Falcons-first coverage of Atlanta sports — and home of Pick’em Baby, the free NFL pick’em league.
Next Atlanta Hawks game
· Kia Center
Reports say Michael Penix Jr.'s rib injury is not serious, the Falcons are optimistic he starts Sunday against Chicago, and the Bears' gettable pass defense makes it matter all at once.
Bijan Robinson took home NFC Offensive Player of the Week after 213 scrimmage yards in Green Bay — and he leads the entire league with 467 through three weeks.
The Falcons are handing Michael Penix Jr. his first start of the season Thursday night in Green Bay after a 34-3 home-opener meltdown left the franchise 0-2 and boo-happy.
Jalon Walker is done for 2026, James Pearce Jr. is out eight games, and Atlanta just signed Za'Darius Smith — the edge room that set a franchise sack record is being rebuilt in August.
Za'Darius Smith cleared concussion protocol Thursday and is trending toward Sunday, giving a pass rush that vanished in Baltimore its best rusher back against the league's most unbalanced offense.
The 94-win season ended the same way it has for five straight autumns, so Atlanta heads into the winter needing rotation help, a verdict on Jurickson Profar's $15 million, and a real plan for Acuña's legs.
Kevin Stefanski says Michael Penix Jr. should play Sunday against Chicago, and the league's top two rushing attacks collide at the Benz — Bijan's 580 yards against a Bears defense that's brutally efficient on third down.
The real preseason finale lands Friday in Dallas, where the Hawks signed Giorgi Bezhanishvili, waived Isaac McKneely and figure to rest the main rotation — 3-1 and ready for Opening Night next week.
With nearly every regular sitting, Jock Landale, Zuby Ejiofor and Kobe Johnson carried the Hawks past Oklahoma City 113-110 to finish preseason 3-1, right before the real debut in Orlando.
A 1-1 game turned in the seventh when the bullpen that carried October ran out of gas, Andy Pages delivered the go-ahead two-run single, and Atlanta's 94-win season ended 3-1 in the NLDS.
Start a free NFL pick'em league at pickembaby.com — live leaderboards, automatic scoring, and an AI football analyst in your corner.
Make your picks — free
