After being a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, it appears Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will be returning after missing the past three games due to his hamstring injury.
Williams coming back is reason enough to have optimism for Chicago’s Week 6 game against the Atlanta Falcons. With Williams in the lineup Week 1 against Atlanta’s division rival, the Carolina Panthers, the Bears were electric with six rushing touchdowns and 59 total points. Chicago also needs to get the taste of their Week 5 loss to the Green Bay Packers out of their mouth, providing another source of motivation for the Bears to take down the Falcons this week and get to 4-2.
Here are three reasons for optimism for the Bears against the Falcons.
Atlanta does not generate multiple turnovers in a game
Arguably Chicago’s biggest problem against the Packers was turning the ball over. Their five turnovers against Green Bay were the most they have had in a game since 2023. With Caleb Williams back at quarterback, odds are the Bears will not have four interceptions in this game. Atlanta’s defense has generated a turnover in every game, which is concerning for the Bears. But, they do not have a game this season with multiple turnovers. Their four turnovers in the first five games is among the lowest in the NFL. Chicago should be able to avoid having multiple turnovers in this game after recording at least two turnovers in three games this season.
Michael Penix Jr. banged up
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but it was clear from the end of Sunday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens that Penix was in pain which is why he could not return to the game in overtime. He will be playing through his rib injury when Atlanta takes on the Bears, which could limit his effectiveness in the passing game. If he leaves the game at any point due to his injury, the Falcons will be even worse off as Atlanta became the first team in NFL history to have four quarterbacks throw an interception in their first 10 pass attempts in a single season after Tua Tagovailoa’s interception in overtime against Baltimore. Obviously, the Bears would like to beat the Falcons fair and square with Penix in at quarterback, but his rib injury is something that could alter this game and Chicago needs to take note of.
The Falcons have one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL
With Williams hopefully back for the Bears, they should be able to take advantage of Atlanta’s pass defense, which is one of the worst in the NFL. Part of why they have struggled so much is because of injuries in the secondary, something Chicago can relate to. However, Williams should be able to go after this Falcons secondary, especially with wide receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Atlanta has given up the fourth-most receptions to wide receivers and sixth-most receiving yards to wide receivers. Therefore, this could be a good bounce back game for Odunze who lost a fumble last week.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 3 reasons for optimism as the Bears face the Falcons in Week 6