The Atlanta Falcons’ defense was riding high through the first four weeks of the 2026 NFL season.
They boasted a middle-of-the-pack ranking in total defense and were the No. 1 run-stopping unit across the league’s 32 teams.
And then they were humbled.
The Baltimore Ravens, led by running back Derrick Henry, visited Atlanta and gashed the Falcons for 208 rushing yards en route to a 30-23 overtime win on Sunday Night Football.
“I didn’t prepare them in the best of ways, and we didn’t have enough bullets in the chamber for game day for the style of play which we got,” Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich told reporters on Thursday.
Now, Atlanta faces its biggest test yet in the Chicago Bears. The Bears visit the Falcons this Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Per ESPN, the Bears own the No. 1 run offense in the NFL, averaging 173.2 yards per game. Coincidentally, the Falcons are No. 2, and Atlanta’s most recent opponent, Baltimore, is third.
“It starts with the run game, obviously; they’re number one in the rush for the entire league,” Ulbrich said about the Bears. “And it’s not a real close second, in my opinion, to what they do.”
Chicago has a two-headed monster in the backfield in D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. They combine for 678 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns, with Swift narrowly leading the way in the stat book.
“Kyle runs really hard, D’Andre is the more agile back,” said defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr., whom the Falcons acquired from Chicago this August. “When one comes out, the other one’s coming in and doing almost a completely different thing. They’ve got two great backs over there.”
The ground game has the Bears staying afloat even without starting quarterback Caleb Williams, out with a hamstring injury since Week 2. Williams is on track to play in Atlanta this week.
Ulbrich says second-year Chicago head coach Ben Johnson has no weaknesses in his offense.
Specializing in wide and outside zones, the Bears also thrive at backside blocking. With blockers away from the direction of the play, the scheme opens cutback lanes and prevents defenders from chasing down the ball carrier.
“Our backside pursuit, our cutback players, we have to fight the crossover, we have to have great discipline in that way,” Ulbrich explained. “And we got to trust that the front side is going to take care of their job.”
Stopping Chicago’s potent run game can force a freshly returning Williams to have to throw the football at volume.
But the Falcons have one of the best pass rushes in the NFL, collecting quarterback hits, pressures, and opportunistic sacks. In fact, Dexter and fellow defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus are tied for first in the NFL with 20 quarterback pressures.
It’s the most among the position and defensive tackle duos.
So if the Falcons can defend the run successfully, it can present a challenge for Williams and his recovering hamstring.
“We want to come in and try to stop the run so we can earn the right to rush,” Dexter said.
Falcons-Bears will be televised at 1 p.m. EST on FOX.
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