The Chicago Bears dominated the Atlanta Falcons in a 31-23 win, where the score wasn't indicative of just how lopsided this game was for three quarters before Atlanta made things interesting at the end.
The Bears offense did what they do best: dominated time of possession, which has been the recipe for success for them all season. Quarterback Caleb Williams impressed in his Week 6 return, completing 30-of-36 passes (83.3%) for 305 yards and one touchdown. Meanwhile, cornerback Kyler Gordon provided a massive boost to the defense in just 16 snaps, totaling three sacks and two forced fumbles. Chicago's special teams also had their best showing of the season (minus Jahdae Walker and a 56-yard Cairo Santos miss).
There's plenty to discuss from this
game, including the returns of Caleb Williams and Kyler Gordon, the continued penalty struggles and the short week ahead of Thursday Night Football vs. the New England Patriots. Our Bears Wire staff is sharing their thoughts on Chicago's Week 6 win vs. Atlanta.
Alyssa Barbieri
Man, it's good to have Caleb Williams back. I wouldn't say I ever took him for granted, but watching Williams on Sunday after three weeks with Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum, it makes you appreciate just how special of a player he is; something I haven't had in a quarter century as a fan: A true franchise quarterback. Williams picked up right where he left off after Week 1 (minus the poor weather showing in Week 2), and there was an even greater emphasis on him as a passer as he was cautious about his mobility, using it only when necessary. The result was his best passing showing in his three-year career, completing 30-of-36 passes (83.3%) for 305 yards and one touchdown. But outside of the production on the field, Williams brought an energy to the offense -- and the team as a whole -- that was severely lacking.
And yet, Williams wasn't the MVP of this game. Kyler Gordon had the performance of his life, and in limited fashion no less after not playing in a game in nine months. Gordon played in just 16 defensive snaps and totaled three sacks and two forced fumbles, where defensive coordinator Dennis Allen used him more as an edge rusher and he wreaked havoc on the Falcons. Gordon played the fewest defensive snaps (16) by any player with three-plus sacks in a game in the past 20 seasons. No one ever questioned Gordon's play on the field. The criticism has always been his inability to stay healthy, as he's yet to play in a full season in five years. But Gordon showed why he's the most important player on this Chicago defense, and when he ramps back up into full action, Allen will finally get a chance to utilize him to his full potential.
Make no mistake, the Bears dominated the Falcons, and the score should've been way more lopsided than it was. But penalties remain a major issue, notably for the offense, which might put up 40 points per game if they can stop shooting themselves in the foot and setting themselves back on promising drives. Ben Johnson's decision to pull the defensive starters up 31-7 early in the fourth quarter resulted in Atlanta nearly mounting a Bears-esque fourth-quarter comeback. But luckily Chicago's offense was able to preserve the win. Now, the Bears have a short week ahead of a three-game prime-time stretch that will serve as a massive test for this team ahead of a Week 10 bye. We'll see if they can take advantage starting against the Patriots on Thursday night.
Brendan Sugrue
Who knew that the Bears would look like a completely different team with Caleb Williams back under center? It’s an obvious observation, but one that didn’t seem so simple to a ton of people a week ago. This game was all about Williams’ return, and he exceeded my expectations. I was worried there would be some rust or he would be too amped to settle into a rhythm, and then he goes out and completes his first 12 passes in a row while giving the Bears an early lead. That set the tone for the rest of the game, as all three phases for the Bears played their tails off for the majority of the day.
The offense possessed the ball for over 40 minutes for the second time in three weeks and dropped 31 points on the Falcons. Williams was as dialed as can be from the pocket, hitting receivers all over the field, whether they were wide open or in tight coverage. I even believe his hesitancy to run will benefit Williams in the long run with how comfortable he looked standing in the pocket and delivering strikes. You can’t do much better than 30 of 36 for 305 yards. The best development, however, was getting their red zone offense back on track with four conversions in five trips.
As for the defense, they too were aided by the return of an impact player. Kyler Gordon was an absolute menace off the line of scrimmage. Dennis Allen essentially used him as an extra edge rusher, and he turned in a historic performance. Even before that, however, the defense as a whole stepped up despite being down multiple starters. They neutralized the best running back in the game and limited Michael Penix’s ability to make plays. Credit to the unsung heroes like Kentavius Street, Clark Phillips, and Daniel Hardy for making the most of their opportunities. The same goes for special teams, who created two turnovers that the offense turned into 10 points.
Of course, we have to address the penalties and the late surge by the Falcons. I’ve learned this team needs time to get into a rhythm, and they’ve had three starting quarterbacks in four weeks. Those changes take time to settle in. And as for the Falcons’ offensive surge late, head coach Ben Johnson errored in sitting the starting defense too early. He took his eyes off the prize and started thinking about next week, something a coach cannot do in the moment. Fortunately, it didn’t burn him.
All in all, a very solid win that strengthens the Bears’ postseason chances while weakening another NFC opponent’s. If they can take care of business at home on Thursday and enter the mini bye week at 5-2 with a chance to get some guys back healthy, it will be a huge win for this team.
Mike Pendleton
A fired up Caleb Williams has to be one of the best versions of himself, stepping on that field in Atlanta ready to prove to the critics and doubters. That energy felt a bit infectious throughout, as Kyler Gordon and Ozzy Trapilo returned to the lineup as well, and Gordon had a special game.
Caleb Williams was nearly flawless in his performance and the offense looked completely different than it did while he was out. While it’s all going to be focused on the offense, the defense played incredible, mainly thanks to the return of Gordon.
Not having Montez Sweat felt like it was going to be the team’s downfall, but Gordon and others stepped up to shut down Atlanta’s high-powered offense. The real challenge now comes this week, a short turnaround for Thursday Night Football against the Patriots. Let’s see if they can carry momentum.
Vinnie Parise
The Chicago Bears pulled off a magnificent victory over the Atlanta Falcons one week after a debacle at Lambeau Field. This was a very important win for Chicago, as they are now 4-2 entering a two week stretch against the last two conference winners in the NFL.
The offense and the defense each saw a player return from injury who made an immediate impact. On the offense, it was Caleb Williams leading a point scoring explosion, while the defense had Kyler Gordon sacking the quarterback multiple times, forcing fumbles, and helping contain the overall attack of Atlanta.
This was another game where the Bears showed just how good they can be when they are on top of their game. If they bring that effort, there is nobody who they should be afraid of. On a short week, it’s important to have good practice, study the good tendencies, and bring a high-level effort for a huge match against the New England Patriots.
Ariana Pensy
I picked the Bears to win this game, but I still did not believe they would win in this fashion. Caleb Williams had one of the best games of his career in his return. His completion percentage of 83.3 really stood out to me given the criticism he has received throughout his NFL career of having a low completion percentage. Chicago’s offense still stalled with three straight drives without points after scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions. Regardless, this was an impressive offensive showing for the Bears and a great sign as they prepare for the New England Patriots on Thursday.
Defensively, there is no overstating the impact Kyler Gordon’s return had on the team. Watching the Bears defense with the starters in, you would never know Chicago was missing numerous players that normally would be in the starting lineup. Gordon also served as the missing piece Chicago has needed at edge rusher and is truly going to be a weapon for Dennis Allen throughout the rest of this season.
Also, the impact of special teams on this game was huge. When Ben Johnson first became the head coach of the Bears, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower talked about how he appreciated Johnson being so involved in special teams. That has shown throughout this season and especially in this game. When the Bears are firing on all cylinders, they are nearly unstoppable.
Randy Holt
There was almost no way the Bears were going to look as bad as they did last Sunday in Green Bay, but to have a turnaround of that magnitude speaks to the leadership they have in place (and will, hopefully, lead me to someday work my way out of the pre-programmed doom spiral that accompanies a loss). Ben Johnson had the offense ready in another day of massive possession with a great deal of balance between run and pass.
Of course, none of that works as well as it did without Caleb Williams executing to near perfection. He never felt like a threat to run, but that didn’t seem to matter. His accuracy was pinpoint as he operated like a machine from the word ‘go.’ Genuinely impressive stuff from QB1. On the defensive side, they continued to showcase that a strong start can catapult this unit to impressive outcomes, regardless of their on-paper construction. They weren’t on the field a ton, Dennis Allen made Michael Penix Jr’s life a nightmare, and Kyler Gordon’s return galvanized the group entirely.
It’s a tremendous turnaround that felt crucial heading into a short week. This is an iteration of the Chicago Bears that can, no doubt, hang with the defending AFC champions.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: The Morning After...the Bears' impressive Week 6 win vs. Falcons
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