowl games since 2015. It was his third year overall, but his first as a full-time starter.

“He’s an alien,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. “He’s one of a kind. He’s a freak. You can’t just draw his routes on a map. You can’t draw his routes on a piece of paper. I’m not even sure what his routes are. I’m not sure Patrick knows. I’m not sure he knows. But they work.”

The Chiefs also know how well they work.