The Chicago Bears knew they had to take care of business on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. That loss last week in Green Bay hurt a lot. They couldn’t afford another one. Not with New England and Seattle lurking around the corner. Thankfully, quarterback Caleb Williams returned just in time, throwing for 305 yards and a touchdown while guiding the Bears to 31 points. The big surprise was the Bears’ defense. Despite being down multiple starters, they held Atlanta to just 7 points through the first three quarters. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski admitted that they had some help.
While the Mercedes-Benz Dome was loud for much of the day, it wasn’t because of what Atlanta was doing. There was a massive contingent of Bears fans in attendance, and their noise forced the Falcons’ offense to go with a silent count. That is not something you see in the NFL. Stefanski was asked about the issue after the game. He chose his words carefully, making sure not to disparage Atlanta’s fans. However, he admitted that the team expected the noise from Bears fans might be a problem.
Kevin Stefanski better get used to that.
Atlanta has always been a weird animal when it comes to home games. While the organization has a large and dedicated fanbase, it strangely doesn’t pack the dome as often as you’d think. Bears fans aren’t the only ones who’ve been able to hijack games there. Other teams with fanbases that travel well have done the same. It just seems like the Bears make it more obvious than others. It is a big reason why Chicago is 6-4 in their last 9 visits to Atlanta dating back to 1986. It is a place where they always seem to play well.
It must feel deeply ironic for Kevin Stefanski. Say what you will about the Cleveland Browns. They’ve been a hard-luck franchise for a long time, but you rarely saw their stadium get taken over by opposing fans. Atlanta has been considerably more successful in the past 20 years. Yet even now, they struggle to protect their home turf. Maybe that is why they can’t seem to win with any consistency despite fielding some pretty talented rosters. The Bears sure haven’t had that problem.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
This victory is a big one for Chicago.
It can’t be overstated how crucial that game was. Not only does it improve the Bears’ playoff positioning in the NFC, but it also protects them from what should be the toughest part of their upcoming schedule. Next is the New England Patriots, followed by the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams were in the Super Bowl last year and remain among the league’s best. Losing to Atlanta and then both of them would’ve dropped the Bears to 3-5, and in a likely no-win scenario with how good the NFC North has been this season.
Now, if they can somehow get one of those next two games, they have the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers after that before going into the bye week. At worst, they should be 5-4 at the end of that, which is more than workable. Having Williams back is crucial. It’s so clear the offense is different with him on the field. If the defense can keep pulling its weight, this team will be tough to beat.
