The Falcons are back at home in Week 6, but the Bears are bringing a team that looks anything but easy to handle. Chicago’s offense has plenty of juice, and the defense has been strong enough to make this Atlanta’s most complete opponent so far this season. Even with home-field advantage, the Falcons are listed as the underdog, which means a win likely comes down to winning a handful of individual battles.
One of the biggest chess matches of the week won’t happen between the lines at all. It’ll be Jeff Ulbrich trying to slow down Ben Johnson, one of the league’s top offensive minds.
Ulbrich’s defense has exceeded expectations, but Chicago presents a much stiffer challenge than Atlanta has seen so far. And even with Caleb Williams missing three of five games, the Bears still sit seventh in yardage and 14th in points per game.
There’s also a familiar face in the trenches. Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter gets a shot at his former team after Atlanta traded for him just before the season and then locked him in with a four-year, $78 million extension.
He’ll spend plenty of time across from Jonah Jackson, who has been excellent at guard with the sixth-best overall PFF grade at the position, an 83.5. Jackson ranks 10th in both pass blocking and run blocking.
The matchup that could shape Atlanta’s passing game is Drake London against Jaylon Johnson. London remains the centerpiece of Michael Penix Jr.’s offense, and his numbers with Penix have been massive: over 1,500 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games.
He still hasn’t found the end zone this season, but he has been locked in over the last three weeks with 21 catches for 408 yards. Chicago will probably lean on its two-time Pro Bowl corner to shadow him, even though Johnson has had a rougher time in coverage than usual, allowing an 82.6% completion rate and a 133.2 passer rating, both career-worst marks for him.
Atlanta also needs Kyle Pitts to keep moving in the right direction. After a sluggish start, the tight end finally became part of the offense last week, finishing with five catches for 42 yards and his first touchdown of the season. His next test comes against Devin Bush, a former Steelers first-round pick who has been stingy in coverage through five games, allowing a 42.9% completion rate, no touchdowns and a 50.3 passer rating.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Jr. Gets A Break From His Biggest Problem
Michael Penix Jr. has given the Falcons plenty to like in his first three starts, showing up near the top of several offensive categories and settling in as a more encouraging piece of the offense than many expected this early. But there has been one clear trouble spot in his game, and it has shown up whenever defenses have been able to get heat on him in the pocket.
The next test comes with a little relief attached. Chicago is scheduled to bring a shorthanded pass rush into the matchup, with the Bears down both of their top edge threats, which could mean a cleaner afternoon for Penix than he has had against pressure so far. For Atlanta, that matters because his ability to operate comfortably could go a long way toward keeping the offense on schedule and giving him another chance to build on a promising start. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Secondary Could Make One Draft What If Hurt Even More
Rome Odunze has had a stop-and-start beginning to his NFL career, flashing enough talent to keep the Bears hopeful while injuries and uneven production have kept him from putting it together consistently. Now Chicago gets Atlanta in Week 6, and the matchup arrives at a time when the Falcons secondary is far from whole, giving Odunze a chance to turn one of those promising stretches into something more sustained.
The timing matters for Atlanta because the defense is already thin enough that Chicago may be able to pick on spots in coverage and lean on Odunze as a vertical threat. With the Falcons trying to hold together a back end that has been hit by injuries, this is the kind of game that can make a draft decision look even more painful if the young receiver finally finds his stride on Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Have One Week 6 Concern Fans Cant Ignore
The Falcons are trying to keep momentum rolling into Week 6 after their offense found another gear with Michael Penix Jr. back under center. Atlantas improved play has been fueled by the kind of production that makes defensive coordinators uneasy, with Bijan Robinson and Drake London sitting atop the league in combined yards, and the group appears poised to test the Bears again if the quarterback situation holds steady.
One small roster move did add a little uncertainty to the picture, though, as Atlanta parted ways with safety Jammie Robinson after using him on both the practice squad and active roster this season. The timing makes it worth watching a little closer, especially with Penix working through a rib issue and the Falcons needing to keep the rest of the roster stable around him as they get ready for Chicago. [Read more 🡒]