Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons

Injuries noted

Chicago Bears: Coby Bryant (IR) — The Bears placed Bryant (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday.; Dallis Flowers (IR) — ir; Brittain Brown (IR) — Brown (undisclosed) was placed on injured reserve by the Bears on Sunday.; Tony Fields II (IR-R) — The Bears placed Fields (undisclosed) on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return.; Ruben Hyppolite II (IR) — Hyppolite (shoulder) reverted to Chicago's injured reserve Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.; Nikola Kalinic (IR) — ir; Hayden Large (IR) — The Bears placed Large (undisclosed) on injured reserve Tuesday.; Nephi Sewell (IR) — The Bears placed Sewell (concussion) on injured reserve Tuesday.; Kyle Monangai (Out) — inactive; Braxton Jones (IR) — The Bears placed Jones (knee) on injured reserve Saturday.; Keyshaun Elliott (Out) — inactive; Anthony Johnson Jr. (IR); T.J. Edwards (Out) — inactive; Dayo Odeyingbo (IR) — The Bears placed Odeyingbo (quadriceps) on injured reserve Saturday.; Tyrique Stevenson Sr. (Out) — Stevenson (hip) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Falcons.; Montez Sweat (Reserve-Sus) — The NFL announced Tuesday that Sweat has been suspended two games without pay for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.; Case Keenum (Out); Jordan McFadden (Out) — inactive; Jayden Loving (Out) — inactive; Kyler Gordon (Questionable) — Official injury report, Wk 6: Questionable (Calf); practice: Full.; Caleb Williams (Questionable) — Official injury report, Wk 6: Questionable (Hamstring); practice: Full.

Atlanta Falcons: Storm Norton (PUP-R) — out; DeAngelo Malone (PUP-R) — The Falcons placed Malone (undisclosed) on the reserve/PUP list Tuesday, Will McFadden of the team's official site reports.; James Pearce Jr. (Reserve-Sus) — reserve-sus; JD Bertrand (IR) — The Falcons placed Bertrand (undisclosed) on injured reserve Monday, Will McFadden of the team's official site reports.; Beaux Collins (IR-R) — The Falcons placed Collins (undisclosed) on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return during the season, Will McFadden of the team's official site reports.; Trey Sermon (IR) — ir; Cameron Williams (IR) — The Falcons placed Williams (ankle) on injured reserve Saturday, Will McFadden of the team's official site reports.; Da'Shawn Hand (IR) — The Falcons placed Hand (quadriceps) on injured reserve Wednesday, William McFadden of the team's official site reports.; A.J. Terrell Jr. (IR) — The Falcons placed Terrell (groin) on injured reserve Tuesday, Tori McElhaney of the team's official site reports.; Yasir Abdullah (IR) — The Falcons placed Abdullah (hamstring) on injured reserve Saturday, Tori McElhaney of the team's official site reports.; C.J. Henderson (Out) — inactive; Ethan Onianwa (Out) — inactive; Cooper Rush (Out); Jack Strand (Out) — inactive; Malcolm DeWalt IV (Out); Christian Harris (Out) — inactive; Drake Jackson (Out) — inactive; Za'Darius Smith (Questionable) — Official injury report, Wk 6: Questionable (Neck); practice: Limited.

QUARTERBACK

• Caleb Williams is the projected starting quarterback for CHI

  7.4 Y/A

  Through 2 games in 2026, Caleb Williams threw for 407 passing yards, completed 65.5% of his passes and averaged 7.4 yards per attempt. Last season over 17 games he threw for 3942 yards, completed 58.1% and averaged 6.94 yards per attempt, 27-7 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 2-1 touchdown-to-interception line is 2 games in. Caleb Williams is also listed q for this matchup.

• Michael Penix Jr. is the projected starting quarterback for ATL

  9.34 Y/A

  Through 3 games in 2026, Michael Penix Jr. threw for 719 passing yards, completed 67.5% of his passes and averaged 9.34 yards per attempt. Last season over 9 games he threw for 1982 yards, completed 60.1% and averaged 7.18 yards per attempt, 9-3 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 3-1 touchdown-to-interception line is 3 games in.

PACE & SCRIPT

• CHI @ ATL carries a 52.5 market total

  52.5

  The market sees this as one of the higher-scoring spots on the slate, sitting well above the typical game this week. That assumes points arrive steadily from both sides. A slow first half, with drives ending in punts or field goals, is the main way this expectation cracks, so bettors watching live can weigh how the opening possessions go.

• CHI: 73.2 offensive plays per game to ATL's 62

  11.2 PLAYS

  CHI is at 73.2 offensive plays per game over 5 games; ATL is at 62 over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 64.9 over 17 games and ATL at 61.6 over 17 games.

• CHI: 19.2 points allowed per game to ATL's 24.4

  5.2 PPG

  CHI is at 19.2 points allowed per game over 5 games; ATL is at 24.4 over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 24.4 over 17 games and ATL at 23.6 over 17 games.

• CHI: 35:12 time of possession per game to ATL's 32:26

  2:45 TOP

  CHI is at 35:12 time of possession per game over 5 games; ATL is at 32:26 over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 30:59 over 17 games and ATL at 30:00 over 17 games.

TURNOVERS

• ATL: 0.4 fumbles lost per game to CHI's 1

  0.6 FUM

  CHI is at 1 fumbles lost per game over 5 games; ATL is at 0.4 over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 0.24 over 17 games and ATL at 0.59 over 17 games.

• CHI: 1.2 takeaways per game to ATL's 0.8

  0.4 TO

  CHI is at 1.2 takeaways per game over 5 games; ATL is at 0.8 over 5 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Oct 17.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

• ATL: 5.84 yards per play to CHI's 5.32

  0.52 Y/P

  Atlanta gains 5.84 yards a play to Chicago's 5.32 over five games, with the Falcons up from 5.38 last season and the Bears down from 5.71. Atlanta had 6 plays of 20-plus yards in its last game, led by a 38-yard Bijan Robinson run, against 2 for Chicago with Case Keenum at quarterback. The Falcons hit chunk plays on the ground and through the air, while Chicago's offense is grinding with a backup.

RED ZONE

• ATL: 69.2% red-zone scoring rate to CHI's 42.9%

  26.4 PP

  Atlanta scores on 69.2% of red-zone trips, a bit up from 62% last season, while Chicago has fallen to 42.9% from 58.2%. Red-zone rates swing a lot over 5 games, so Chicago's drop is more likely to bounce back than Atlanta's edge is to grow. The gap shows up in how often trips end in touchdowns or field goals, which matters for totals and the spread more than raw yardage does.

• CHI: 4.2 red-zone trips per game to ATL's 2.6

  1.6 TRIPS

  CHI is at 4.2 red-zone trips per game over 5 games; ATL is at 2.6 over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 3.24 over 17 games and ATL at 2.94 over 17 games.

MISMATCH

• CHI: 19.2 points allowed a game to ATL's 24.4

  19.2 VS 24.4

  Chicago's defense has allowed 19.2 points a game over 5 games, down from 24.4 last season. Atlanta is at 24.4 this season, close to its 23.6 from last year, so the Falcons are who they were. The question is Chicago: 5 games of improvement is promising, and it holds up only if the Bears keep defending at this level on the road. At Atlanta, the Bears' defense has the edge on paper.

COVERAGE

• CHI: 26% third downs allowed to ATL's 40.3%

  14.3 PP

  Chicago lets offenses convert 26% of third downs, Atlanta 40.3%, over five games each. The Bears get off the field far more often. Third-down rates tend to drift toward the middle, so Chicago's figure will likely rise. Atlanta's offense needs early-down gains here, since third-and-long plays to Chicago's strength.

• ATL: 5.02 yards per play allowed to CHI's 6

  0.98 Y/P

  Atlanta allows 5.02 yards per play and Chicago allows 6, over five games each. The Falcons are tougher to move on, and Chicago gives up more on a typical snap. The sheet doesn't say who either has faced. Atlanta's offense has the friendlier matchup.

• CHI: 215.4 passing yards allowed per game to ATL's 248.4

  33 YPG

  CHI is at 215.4 passing yards allowed per game over 5 games; ATL is at 248.4 over 5 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Oct 17.

REPLACEMENT

• Anthony Johnson Jr. (S) is out for CHI

  OUT

  Chicago will play at Atlanta without safety Anthony Johnson Jr., who is listed as out on the Oct 19 injury report. The report gives no injury, so it is unclear how long he will be gone. Out means he will not play at all. Look at who starts at safety for the Bears and how much the Falcons attack deep in the middle.

• Montez Sweat (DE) is reserve-sus for CHI

  RESERVE-SUS

  Montez Sweat is suspended two games without pay for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy, announced Oct 13. He misses the Falcons game, and the Bears lose an edge rusher for this stretch. A lighter pass rush gives Atlanta's quarterback more time, which helps when weighing Falcons passing props.

• Dayo Odeyingbo (DE) is on injured reserve for CHI

  IR

  The Bears put Odeyingbo on IR Saturday with a quadriceps injury, reported Oct 17, so he misses this game at Atlanta. IR means he cannot play until he is eligible to return. The facts here do not name who fills his spot on the edge.

• Yasir Abdullah (LB) is on injured reserve for ATL

  IR

  The Falcons put Abdullah on IR with a hamstring injury, reported Oct 11, so he is out against Chicago. IR means he cannot play until he is eligible to return. The facts here do not name who covers his linebacker snaps.

PRACTICE REPORT

• Keyshaun Elliott

  Out

  Quadricep · Did not practice · Out

• T.J. Edwards

  Out

  Hamstring · Did not practice · Out

• C.J. Henderson

  Out

  Groin · Did not practice · Out

• Kyle Monangai

  Out

  Thumb, Toe · Did not practice · Out

• Za'Darius Smith

  Questionable

  Neck · Limited practice · Questionable

• Kyler Gordon

  Questionable

  Calf · Full practice · Questionable

• Tyrique Stevenson Sr.

  Questionable

  Hip · Limited practice · Questionable

• Caleb Williams

  Questionable

  Hamstring · Full practice · Questionable

• Jake Matthews

  LP

  Limited practice

• Divine Deablo

  LP

  Limited practice

• Drake London

  LP

  Limited practice

• Cameron Thomas

  FP

  Full practice

• Kendal Daniels

  FP

  Full practice

• Joe Thuney

  FP

  Full practice

• Jawaan Taylor

  FP

  Full practice

• Grady Jarrett

  FP

  Full practice

• Michael Penix Jr.

  FP

  Full practice

SITUATIONAL

• CHI: 3 fourth-down attempts per game to ATL's 0.6

  2.4 ATT/G

  Chicago is going for it on fourth down far more than last season, 3 a game now against 1.71 then, while Atlanta has almost stopped trying at 0.6 after 1.65 last year. Five games is enough to call it a coaching choice more than an accident. Chicago's aggression adds drives that end in points or turnovers on downs, so this game has more swing possessions on one side, which matters for spread and total bettors weighing how drives finish.

• CHI: 41.8 penalty yards per game to ATL's 71

  29.2 YDS

  Chicago is drawing just 41.8 penalty yards a game, down from 57.1 last season, while Atlanta has jumped to 71 from 48.2. Penalty numbers are noisy over five games and tend to regress, so both teams should move back toward last year. For now, Atlanta's flags hand Chicago free yards and extended drives, which matters most in a close game.

• CHI (3-2) at ATL (2-3)

  -26 PT GAP

  Chicago at +23 is better than its 3-2 record, and Atlanta's -3 says the Falcons are close to average. Atlanta is 0-2 at home, a two-game sample too small to call a trend. Both teams lost last time out, so neither brings momentum. The differential is the steadier number, which leans toward Chicago being the stronger side regardless of venue.

• CHI: 23.6 first downs per game to ATL's 19.8

  3.8 FD

  CHI is at 23.6 first downs per game over 5 games; ATL is at 19.8 over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 21.1 over 17 games and ATL at 19.4 over 17 games.

• CHI: 53.3% fourth-down conversion rate to ATL's 33.3%

  20 PP

  CHI is at 53.3% fourth-down conversion rate over 5 games; ATL is at 33.3% over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 51.7% over 17 games and ATL at 50% over 17 games.

• CHI: 219.2 team passing yards per game to ATL's 195

  24.2 YPG

  CHI is at 219.2 team passing yards per game over 5 games; ATL is at 195 over 5 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 17. Last season CHI was at 225.1 over 17 games and ATL at 207.2 over 17 games.

AFTER GARY

• ATL -102 → -102

  NO MOVE

  Gary's number was -102; the same book now shows -102.