The Chicago Bears are back in action this weekend as they travel south to take on the Atlanta Falcons in their second consecutive road game, and hopefully the results go much better than last week's. The Bears (3-2) are coming off arguably their worst loss of the Ben Johnson era after falling to the Green Bay Packers 31-7 up at Lambeau Field.
The Packers flexed their muscles early with long, sustained scoring drives, while the Bears couldn't muster much of anything with Tyson Bagent at quarterback. Fortunately, they shouldn't need to rely on a backup quarterback this week. Caleb Williams is back at practice after missing the last few weeks with a hamstring injury and looks poised to return to action this Sunday, barring a surprise.
The Bears will
need Williams to put up points against the Falcons, who have found a spark thanks to the return of quarterback Michael Penix over the last few weeks. With a dangerous rushing duo consisting of Bijan and Brian Robinson, Atlanta (2-3) suddenly looks like one of the more dangerous offenses in the league. They too are looking to rebound this week after falling to the Baltimore Ravens 30-23 in overtime.
Atlatna has plenty of familiar names, including a few former Bears on each side of the ball. Here are five Falcons players we'll be watching on Sunday.
1. QB Michael Penix
There have been plenty of conversations and debates regarding the vaunted 2024 quarterback class that Williams led as the No. 1 overall pick, and now we get another head-to-head matchup with another one of those players in that draft with Penix. The No. 8 overall pick out of Washington has shown flashes across two seasons, but injuries have limited his time on the field. Now fully healthy in 2026, Penix is showing why the Falcons made the controversial move to select him with a top-ten pick.
In three games, Penix has thrown for over 700 yards with three touchdowns and one pick, the latter coming on his first possession back from injury. Penix isn't lighting the world on fire, but he's taking care of the ball and doing enough with a dangerous ground game to work with. He's also playing hurt after taking a nasty shot to the ribs last week, though he's been a full participant during practice. If the Bears can make Penix uncomfortable while taking away his favorite weapon, Drake London, he could easily struggle and become a liability.
2. RB Bijan Robinson
There's arguably no better running back in football right now than Bijan Robinson. The star halfback leads the league in rushing yards with 580 through five games and has totaled five touchdowns as the catalyst of the Falcons offense. Robinson has a unique way of moving with the football. It's as if he's a pair of scissors gliding through wrapping paper while also making absurd precision cuts and finding the narrowest of holes to run through.
With the Bears missing Sweat and Odeyingbo up front, Atlanta has the chance to control the line of scrimmage and let Robinson work. The Bears' run defense has been solid this year, allowing just 96 yards per carry. They haven't faced Robinson without two of their starters and possibly a linebacker, however. Robinson will receive the lion's share of the work and could go off 150+ rushing yards if the Bears don't figure out a solution to contain him.
3. WR Drake London
The Falcons have one elite pass catcher, and his name is Drake London. His 37 targets and 488 receiving yards easily lead the team, as he's given Penix the type of wide receiver he needs to succeed at the NFL level. London, the team's first-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, is a big-bodied receiver who has become Penix's best friend. London lacks top speed but makes up for it with size and strength.
The only downside to London's year thus far is his lack of touchdown catches (zero). He's been stretching the field well, however, averaging 13.2 yards per target and 18.1 yards per reception—both easily are career highs. London's lack of top speed bodes better for the Bears' secondary after getting torched by players such as Christian Watson, and in theory, their physical cornerbacks should be better matchups. Still, London is the most dangerous pass catcher by far and will command much of the attention on passing downs.
4. DT Gervon Dexter
Bears fans know Gervon Dexter well following his three years on the defensive line. Dexter was dealt to the Falcons at the end of August in exchange for a fifth-round pick and cornerback Clark Phillips. The Bears made it clear they weren't interested in re-signing Dexter following the final year of his rookie contract and decided to get something for him before he walked. Still, this trade already looks like a big win for the Falcons.
Dexter has been a force up front for Atlanta through five games. He leads all defensive tackles in pressure rates with 14.5%, according to TruMedia.He is also tied for the most pressures among defensive tackles with 20, along with Brandon Dorlus via Next Gen Stats. And his play has helped the Falcons put together a top-five run defense this year. Dexter could have trouble getting through the Bears' interior linemen, but he'll be motivated to prove that his former team made a mistake in sending him away.
5. S Xavier Watts
At this point, most people are aware of Atlanta's All-Pro-caliber safety Jessie Bates and what he brings to the table. But his running mate is beginning to steal the show. Second-year safety Xavier Watts has had a great start to his NFL career and is becoming one of the more dangerous safeties in the game. Watts can seemingly do it all, from breaking up passes to bearing down on quarterbacks in blitzing situations. The former Notre Dame star looks like one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NFL Draft after going late in the third round.
The Bears will need to be aware of Watts on every play. He's capable of producing turnovers (seven in his first 22 games as a pro) and should show up on run defense as well.
Most interesting, however, is that Watts was responsible for Caleb Williams' worst game in college in 2023. Williams threw three interceptions against Notre Dame, two of which were picked off by Watts. He also had a forced fumble and pass defensed in the game as well. The chess match between these two players will be something to watch, assuming Williams returns after missing three weeks with a hamstring injury.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 Falcons players to watch vs. Bears
