Chicago Bears @ Atlanta Falcons – Week 6 Game Preview: Overview, Keys to Game, Insights
The Bears (3-2) game against the rival Packers at Lambeau Field last Sunday was a complete flop with the home squad throwing the ball at will en route to an easy victory. Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent took a major step back, throwing a pair of interceptions and eventually getting replaced by Case Keenum in the fourth quarter.
Despite the rough weekend, the news is pretty good for Chicago heading into their game against the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They have a winning record and far more importantly all indications are that, franchise quarterback Caleb Williams will be back under center within the next week, although, it’s still an open question if his hamstring injury will be healed enough for him to go Sunday.
Atlanta (2-3) began the season 0-2 with third string QB Cooper Rush getting both starts. Things improved dramatically when Michael Penix Jr. returned from injury and they won the next two games before losing a dramatic overtime contest to the Ravens last week.
The Falcons offense has been very productive in 2026 averaging 23.8 points per game. The entire attack is built around two dynamic players; running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London. Robinson has 580 rushing yards, 152 receiving yards, and 5 total touchdowns. London is a massive target who is almost constantly wide open and is almost halfway to 1000 yard season with 488 receiving yards through five weeks.
The Dirtybirds’ defense is not quite as intimidating as the offensive unit, especially, when it comes to rushing the passer. They are giving up 24.4 points per game which is tied with the Bears and in the middle of the pack in the NFL. The run defense is very much superior to the passing defense possibly because they have to face Robinson every day in practice.
Early in the season this matchup looked very favorable for Chicago but Atlanta is better than it appeared in the first two games. If Williams comes back they can certainly win this one, it might get a bit trickier if they have to use Bagent again. They definitely want to get the bad taste out of their mouth from the Green Bay debacle.
Where to Watch/Listen
- Sunday, October 18 at 12:00pm CT on FOX, WBBM Radio (English), and WRTO Radio (Spanish).
Keys to Victory
Here are my keys to Sunday’s game. If these things happen, the Bears should have a shot to win.
- Try to establish the run early. This was something they could not do against the Packers. Getting Kyle Monangai back from injury would certainly help with that but his status is still unclear for Sunday.
- Try to pressure Penix with the pass rush. The Falcons quarterback had to leave in overtime against the Ravens, after getting sacked, and Tua Tagovailoa threw an interception in relief that ended the game. Not looking for an injury but being able to rattle him would certainly help.
- Don’t turn the ball over. No matter who is under center for the Bears this week they have to hold on to the ball better than they did in Green Bay. This is not a team built to win when they have a negative turnover differential.
- Try to force anyone but Robinson and London to beat you. It’s very easy to say try to contain two of the best players in football and they aren’t likely to succeed, however, if they could slow them down even somewhat maybe they can put pressure on somebody else to have to make a play for the Falcons.
Don’t Tell Me the Odds
The Bears are favored by 1.5 points on the road in Atlanta Sunday. The expectation is for a bit of a shootout with the over/under set at 50.5.
It’s Football Weather
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a dome so weather is not a factor in this one.
My Prediction
Assuming Williams is back I think this will be a high-scoring affair. One of those whoever has the ball last is going to win situations. Inspired by the return of their quarterback the Bears will be that team pulling out a 31-28 win. If Williams doesn’t start, I think the Falcons survive 21-17.
Official NFL Preview
Here is the official preview of the Bears-Falcons game from the NFL.
