Caleb Williams is back, so are Chicago's big hopes: Bears vs. Falcons winners and losers
· Yahoo Sports
ATLANTA – Exhale, Bears fans. Caleb Williams is back.
The Bears quarterback returned with aplomb after missing three games with a right hamstring injury. Judging by the eye test and results, he’s pretty close to being all the way back.
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Williams, 24, led the way to a 31-23 victory against the Atlanta Falcons by passing for 305 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t test the leg much by running out of the pocket (four rushes, 3 yards), but with the flow of the game – Chicago built a 31-7 lead – he didn’t need to leg out a lot.
Bottom line, the Bears (4-2) can resume their mission of championship dreams with their most important player back in the fold after rebounding from the most significant injury of his career.
Here are the winners and losers from the Bears' victory over the Atlanta, which fell to 2-4.
WINNERS
Caleb Williams
After missing three games as he healed his right hamstring injury, it didn’t take long for the Bears’ star quarterback to confirm his health status. Williams completed his first 12 passes against the Falcons, including a rolling, 14-yard TD strike to Colston Loveland to finish the opening drive as the Bears jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Beyond the production, Williams showed no apparent effects from his injury as he moved fluidly on roll-out passes, scrambles and with improvisation to buy time in the pocket. Final analysis: He’s back.
Kyler Gordon
The Bears’ nickelback is back, too. What a sensational debut for Gordon, who was activated off the PUP list on Saturday after rehabbing from a calf injury. He collected three sacks of Michael Penix Jr., including the strip sack late in the fourth quarter. Gordon, who was limited to just three games last season while dealing with soft-tissue issues, was essentially Chicago’s best pass-rusher on Sunday. He rushed eight times, according to Fox, and on top of the sack hat trick, posted five QB pressures.
Jeff Ulbrich
As the NFL rolls with its annual – and undeniably worthy – support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there’s a special distinction for the Falcons’ defensive coordinator. Ulbrich lost his wife, Christina, 48, to cancer in July. Rather than take an extended leave of absence, Ulbrich opted to continue working despite his personal crisis, and has expressed appreciation for the support from the players on his unit – and people throughout the organization. Before the game on Sunday, Ulbrich walked his usual laps around the field while wearing a T-shirt with the message, “I play for Christina Ulbrich.” And his defense has played better than expected this season despite the absence of the top two pass-rushers – Jalon Walker and James Pearce, Jr. – and the loss of Pro Bowl cornerback A.J. Terrell to a season-ending groin injury.
Kendal Daniels
The Falcons’ rookie linebacker was carted off the third quarter, strapped to a long backboard, after suffering a neck injury. The game was delayed for several minutes and Mercedes-Benz Stadium became eerily silent as medical personnel tended to Daniels. He was ultimately taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for further examination. The best news: Daniels reportedly had movement in all of his extremities.
Kyle Pitts
Take him off the milk carton. Atlanta’s tight end scored two TDs to help rally the comeback attempt in the fourth quarter and had a spectacular 29-yard catch, too. That’s three TDs in two games for Pitts, who scored all of zero TDs in the first four games.
LOSERS
Atlanta’s rep for homefield “advantage”
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is undoubtedly one of the NFL’s most vibrant venues. With thumping music, ribbon video board interaction, promotions, live entertainment and more, the team knows how to put on a great show. And shoot, not just for the Falcons games. By several accounts, it was the best venue during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Yet there was another takeover on Sunday. A Bears takeover, which was not only reflected by thousands wearing the merchandise – I saw so many No. 34 jerseys paying homage to Walter Payton – but also with the noise that came with pro-Chicago crowd cheering after big plays. The Falcons’ fan base has its contingent of loyalists, but too many season ticket holders are prone to sell their seats to visiting fans. With the 49ers, Chiefs and Lions scheduled in the coming weeks, more takeovers loom on the horizon.
Xavier Woods
The 10-year veteran lost out by not participating. The Bears released one of their “starting” safeties on Saturday when they activated defensive back Kyler Gordon from the PUP list.
Zachariah Branch
Tough day for the third-round rookie from UGA. Late in the second quarter, Branch muffed a punt at the Falcons’ 10-yard line – recovered by Josh Blackwell – that killed the momentum after Atlanta clawed back into the game and had a chance to mount a potential game-tying drive. Set up at the 10-yard line, the Bears cashed in with D’Andre Swift’s second TD run to make it 21-7. It was also evident that Branch has some support – most notably from star receiver Drake London, who consoled the rookie on the bench immediately after the gaffe.
Divine Deablo
Atlanta’s inside linebacker, one of his unit’s most consistent players, was knocked out of the game with an arm injury in the second quarter and did not return. Tough break for a defense that was dissected early by Caleb Williams before it settled down to register a few stops.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caleb Williams is back, so are Chicago's big hopes: Bears vs. Falcons winners and losers