The Chicago Bears are looking to keep their undefeated season alive when they travel to Atlanta to face a Falcons team coming off a brutal last-second loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
While the Falcons are winless, they’re more of a threat than that record indicates. Which means the Bears are going to need to be consistent in all phases of the game if they hope to improve to 3-0.
Before the game, we caught up with managing editor Matt Urben of Falcons Wire to get the scoop on the Bears’ Week 3 opponent.
Here are five questions with Falcons Wire:
1 The Falcons are winless after 2 weeks, but they’ve lost to a talented Seahawks squad and lost on a last-second field goal after putting up 39 points against the Cowboys. How much better or worse are the Falcons than their 0-2 record suggests?
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The Falcons are a talented team but don’t have the mental toughness to
hold up in big moments against good opponents. We see spurts — like
the first half of Week 2 — where Atlanta looks like a sure-fire
playoff team. But putting together a complete performance is something
that just hasn’t happened enough over the past two seasons.They are probably a little better than their record indicates. Although, it’s hard to say how much better until they can put a game away and feel safe with a 20-point lead. Sunday’s matchup with Chicago will tell us a lot about Atlanta.
2 Ever since the Falcons lost the Super Bowl in brutal fashion to the Patriots, it’s been downhill. Now, the Falcons are reeling from a brutal collapse against the Cowboys that almost feels like the final straw. How hot is head coach Dan Quinn’s seat right now?
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Dan Quinn is definitely on the hot seat, but that was something he
knew coming into the year. Team owner Arthur Blank is a very loyal guy
and decided to give Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff one more chance
after last season’s 6-2 finish. So far, that decision hasn’t paid off.
Having a veteran coaching staff was supposed to be a big advantage due
to the offseason COVID-19 outbreak causing the NFL to cancel the
preseason.The same problems have surfaced and a third loss in as many weeks would be devastating to Quinn. Would he be fired? Not likely based on how loyal Blank has been in the past. However, there’s no way he makes
it to mid-season unless the Falcons turn things around.
3 QB Matt Ryan’s got some pretty talented pass catchers in Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, who have combined for 420 receiving yards and 4 TDs after 2 games. Is there any stopping these two wideouts or this Atlanta passing attack?
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
So far, the answer is no. Julio Jones had a quiet day on Sunday,
though, and he’s got a pretty severe hamstring injury that’s keeping
him out of practice. After a big Week 1 performance, Jones dropped a
wide open touchdown in Week 2 and just didn’t look like himself.As for Ridley, he leads the league in receiving touchdowns, and is
tied for the lead in both catches and receiving yards. While not as
big as Jones, Ridley is an amazing route runner. He’s clearly coming
into his own this season and is going to be headache for any defense.
The key to neutralizing this duo is getting an early lead to where
their stats become meaningless. They’re going to put up numbers, but
will it be in the first half or the second half during garbage time?
4 The Falcons defense stumbled out of the gate in 2019 before turning things around in the second half of the season. This unit has given up a combined 78 points in their first two games. Does this defense resemble the unit from the first half of last season or the second half of last season?
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
It’s tough to say because the context of the two games is important.
Last week, the numbers were atrocious for Atlanta’s defense, but the
team played its best half of football since probably the first half
of the Super Bowl. The problem for the Falcons’ defense has been
giving up too many big plays, which will happen when you start two
inexperienced cornerbacks on the outside.Rookie A.J. Terrell has been solid but Isaiah Oliver has consistently gotten torched. It hasn’t helped that the team has played two top-level quarterbacks and offenses in the opening weeks. We need to see a bigger sample size to know if this a sign of things to come, or just an unlucky start for Atlanta’s defense.
5 What's your prediction for the game?
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
I predict the Falcons will start slow, going down by double-digits
before pulling out a close win over the Bears. Matt Ryan has been
playing at an elite level and I expect him to put the team on his back
late and to send Chicago home with the team’s first loss of the
season.Falcons 27, Bears 24.
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Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Falcons Wire - Chicago Bears Wire
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