The Chicago Bears might have their starting quarterback on the field again in Week 6. Ben Johnson left the door open for Caleb Williams' return, though he also admitted that they haven't made a decision.
Regardless of who's under center for the Bears, they sure hope that Michael Penix Jr. isn't for the Atlanta Falcons. The young quarterback suffered a rib injury in the overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and his status is still up in the air.
While Penix hasn't been ruled out of the game, his extensive injury history might make Kevin Stefanski's team err on the side of caution with him. Given how the Falcons' offense has looked with and without him, Dennis Allen's defense would catch a huge break if he sits.
The Bears should want to face Tua Tagovailoa
Penix completed 19 of 32 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown with no picks before his injury. He claimed that he would've kept playing if the Falcons got the ball first in overtime, but he couldn't bear the pain after sitting through a long Ravens drive.
Then, Tua Tagovailoa threw a game-sealing pick in overtime. The Falcons struggled mightily before Penix's season debut, with Tagovailoa and Cooper Rush combining for 16 points in two weeks. Penix, on the other hand, led the offense to 80 points in his two starts.
The former Washington star missed most of last season with his third ACL injury. Durability has always been a major question with him, which is why the Falcons might want to play it safe and hold him out of this game.
The Bears desperately need this break, as they lost more than just a game against the Green Bay Packers. Dayo Odeyingbo, T.J. Edwards, and Tyrique Stevenson all left with injuries, and the defense might be banged up or severely undermanned to face the Falcons.
Also, with Jaylon Johnson's recent struggles, having him shadow Drake London is probably the last thing the doctor ordered right now. Penix can sling the football and make plays for his guys, while Tagovailoa will always find a way to give the ball to the other team.
Injuries are the worst part of the game, and one should never root for that, not even when they benefit your team. That said, the Falcons should take a big-picture approach and keep their injury-prone franchise player out of harm's way for at least a week.
Don't risk it, guys.
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