Michael Penix Jr. opens 4-of-8 for 3 yards against Bears

Chicago leads 14-0 with 7:19 left in the second quarter.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 1h1 min read

Penix is 4-of-8 for 3 yards currently. The #Falcons defense has gotten two straight stops. The offense really needs to g Via @marcraimondi on X

What happened: Atlanta's defense kept the margin from growing by forcing two consecutive stops, including a missed 56-yard field goal attempt by Cairo Santos. Penix later connected with Drake London for a 39-yard gain to record the Falcons' first passing first down of the afternoon.

Why it matters: Penix remained Atlanta's starter following an October rib scare after returning from an earlier injury absence in late September. Meanwhile, the Falcons bolstered their defensive front on Saturday by signing linebacker Bralen Trice to the active roster and elevating pass rusher Drake Jackson after placing Yasir Abdullah on injured reserve.

By the numbers: Penix entered the matchup ranked first in play-action EPA per play and second in yards per attempt, per Nick Penticoff. His 39-yard completion to London followed four initial completions that netted three total yards.

What to watch: Atlanta looks to cut into the two-touchdown deficit before halftime after moving into Chicago territory.

Sources

@marcraimondi 2026-10-18T18:01:16.562708+00:00

Box score

CONVERSATION

Loading comments…

NFLAnalysisAtlanta Falcons

Follow NFL Intelligence

Real-time signals and analysis

@WireReportNFL

WR Pro

The day's sports, briefed to your inbox at 7am ET. Every claim sourced.

$9/month Free weekly newsletter →