Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falcons: Complete Week 6 Preview for Atlanta
In Week 6, the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons will clash in a critical conference matchup that would allow the Falcons to get a leg up on the rest of the division while getting some momentum for upcoming games.
Atlanta needs to win this week so that it can get its season back on track. The Falcons have a great chance of making the playoffs this season, given how terrible the NFC South has been all year. But if they can't win this week, they may as well throw the season away as it'd be just another 2013.
Atlanta Falcons Week 5 Recap
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After the Falcons collapsed in the second half of the game against the New York Giants, they have a great bearing on what exactly they need to do to win games. They just have to finish where they started. And where they started was a 20-10 lead after 40 minutes.
Unfortunately, they decided to pull Antone Smith out of the offensive game plan after his huge 74-yard receiving touchdown on a short pass. Then the Falcons completely abandoned any running game that didn't involve Steven Jackson, and the offensive line fell apart.
For the Falcons to rebound from this loss, they will have to make sure to stick with Jackson and the running game to a certain extent but also ensure that Smith gets some touches as well.
The defense did make some strides and could be on the upswing, but the Falcons have to play more seven-man fronts than six-man fronts.
News and Notes
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Devin Hester Finally Faces His Former Team
Devin Hester is facing the Bears for the first time since he was rebuffed by Chicago during the offseason.
According to Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times, Hester is enjoying his role with the Falcons. Potash quoted Hester about the contract situation from this past offseason:
"If you’ve been with a team for six, seven, eight years, it bothers you when your contract is up, and the team doesn’t even come to offer you anything. So it bothered me. But at the same time, everything happens for a reason. Sometimes what you want might not be the best fit for you.
"
This kind of slight against a player is never one that sits well. Hester is going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder that could haunt the Bears. The Falcons should take full advantage of this motivation and make sure that Hester gets a few extra catches and maybe even a carry or two.
The only thing that could hurt this plan is a hamstring injury that has sidelined the veteran kick returner/receiver for the first two practices of the week. If Hester plays like he should, the Falcons could end up with a ridiculously productive day from their third-best receiver.
No Ultimatums by Falcons Owner Arthur Blank to His Coaches and General Manager
Atlanta Falcons owner and CEO Arthur Blank didn't want to commit to the job status of head coach Mike Smith or general manager Thomas Dimitroff after the loss to the Giants. Blank responded to the question by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Jeff Schultz about whether Smith and Dimitroff's jobs were on the line with the following:
"I would say to you, and I mean it sincerely: I have confidence in the coaching staff and the GM and the players. I’m not speculating during the season about what might happen after the season. That’s not compatible with doing what I should be expected to do.
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It wouldn't shock anyone if he's just grandstanding so that the Falcons don't have unnecessary pressure put onto their coaches. The Falcons need to turn things around fast. Another season similar to last year won't be tolerated by the Falcons owner.
Should the Falcons miss the playoffs and/or fail to win 10 games, then Smith and Dimitroff will likely be looking for new jobs. However, if Atlanta makes the playoffs, it might still be only a coin-flip chance for the pair to stick around past this season. To improve Smith and Dimitroff's job security, Atlanta needs to win out. But that's unlikely.
Last Verse Same as the First: Falcons Need a Pass Rush
The question of whether or not the Falcons can find a pass rush is at the forefront as they have just four sacks over the first five games. Jonathan Massaquoi was quoted by ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure about the Falcons' pass-rushing woes and the team's losing:
"There's a lot of things going where we, as an organization, don't see ourselves living up to our full potential...All we've got to do is go back this week and evaluate them film, give Giants their due, and move forward and get ready for Chicago. Is the pass rush adequate? A lot of things aren't adequate. If it was adequate, we'd be 5-0.
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Considering Massaquoi is part of that pass-rush group, it sounds like he's being extra hard on himself. But it's for a good reason. Someone needs to call out the group.
Massaquoi is going to be crucial to the Falcons getting their pass rush going. But he's going to need help. Osi Umenyiora, Malliciah Goodman and Stansly Maponga will be the pass-rushers that need to accompany Massaquoi off the edge.
Add in some blitzes and the Falcons might finally have the pass rush needed to allow their young, athletic secondary to make plays. If there was a game to get the pass rush kick-started, it's this one—especially with the Falcons facing an injured Bears offensive line.
Injury Report
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| Pos | Name | Injury | Wed | Thu | Fri | Status |
| WR | Julio Jones | Ankle | LP | LP | # | # |
| WR | Devin Hester | Hamstring | DNP | DNP | # | # |
| WR | Harry Douglas | Foot | DNP | DNP | # | # |
| OG | Justin Blalock | Back | LP | LP | # | # |
| OT | Jake Matthews | Ankle | LP | LP | # | # |
| LB | Prince Shembo | Knee | LP | LP | # | # |
| S | Kemal Ishmael | Ankle | LP | LP | # | # |
DNP: Did Not Practice
LP: Limited in Practice
FP: Full Practice Participation
#: Will update as more information becomes available
All injury information comes from the Atlanta Falcons official website's injury report.
Devin Hester hasn't practiced during the week, but everything points to him playing in the game this week. Reports from the Falcons' official site make it seem like he's going to be ready. If Hester is 100 percent, he could go off, as he's playing with extra motivation. His return ability and explosiveness on offense could really give Atlanta a great boost against a mediocre Bears defense.
Harry Douglas apparently hasn't been progressing from his foot injury. He's missed the last two games and has been on the report as having not practiced for the past two weeks straight. Atlanta wants to get him back, because he gives them a threat on underneath routes. Ideally, Douglas comes back healthy this week, but if he doesn't, it wouldn't be a shock to see a bit of Freddie Martino on offense against the Bears.
The rest of the injuries don't seem too serious. The Falcons tend to upgrade their players later in the week. If any of the others listed are anything but probable, their status will be updated after the injury report is released on Friday.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Roddy White and Julio Jones vs. Kyle Fuller and Tim Jennings
Atlanta has arguably the best pair of wide receivers in the league in Roddy White and Julio Jones. They have combined for 56 catches, 765 yards and five touchdowns through the first five games. They are the ideal receivers to attack a rookie and an aging cornerback.
Kyle Fuller is that rookie. Jones could overpower him in one-on-one matchups using his exemplary physical skills. Tim Jennings is that aging cornerback. White, at a minimum, could beat Jennings with his route-running prowess.
Atlanta's Pass Rush vs. Chicago's Offensive Line
Atlanta's pass rush has looked terrible this year. They need to do something drastic to fix it—like playing guys in positions better suited to their skill sets. If the Falcons actually decide to start Jonathan Massaquoi and Malliciah Goodman at defensive end, they could create significant pressure against a Bears offensive line that was horrific last week.
The Bears missed Jermon Bushrod last week when they allowed 11 quarterback disruptions on just 42 dropbacks. Michael Ola and Matt Slauson were the worst offenders of the group, allowing a combined five quarterback hurries, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Atlanta should be able to exploit this duo if the Falcons play the right defenders in the right spots. Otherwise, Atlanta won't get a pass rush against a beat-up offensive line.
Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford vs. Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery
Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are both big, physical wide receivers who aren't necessarily the fleetest of foot. Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford are both quick, athletic cornerbacks who have an aggressiveness that most NFL cornerbacks don't possess.
Marshall and Jeffery haven't put up the same kind of production in 2014 that they did in recent years. However, the Bears combination—one that looks like it could be even better than Atlanta's own stellar WR combination of Julio Jones and Roddy White—has combined for 45 catches, 547 yards and seven touchdowns. It's a marked reduction from the numbers the duo posted at this point in 2013.
Falcons' X-Factor of the Week: WR/RS Devin Hester
When a player goes against his former team, there's always going to be some extra motivation. Devin Hester could be a threat to expand on his returns-for-touchdowns record against the below-average special teams unit of the Bears.
Hester is also on pace for a career year as a wide receiver. As the Falcons' third-best wide receiver, Hester shows that he can be best as just another key cog in the machine than the primary drive gear. This week could have Hester explode for his best game as a Falcon—as long as he returns healthy from his hamstring injury.
Prediction
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The Bears look to be on a downswing, as they are missing Jermon Bushrod, one of their primary offensive linemen. Atlanta's defense seems to be on an upswing, as its performance against the Giants indicated that the unit could effectively defend the run.
With their matchup advantage against the Bears, if the Falcons come out firing on all cylinders, perhaps they could duplicate the fast start they managed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their 56-14 Week 3 blowout. However, if the Falcons get off to a slow start, this could be Atlanta's first home loss since last season's home finale.
This looks to be an ideal matchup for the Falcons and home games always give Atlanta the ability to come back if they start out slow. This game seems like it could resemble the season opener against the New Orleans Saints game to start the year.
Atlanta should win, but it likely will go down to the wire.
Prediction: Falcons 35, Bears 31
All stats used are from Pro Football Focus' Premium Stats (subscription required), ESPN.com, CFBStats or NFL.com. All combine and pro day info is courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com. All contract information is courtesy of Spotrac and Rotoworld.
Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers the Atlanta Falcons, college football, the NFL and the NFL draft. He also runs DraftFalcons.com.
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