NFL Week 6: Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falcons

Two NFC teams on the comeback trail meet in a battle for momentum and a chance to become champions once again

Bears vs. Falcons Overview:

The Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons both struggled in 2007. The Chicago Bears were dealing with a Super Bowl hangover while the Atlanta Falcons were busy with Michael Vick problems along with the disaster of Bobby Petrino. With all of that in the history books, the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears have sprung back to 3-2 records with shocking victories over great opponents. The young talent of the Atlanta Falcons and the veteran experience of the Chicago Bears make for an interesting Week 6 match up.

Chicago Bears Offense:

The Chicago Bears dumped bust Cedric Benson for rookie RB Matt Forte and are glad they did. The bruising Matt Forte is everything people expect from a Chicago Bears running back, and his power run sets the tempo for the offense. QB Kyle Orton has taken the reigns from Rex Grossman and protects the football along with moving the chains. TE Greg Olsen has really developed into his combine numbers and is a great target for Kyle Orton. WR Devin Hester is famous for his kick return ability but could be a great deep-threat receiver in the future.

Chicago Bears Defense:

The Chicago Bears defense has bounced back from a terrible 2007 campaign. Based on the Tampa-2 4-3, the Chicago Bears defense is loaded with speed and hunts turnovers. MLB Brian Urlacher is healthy and is still the definitive player at the Mike backer position. OLB Lance Briggs has left his problems behind as well and is another playmaker. The three-man rotation at defensive end featuring Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye, and Mark Anderson puts constant pressure on the passer. A healthy Mike Brown at safety has been a major difference maker.

Atlanta Falcons Offense:

Running back Michael Turner was the biggest prize in free agency, and the Atlanta Falcons think he is worth every penny. Michael “The Burner” Turner has carried the Atlanta Falcons offense so far and averages over five yards a carry. Rookie QB Matt Ryan was another big money acquisition in the offseason and is already a leader in the huddle. WR Roddy White is having a career resurgence with Matt Ryan’s accurate arm finding him on deep balls. The reason for Matt Ryan and Michael Turner’s success is a great young offensive line with amazing growth potential.

Atlanta Falcons Defense:

New head coach Mike Smith was the defensive guru behind the Jacksonville Jaguars and totally rebuilt the Atlanta Falcons offense. DE John Abraham is having one of the best years in his career and has seven sacks already thanks to a new scheme. DT Grady Jackson has also returned, and his girth is key to stopping any run game. LBs Keith Brooking and Curtis Lofton have great motors and are always on the ball carrier. CB Chris Houston has already made Atlanta Falcons fans forget about DeAngelo Hall and has blossomed into a superstar.

Chicago Bears Keys to Victory:

Even before the days of Mike Ditka, the Chicago Bears built their team on great defense and running the ball. Head coach Lovie Smith follows the same path and finally has his man in RB Matt Forte. The Chicago Bears will do anything to get the big RB going against the Atlanta Falcons, but the going could be tough with Grady Jackson in the middle. QB Kyle Orton will be forced to make plays to move the chains, but he cannot panic and throw into coverage. WR Devin Hester must step up with injuries and underachievement rampant in the receiving corps.

Shutting down Michael Turner is the No. 1 priority for the Chicago Bears defense. The return of DT Tommie Harris will be a big boost to the Chicago Bears front seven and DT Dusty Dvoracek also needs to make plays. DL Israel Idonije plays all the positions on the defensive line and must continue to play at a high level to stop Michael Turner and get to Matt Ryan. DE Alex Brown is on rookie LT Sam Baker and should be able to get a good pass rush all game. MLB Brian Urlacher has to stay in the middle to keep Michael Turner from bursting big runs.

Atlanta Falcons Keys to Victory:

To protect young QB Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons must get Michael Turner the ball. The Tampa-2 defense is weak against the run, and the undersized front seven of the Chicago Bears has shown weakness to the power run. With the Chicago Bears keying on Michael Turner so much the pass rush against Matt Ryan should be abated. An injury to CB Nathan Vasher might open a hole on the Chicago Bears defense deep, and Matt Ryan will have to make the most of the opportunity with WR Roddy White on deep routes.

Chicago Bears QB Kyle Orton is a game-manager style QB and won’t win the game by himself. The Atlanta Falcons have to stop Matt Forte in order to make the Chicago Bears one-dimensional. The pressure will be on big DT Grady Jackson to occupy multiple blockers so MLB Curtis Lofton can penetrate the gaps on running plays. DE John Abraham needs to continue his pass rushing bonanza in an attempt to force turnovers. The Chicago Bears will probably avoid throwing in the direction of Chris Houston so CB Brent Grimes must be ready to make plays.

Bears vs. Falcons Outlook:

Fans of the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons went through some tough times and terrible quarterbacks in the 2007-08 NFL season. Changes have been made and the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons could win the NFC North and NFC South respectively. Winning their divisions is a must in the playoff race because of the powerful NFC East possibly fielding four playoff teams. Because of this, December and January are already being decided in October.

The atmosphere in the Georgia Dome for every Atlanta Falcons home game has been electric as their hungry fans cheer the Birds on to victory. The arrival of Mike Smith, Michael Turner, and Matt Ryan has changed the entire culture of the Atlanta Falcons, and Mike Vick and Bobby Petrino are fading into the rearview mirror. The home-field advantage will be big for the Atlanta Falcons, but the Chicago Bears have won soundly on the road. The running games of the two teams are about even, but Matt Ryan is a playmaker in his rookie year that Kyle Orton will never be. The Atlanta Falcons get the win in a squeaker with no small help from their vocal fans.