ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons put together a furious rally in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to overcome their early deficit against the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Both teams entered the game off a loss. The Falcons lost in overtime to the Baltimore Ravens after a tightly contested matchup, whereas the Bears lost 31-7 to the Green Bay Packers.

Chicago came out of the gates hot and scored touchdowns on its first two possessions to build a 14-0 lead in Atlanta. The visitors looked impressive in all three phases on Sunday to earn their fourth win of the 2026 season.

Final score: 31-23

Why it's important: Late in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta appeared poised to put together a three-game win streak. Now, it has dropped back-to-back games and is  2-4 on the season.

Losing to the Ravens, an AFC team, won't matter much in the NFC wild-card race or in possible tiebreakers, but the Bears are a different story, and this loss could have implications later in the year if the Falcons are vying for a playoff spot.

Several key players were also injured during Sunday's game, particularly on defense. Cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. could come off injured reserve as early as next week, but Atlanta's defensive depth has taken a hit in recent weeks, and the Falcons have a game against one of the league's best offenses on tap in Week 7.

Key takeaway: The Falcons were one of the NFL's hottest offenses in Weeks 3 and 4, and they connected on a number of explosive plays through the air in Week 5. On Sunday, however, few things were easy for Atlanta against the Bears' defense.

The Falcons started the game with two three-and-outs and turned the ball over on downs near midfield on their third possession. At halftime, Atlanta had managed four first downs and gained a total of 97 yards, more than half of which came from Bijan Robinson, who picked up 51 yards on four carries.

The offensive inconsistency resulted in a lopsided time of possession in the first half for the second straight game. Chicago had the ball for 22 minutes and 13 seconds while Atlanta had the ball for 7 minutes and 47 seconds. Those totals meant Atlanta's defense stayed on the field for a majority of the first half and prevented the Falcons from creating much of a rhythm when they had the ball.

The Bears entered Week 6 leading the league in time of possession, and that held true in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. Atlanta had been building an offensive identity centered around a dominant run game that fueled chunk plays through the air and will need to regroup after this performance.

Key moment: A muffed punt at the end of the second quarter resulted in a huge swing in momentum in Chicago's favor. Bears defensive back Josh Blackwell recovered the fumble, setting up their offense at the 10-yard line.

Three plays later, the Bears scored their third touchdown of the game to take a 21-7 lead with under two minutes remaining in the first half. Prior to the punt, the Falcons had begun to fight their way back into the game. After allowing touchdowns on the Bears' first two drives, the defense stymied Chicago on its next three possessions.

Those defensive stands allowed Atlanta's offense to find its footing and reach the end zone for the first time on Sunday thanks to a 39-yard reception by wide receiver Drake London and a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

After another defensive stop, the offense was poised to build upon its most successful possession of the afternoon. However, the special teams miscue kept Penix and the rest of that unit on the sideline and gave the Bears a big opportunity they would ultimately capitalize on. Instead of entering halftime potentially tied at 14, the Falcons went to the locker room facing a 14-point deficit.

Standout performance: Gervon Dexter and Brandon Dorlus

The two defensive tackles entered Week 6 with 20 quarterback pressures each, which tied them for the most among all NFL interior defenders. They both looked impressive again on Sunday, earning them the split recognition here.

Dexter had a sack, a pair of quarterback pressures and one tackle for a loss against the Bears. Dorlus had a sack, a pair of pressures and two tackles for a loss.

Number(s) to know:

11

• Defensive end Cam Thomas recorded his 11th quarterback hit of the season on Sunday. That total leads all Falcons defenders and marks a new career high for Thomas. He has been one of Atlanta's most impactful pass rushers this season with 18 quarterback pressures and two sacks. His 11 quarterback hits are tied with Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson for sixth-most in the league.

12

• The number of consecutive completions Caleb Williams had to start the game on Sunday. Those 12 passes resulted in 142 yards and a touchdown for the Bears and helped them build an early 14-0 lead against the Falcons.

Injury updates:

• LB Divine Deablo injured his arm in the first half of Sunday's game and was ruled out late in the second quarter.

• CB Avieon Terrell went to the blue medical tent late in the second quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. He also sustained a stinger to his right side on the same play and was deemed questionable to return. He returned to the game in the third quarter.

• LB Kendal Daniels was injured while making a tackle midway through the third quarter. He was placed on a stretcher while surrounded by the entire Falcons team and carted off the field.

• DB Billy Bowman Jr. injured his hamstring in the fourth quarter and was deemed doubtful to return.

Looking ahead: The Falcons will remain at home next week for a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, who entered Week 6 with a perfect 5-0 record. Kickoff for that game is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 25.