Falcons Face Urgency After Slow Start and Consecutive Losses

Another slow start to a game has left the Atlanta Falcons with an urgent need to reverse momentum in the slow start to their season. Two consecutive losses have dropped the Falcons to a 2-4 record, placing them two games below .500 and continuing a trend of seasons ending with losing records.

The Falcons trailed the Chicago Bears 14-0 on Sunday before recording their first first down. Chicago dominated the first quarter, with their fans filling Atlanta's home stadium. The team's offense struggled against pressure from the Bears, with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. sacked five times and fumbling twice, losing one.

"Certainly our goal as a team is to start fast," coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. He acknowledged that the responsibility for failing to achieve this goal fell on both the offense and defense, as the defense could not contain Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.

Penix, who missed the first two games of the season recovering from a torn ACL, led only one scoring drive in the first half. The Falcons trailed 31-7 before showing offensive potential in the fourth quarter. Stefanski noted that other teams might adopt the Bears' defensive strategy, stating, "I think the name of the game in the NFL is when they pressure you as an offense, you have to make them pay. We didn’t do that enough yesterday and that’s on all of us."

In other roster news, veteran Andy Dalton was signed on Monday after Cooper Rush, who served as the fill-in starter for the first two games, was released. Tua Tagovailoa is expected to remain Penix's backup, with rookie Jack Strand continuing his developmental role.

Tight end Kyle Pitts showed his potential during the Falcons' fourth-quarter comeback attempt, scoring two touchdowns. He had five catches for 60 yards and has accumulated three scoring receptions in the last two games, after having none in the first four.

Rookie Zachariah Branch lost two fumbles on returns and misjudged a fair catch attempt. He also had a catch for a 2-point conversion in the final quarter.

Cornerback A.J. Terrell is eligible to return this week after missing four games due to a groin injury sustained in Week 2. His return would bolster the secondary, which allowed 305 passing yards to Williams.

Running back Bijan Robinson, who had led the NFL in rushing yards, had a season-low nine carries for 61 yards due to the early deficit. The team's commitment to the running game was impacted by the score.

Rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was at the team facility on Monday after leaving Sunday's game on a stretcher with a neck injury. Stefanski expressed gratitude for positive updates, stating Daniels was alert and had movement in all extremities. After evaluation at a hospital, he returned to the locker room post-game.

Stefanski provided no updates on linebacker Divine Deablo (arm), cornerback Avieon Terrell (left shoulder), or defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring).

The Falcons, who are 0-3 at home, will host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, looking for their first win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.