Chicago Bears Report Card for Week 6 Win Over Falcons: A Complete Victory

It didn't make up for the two third-round draft picks the Bears would have received from the NFL if Atlanta had organized its franchise the way real NFL teams do.

Still, the Bears' 31-23 victory Sunday provided satisfaction for coach Ben Johnson's team in several ways.

For one, they actually managed to score touchdowns on four out of five trips in the red zone, where they had been dead last in the league.

Also, they got back three key players and they all performed well: Caleb Williams, Kyler Gordon and Ozzy Trapilo.

Trapilo quietly returned from his knee surgery of the offseason. He played only 17 plays and had a mundane Pro Football Focus blocking grade, one worse than the player he replaced, Theo Benedet, who played 60 snaps.

“It felt good, it was good to be back," the starting left tackle told reporters. "You’re always going to be nervous and then that first play happens, and it kind of all washes away just playing football. It's something I've done pretty much my whole life at this point. So, it felt good. It felt really good.”

What really felt good for the whole group was bouncing back from their distasteful 31-7 loss at Green Bay. Johnson has failed to bounce back from a defeat by winning only against his former team, the Detroit Lions.

Here is the report card for the Bears in Week 6 as they quickly transition to face the defending AFC champions on Thursday night at Soldier Field.

Running game: B-

They're still limited without Kyle Monangai but their four TDs in the red zone included two TD runs by D'Andre Sweat, one by Roschon Johnson. Johnson's team-high total of 51 yards represented his career high but the 98 team rushing yards was somewhat concerning. Losing right guard Jonah Jackson to a hip injury is also troublesome as replacement Matt Newman is limited in experience.

Passing game: A+

For the Bears, it doesn't get more accurate than 30-for-36. Caleb Williams had a brilliant return from injury with on-the-mark throws whether in the pocket or out of it. His 111.2 passer rating was eighth best of his career and 8.5 yards per attempt put the Bears passing game in the right place after that average had been slipping under backups. Colston Loveland looked for the first time like the tight end he was last year with six catches in seven targets and a TD, and Luther Burden surfaced as well, with a team-high eight catches on eight targets for 95 yards.

Run defense: A

They couldn't completely shut down Bijan Robinson but it's hard to beat holding the NFL rushing leader to his season low of 61 yards even if he did average 6.8 yards. Ball control by the offense helped in this area as the Falcons had to abandon the run. One 23-yard burst exaggerated his effectiveness. Doing this with key run stoppers like T.J. Edwards, Dayo Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat out was testament to the depth on their line and the coaching staff's ability to prepare reserves. Linebacker Devin Bush graded out with PFF as their best run defender when they needed it most, with sidekick Edwards out of the lineup. But their second-best run defender according to PFF was edge Austin Booker, who has always been considered inconsistent against the run.

Pass defense: A-

The only flaws popped up in the fourth quarter after they lost momentum with Roschon Johnson's lost fumble and Atlanta's ensuing TD drive. Kyler Gordon's three sacks and two forced fumbles stood out for impact, but players like edge rusher Daniel Hardy, edge James Lynch and even DBs Gordon and Jaylon Johnson stepped up against the run. Four pass plays allowed of 29 yards or longer hurt but they made up for it with five sacks, including three from Gordon. The blitz was hitting home on Sunday.

Special teams: A

A special teams play helped turn the game, when Josh Blackwell alertly fell on the muffed punt. Then running back Zavier Scott stepped up with a strip on another return for a second fumble. The only flaw in their special teams day was the missed 56-yard field goal by Cairo Santos, who had a 50-yarder and a strong day kicking off to support excellent kick coverage. It's anything but common to have a day with two takeaways by special teams.

Coaching: A

The hook-and-ladder play to Roschon Johnson via Rome Odunze was brilliance on an early third-and-long, and the Bears had 9-of-17 on third down overall, which speaks to excellence of play calling. Johnson's game plan has had to adjust to defenses trying everything they can to take away chunk plays downfield, and the best way he copes usually is with the ground game. With that only somewhat effective, he had to find other ways to adjust and did. Dennis Allen dialed up blitzes and made up for his loss of talent due to injuries as they didn't let four absent starters hold them back. Maybe the only coaching flaw was forgetting to give Grady Jarrett a game ball for his return to Chicago but Johnson did remember on the team's flght home. Jarrett got in on the sack fest.

Overall: A

The Bears might be struggling to get a win in the division but they are 4-0 in conference games and this counts for something in tiebreakers later. They're situated well at 4-2 and with more players getting healthier. But something has to be done about the penalties. Their 133 yards in penalties were their most in a decade.