ATLANTA (AP) — Another slow start to a game has left the Atlanta Falcons with an urgent need to reverse their slow start to the season.
Two straight losses have left the Falcons (2-4) two games under .500. It's a familiar challenge for a team looking to end a streak of eight straight losing seasons.
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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch (17) catches a pass for a two-point conversion against the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) carries the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, left, congratulates Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson after an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Chicago Bears defensive end Daniel Hardy (92) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) and causes a fumble that was recovered by the Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon (6) pressures Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) during the second half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Falcons trailed 14-0 in Sunday's 31-23 loss to the Chicago Bears before recording a first down. They opened the game with two straight three-and-outs following long touchdown drives by the Bears. Chicago dominated the first quarter the way Bears fans took over Atlanta's home stadium.
“Certainly our goal as a team is to start fast,” coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday.
Responsibility for failing to come close to that goal fell equally on the offense and defense.
The Falcons' defense couldn't slow quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears' offense.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. led only one scoring drive in the first half and the Falcons trailed 31-7 before finally demonstrating offensive potential while running their two-minute offense in the fourth quarter. For most of the game, Penix struggled against pressure from the Bears, failing to take advantage of opportunities created by blitzes.
Penix was sacked five times and fumbled twice, losing one.
Stefanski knows other teams will take note of the Bears' game plan on defense.
“I think the name of the game in the NFL is when they pressure you as an offense, you have to make them pay,” Stefanski said. “We didn’t do that enough yesterday and that’s on all of us. ... You have to look at those as an opportunity if teams are going to all-out blitz you in a given game. So we know this league can be a copycat league. So you’ll see if that continues to be the trend.”
Penix missed the first two games of the season while completing his recovery from a torn ACL in his left knee that ended his 2025 season. The Falcons were 0-2 with Cooper Rush as the fill-in starter. Rush was released on Monday, when the Falcons signed veteran Andy Dalton.
Tua Tagovailoa is expected to keep his job as Penix's backup, at least for this week as Dalton learns the system. Rookie Jack Strand's role as a developmental player won't change as long as the Falcons keep four quarterbacks.
Atlanta's fourth-quarter comeback attempt allowed tight end Kyle Pitts to show why he should have been better utilized earlier in the game. Pitts had scoring catches of 10 and 5 yards in the final quarter. He had five catches for 60 yards and has a combined three scoring receptions in the last two games after having none in the first four.
Rookie Zachariah Branch lost two fumbles on returns. He misjudged a fair catch attempt on a second-quarter punt and fumbled a kickoff return late in the third quarter. Branch had a catch for a 2-point conversion in the final quarter.
Cornerback A.J. Terrell, who was placed on injured reserve following a groin injury in the first quarter of a 34-3 home loss to Carolina in Week 2, is eligible to return this week after missing four games.
“It's trending that way, but let's get through the next couple of days,” Stefanski said when asked about Terrell playing this week.
The return of Terrell, the older brother of rookie nickel back Avieon Terrell, would be a big boost after the Falcons gave up 305 passing yards to Williams.
Bijan Robinson had 16 or more carries in each of the first five games and entered the weekend leading the NFL with 580 rushing yards. Thanks to the big early deficit, the Falcons couldn't maintain their normal commitment to the running game and Robinson had season-low totals of nine carries for 61 yards.
Rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was at the team practice facility on Monday after he left the field on a stretcher with a neck injury in the third quarter on Sunday.
Stefanski said it was too early to project Daniels' status for this week but said he was grateful for “all positive news.” The Falcons announced Sunday that Daniels was alert and had movement in all his extremities. After being taken to a hospital for further evaluation, he returned to the locker room after the game.
“So I feel very, very fortunate that he got the treatment he got,” Stefanski said. “But also that we feel really good about where he is.”
Stefanski had no updates on ILB Divine Deablo (arm), CB Avieon Terrell (left shoulder) or DB Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring).
Minus-8: Robinson had two catches for a combined loss of 8 yards. On the Falcons' opening drive, he caught a pass from Penix behind the line of scrimmage and was dropped for a loss of 5 yards. On the second drive, Penix again tried a quick pass to Robinson behind the line, losing 3 yards.
The Falcons, 0-3 at home, will try again for their first win of the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when the San Francisco 49ers visit on Sunday.
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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch (17) catches a pass for a two-point conversion against the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) carries the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, left, congratulates Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson after an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Chicago Bears defensive end Daniel Hardy (92) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) and causes a fumble that was recovered by the Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon (6) pressures Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) during the second half of an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
