The Falcons made Sunday’s game competitive late, but the damage was already done by the time their comeback started to take shape. Atlanta fell 31-23 at home to the Chicago Bears, and the fourth-quarter push wasn’t enough to erase a rough afternoon that left the Bears’ traveling crowd feeling right at home.
A lot went wrong for Atlanta, but the biggest issue was the same one that keeps showing up: Michael Penix got off to another slow start. He had just one solid drive in the first half and didn’t really settle in until the Falcons were staring at a 24-point deficit in the final quarter.
That’s the part ESPN’s Marc Raimondi zeroed in on after the loss, and it leads to a bigger question for Atlanta moving forward: how do they help Penix through this?
"What can the Falcons do if Michael Penix Jr.'s rib injury -- and struggles -- continue to be an issue? One thing they need to do is protect Penix better.
For the game, Penix was pressured on 46% of his dropbacks, and he was blitzed at the second-highest rate of his career. He was 1-of-4 with three sacks when pressured.
That was an issue in last week's loss to the Ravens. Penix is not a very mobile QB, so Atlanta needs to figure out a way to keep a cleaner pocket or call plays that take a shorter time to develop..."
Protection matters, sure. But for Atlanta, this isn’t just about the offensive line giving Penix a little more breathing room.
The cleaner fix may be getting out ahead early and forcing games into a shape that suits them. When the Falcons have been at their best, they’ve leaned on the rushing attack that powered dominant wins over Green Bay and New Orleans.
Penix has clearly taken steps forward since last season, but the Falcons still don’t look like a team built to ask him to win games by chasing points and throwing more and more. Bijan Robinson remains their best offensive weapon, and Atlanta has to do a better job setting itself up to use him that way.
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Falcons Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Quarterback Depth
Michael Penix Jr. gave the Falcons a spark in the loss to the Bears, throwing three touchdown passes in a 31-23 defeat, but the aftermath made it clear the team still wanted more certainty behind center. Atlanta moved quickly to address its quarterback room, adding a veteran with a long league rsum after he was recently let go by Philadelphia.
The addition gives the Falcons another experienced option as they sort out their depth at the position, and it comes with some immediate roster housekeeping attached. Atlanta is also parting with Desmond Ridder, a move that underscores how seriously the team is taking the need for stability as it looks to regroup after the Chicago loss. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Backup QB Spot
The Falcons made a notable adjustment behind Michael Penix Jr., adding a familiar veteran presence to the quarterback room as they look to stabilize the depth chart. Atlanta is keeping Tua Tagovailoa in the backup mix, but the move brings in Andy Dalton, whose experience is expected to give the team a steadier option behind the rookie starter.
The roster change also means Cooper Rush is out after being moved off the 53-man roster to make room, a clear sign Atlanta wanted a different kind of insurance at the position. For a team trying to keep its quarterback situation organized, the switch suggests the Falcons value Daltons track record and voice in the room as much as whatever he might be asked to do on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Return Game Problem They Can't Ignore
Atlantas return game has become a problem the Falcons can no longer treat as a one-off. In the loss to the Bears, rookie Zachariah Branch put the ball on the ground twice in special teams action, and those mistakes fed directly into a game the Falcons let slip away while their larger issues continued to pile up.
Branchs miscues came in different phases of the return game, the kind of errors that can change field position in a hurry and give an opponent life. For a team already dealing with broader struggles, the pressure now is not just to clean it up, but to decide how much trust to keep placing in that part of the roster going forward. [Read more 🡒]