The Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons both badly needed at win Sunday. The Bears played like a team that could stick around in a playoff race with a 27-13 road victory. Here's what you need to know:
- Despite all the preseason talk, the Falcons are one of the least "tough" teams in football. Chicago's pass rush finally woke up because they were playing Atlanta's dreadful line. Meanwhile, the Falcons got no pressure on Jay Cutler all day. He responded with 381 yards and no turnovers.
- The signature play of the game: Matt Forte scoring from the 9-yard line on a third-and-goal in the fourth quarter. That capped a 15-play drive through the heart of the Falcons' defense. Now 3-3, the Bears trust their running game to pull off a play like that. The Falcons were afraid to even try running on third and one for the second straight week. It's a soft team.
- We feel bad for Matt Ryan, who has played well all season. He's saddled with a dreadful defense, lame running game and weak offensive line. To top it off Sunday, the Falcons dropped seven passes. Five of them came from Julio Jones and Roddy White. There's only so much Ryan can do.
- Antone Smith's string of long touchdowns is one of the most amazing things in sports at the moment. He did it again Sunday, with a 41-yard scamper after a screen pass. He has five touchdowns this season over 38 yards. Where would the Falcons' offense be without him?
- Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery looked like their 2013 selves on Sunday. The Bears were able to push the ball down the field, with both players getting deep. Marshall finally looks 100 percent again. The Bears practically doubled up on Atlanta's total yardage, putting up 478 yards to Atlanta's 287.
- We loved watching Kyle Fuller compete all afternoon covering Julio Jones. Fuller wasn't flawless, but he readily accepted the challenge.
- At 2-4, the Falcons only feel relevant because they are in a weak division.Â
