The Bears and Falcons head into Sunday’s game at Atlanta with their running games carrying more weight than usual, a product of quarterback situations that remain unsettled for both teams. Chicago does not know who will start under center, and Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. is managing a rib injury even as he ranks among the league’s most efficient passers. The answer for both sides so far has been to let the run game absorb the pressure.
Chicago’s Quarterback Carousel
Caleb Williams has not played since suffering a right hamstring injury late in a 9-3 loss to Minnesota on Sept. 20. In his absence, Tyson Bagent started Chicago’s 31-7 loss to Green Bay last Sunday and went 12 for 21 for 87 yards with two interceptions. Case Keenum relieved Bagent early in the fourth quarter and was picked off before losing a fumble. Neither backup offered stability, and Chicago’s blowout loss to Green Bay exposed how thin the passing game looks without Williams.
Bears coach Ben Johnson has not named a starter for the trip to Atlanta. Asked about the quarterback situation, Johnson said, “In regards to the quarterback situation, a lot of things have gone through our minds. First and foremost, health is the No. 1 priority for all three guys.
I don’t know that any of them are exactly 100% at this point in the season.” Asked specifically if he was preparing for Williams to return as the starter, Johnson added, “But I feel good about the plan that we have in place at this point.” The uncertainty around Caleb Williams’ injury status has left Chicago’s offensive approach in limbo entering Week 6.
Chicago’s Running Backs Carry The Offense
With the passing game producing little clarity, the Bears have turned to the ground game. Running backs Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift were described as dominant through the first four weeks of the season, giving Chicago a reliable source of offense regardless of who lines up at quarterback. That production matters more now that Bagent and Keenum have combined for multiple turnovers in a single half against Green Bay. Leaning on Monangai and Swift lets Chicago control the ball and limit the exposure of an unsettled passing attack.
Atlanta’s Penix Still Productive Despite Injury
Atlanta’s situation looks different on the surface. Penix led the Falcons to a 2-1 record over the past three weeks and ranks second in the NFL in yards per attempt, fourth in EPA per play and third in success rate heading into Week 6. Yet he suffered a rib injury during Atlanta’s game against Baltimore on Sunday, and NFL.com dropped him two spots to No. 14 in its quarterback rankings even after that stretch of wins. Penix is expected to play against the Bears, according to Total Apex Sports’ report on his rib injury, but any lingering pain gives Atlanta added reason to lean on its rushing attack to shorten the game plan.
Bijan Robinson’s Role In Atlanta’s Identity
Running back Bijan Robinson remains the engine of Atlanta’s offense regardless of Penix’s health. Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who spent his career with the Falcons before joining Chicago, described the challenge of facing his former teammate. “It takes a whole unit to attempt to slow down a special player like Bijan, God-given ability to see, to burst, to separate, to contact balance,” Jarrett said.
“I mean this is a really, really special player, special person, and he knows he’s the bloodline of that organization. So we’ve got a heck of a challenge ahead of us.” Those comments underline how central Robinson is to Atlanta’s offensive plan, especially with Penix playing through an injury.
The Counterpoint: Chicago’s Defense Is Shorthanded
Leaning on the run game only solves half of Chicago’s problem. The Bears will be without edge rusher Montez Sweat, who the NFL suspended without pay for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy, according to CBS Sports. Sweat will miss the Atlanta game and the Week 7 Thursday night matchup with New England, with reinstatement eligibility beginning Oct. 23.
His numbers had already slipped before the suspension, with a 7.18-second time to sack that is a career worst by nearly two full seasons and an 8.8% pressure rate lower than any mark he posted from 2019 to 2025. Chicago could also be missing linebacker T.J. Edwards, week-to-week with a hamstring injury, and defensive back Tyrique Stevenson, listed day-to-day with a hamstring issue of his own.
A run-first offensive plan means less if the defense cannot get stops, and Chicago’s front seven takes the field against Robinson with its own injuries to manage. Full details on the suspension are available in Total Apex Sports’ report on Sweat’s suspension.
What To Watch Next
Ben Johnson has not revealed whether Williams, Bagent or Keenum will start Sunday’s game in Atlanta, and that answer will shape how much Chicago leans on Monangai and Swift. Penix is expected to play through his rib injury, which could determine how often Atlanta turns to Robinson rather than ask its quarterback to carry the offense. Both backfields are likely to see heavy workloads as their teams work around uncertainty at the position that usually drives the game plan.
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