Sixteen Players to Watch: Falcons vs. Bears
As the Atlanta Falcons return to the Georgia Dome this Sunday to take on the Chicago Bears keep an eye on these eight players from each team.
WR Devin Hester may have been held out of two of the team's practices this week with a hamstring injury, but don't count him out. Playing his former team in the Chicago Bears may put fuel on the fire for Hester.
Two of the best wide receiver duos will be put to the test on Sunday as Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall compete against Julio Jones and Roddy White. Although they may not be on the field at the same time, the comparisons will be made. So far this season Jeffery leads the team in receiving yards with 359 and has two touchdowns.
The other half of the Chicago Bears' wide receiver duo is Brandon Marshall who leads the team in touchdowns with five.
Continuing to lead the team in receiving yards, WR Julio Jones is a major factor in the Falcons offense. With 552 receiving yards, Jones sits at second in the NFL for receivers and is part of one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL.
The other half of the Falcons wide receiver duo is WR Roddy White. With White and Julio Jones on the field, the Falcons offense has the weapons it needs to come up big.
Watch for battles on the line. On the defensive line for the Chicago Bears is DE Jared Allen, a veteran of 11 years. Going up against the veteran on the line will be T Jake Matthews, the Atlanta Falcons rookie stand-out and first round draft pick.
G Justin Blalock may be returning back to the offensive line during this Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears after suffering a back injury in Week 4. The Falcons offensive line suffered several injuries and the return of Blalock will be a step forward to a healthy line.
The Chicago Bears have seven interceptions and seven forced fumbles so far this season and CB Kyle Fuller leads the way with three interceptions and two of the forced fumbles. The Bears know how to get their hands on the ball and cause turnovers so ball security will be an emphasis in competing against this defense.
Rookie LB Prince Shembo has officially claimed the first spot on the depth chart surpassing LB Joplo Bartu heading into the Week 6 game against the Chicago Bears. Shembo has had first string snaps over the past few weeks, but this Sunday will be his first start.
Leading the Chicago Bears rush offense is RB Matt Forte with 312 yards. The Atlanta Falcons have struggled to stop the run in the past few games and the defense will have to make improvements and step up in order to stop Forte from racking up yards.
One of the players in the tough position of keeping the Chicago Bears receivers in check will be CB Robert Alford. This is Alford's opportunity to step up against receivers that can make explosive plays.
Leading the Chicago Bears in tackles and having an interception for a touchdown, S Ryan Mundy has played a major role on the Bears defense.
RB Antone Smith has come on strong through the first five games of the season logging a touchdown over 38 yards in four out of the five games. Smith leads the team in touchdowns and is a dual threat both running the ball and catching passes.
Bears DE Willie Young's ability to get to the quarterback is evident by the five sacks he has logged so far this season. The Falcons offensive will have to hold strong to keep Young away from QB Matt Ryan.
With 1,579 passing yards so far this season, QB Matt Ryan is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL with some of the top receiving weapons including the wide receiver duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White. Capitalizing on red zone opportunies and efficiency on third down will both be areas of focus for the Falcons offense this week.
Bears QB Jay Cutler has the weapons to make big plays, but with thrown two interceptions in each of the team's losses. The difference in the game may be in which team can take advantage of opportunities on defense and take advantage of turnovers.
