Falcons Rundown @FalconsRundown

Za'Darius Smith has cleared the concussion protocol and was limited in Thursday's practice with a neck injury. Michael Penix Jr. (ribs) was a full participant for the second straight day. C.J. Henderson (groin) did not practice again. via @tori_mcelhaney

Atlanta is finishing drives. • 11 touchdowns on 32 drives in Weeks 3–5 (34%, 2nd) • Just 1 TD on 25 drives in Weeks 1–2 • Detroit leads at 40% (12 of 30) #RiseUp

Looks like Caleb Williams will start Sunday.

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter

14 hours ago

For a second straight day, Bears QB Caleb Williams was listed as a full participant in practice, putting him on track to start Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

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@AdamSchefter Bring it on 😁

Troy Aikman this morning on @dfwticket about rumors of tension between him and Joe Buck. “There’s probably a time and a place for all that. I don’t know if now is the time. I don’t know if it’s hard to figure out kind of what happened. I’ll broadcast through this season and I’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and kind of see what happens. I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this season does hold and the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot may be.”

Jeff Ulbrich on CB depth if C.J. Henderson (groin) can't play Sunday: "Mike Hughes is a top-end starter in this league. Avieon is emerging." via @ByDanielFlick

Sunday is a ground war, and Atlanta's run defense has something to prove. • Chicago leads the NFL in rushing yards per game (173.2). Atlanta is 2nd (166.8). • Atlanta's first four opponents ran for 193 yards combined. • Baltimore ran for 208 on Sunday.

@ByDanielFlick The gap-scheme point tracks with the numbers. Atlanta's first four opponents ran for 193 yards combined. Baltimore ran for 208 by itself. Chicago comes in leading the NFL at 173.2 rushing yards per game.

Atlanta is hitting quarterbacks and keeping its own clean. • Sack or QB hit allowed on 12.5% of dropbacks (T-2nd fewest) • Generated on 18.6% (6th) • Only Denver is top 6 in both #DirtyBirds

@willmcfadden Pressure that hasn't turned into sacks yet: nflverse credits Dexter with 1 sack, 3 QB hits and Dorlus with 0 sacks, 6 hits. If those 40 pressures start finishing, look out.

Bijan Robinson leads the NFL in rushing with 580 yards at 5.7 a carry. The Bears are giving up 6.2 yards per play, 30th in the league.

Michael Penix Jr. says he's good to play this week after taking every first-team rep in Wednesday's practice, per @marcraimondi. His MRI and scans came back positive, and he said he made every throw today, per @tori_mcelhaney.

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski expects Michael Penix Jr. to start Sunday against the Bears as long as there are no setbacks with his rib injury, per @AdamSchefter.

Falcons Wednesday injury report, per @ByDanielFlick: Full QB Michael Penix Jr. (ribs) OT Jake Matthews (groin) Limited DE Za'Darius Smith (concussion/neck) LB Divine Deablo (hamstring) DNP CB C.J. Henderson (groin)

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is a full participant on today's estimated injury report, Ben Johnson told reporters, per @RapSheet.

The Falcons brought in safety Delarrin Turner-Yell for a tryout today, per @ByDanielFlick. He was a fifth-round pick by the Broncos in 2022 and has played in 31 career games, one of them last season.

Bears defensive end Montez Sweat is suspended for the next two games, including Sunday vs. the Falcons, for a PED violation, per @BradBiggs.

Falcons receiver Drake London has 221 yards after the catch through five games, the most of any wide receiver in the NFL. That's 45% of his 488 receiving yards. He said Monday he hasn't been in that much open space in a long time.