Falcons continue to give reason to believe Father Time has caught Travis Kelce

The Atlanta Falcons lost 22-17 in a game they have every reason to feel they should have won. They were robbed of what should have been a sure touchdown with pass interference on Kyle Pitts ignored in the endzone. Atlanta's defense came through and the Falcons would get the ball back and quickly drive back into scoring range.

Zac Robinson's terrible 4th down call ended the game and gave the Chiefs the ability to escape with the victory. As frustrating as it might be for Atlanta fans it was a moral victory proving the franchise capable of playing with anyone. Perhaps further exposing that this Chiefs team is completely reliant on Rashee Rice with Travis Kelce suddenly appearing to age.

There was never a moment Atlanta Falcons fans had reason to fear Travis Kelce

Far lesser players have hurt the Falcons from the tight end position and the Falcons lacked a clear winning matchup over Kelce's size and physicality. With the injuries in the running game the Chiefs needed to rely on Mahomes and Kelce as they have so many times in seasons past.

And yet the tight end managed only 30-yards on 4 catches in what was another very forgettable night. We are now three games into the season and Kelce doesn't have 100-receiving yards combined. Sitting with 69 receiving yards through three games this is a major red flag that perhaps age has caught up with the star.

Whether it is age or the sudden fame that came with Kelce's well publicized relationship something has changed for the tight end. The fact Atlanta Falcons fans never had reason to fear Kelce in this game speaks to the extreme drop-off in production.

Only a season ago Kelce was a driving force in their second straight title. Perhaps it is simply a case of the veteran conserving his best games for when they matter most. While this was the explanation last season it still rings a bit hollow considering the first three games of the season.

In each one-score game, the Chiefs offense was desperate to find anyone other than Rashee Rice to step up and make a play. In each of the three games it was the Kansas City defense that stepped in and made a play to give the Chiefs the win. For the third straight game, Kelce was a non-factor. Perhaps it is time to start considering this isn't a slow start but indicative of a player whose age has finally caught.