ATLANTA -- Here are five things we learned in the Chicago Bears' 27-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons:
1. Defining game for Cutler: Jay Cutler played like a franchise quarterback versus the Falcons. He achieved the perfect balance of checkdowns to deep shots down the field to Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall. Cutler made excellent decisions and appeared to be in total command the entire afternoon. Aside from his Bears' personal best of 381 passing yards, Cutler's most meaningful statistic in Week 6 was zero turnovers. In a league full of parity, the teams that protect the football win the majority of the time. Even though Cutler felt pressure in the pocket during certain points of the game, he never panicked. This is arguably one of Cutler's best games he has played wearing a Bears uniform.
2. Fuller's star is on the rise: Kyle Fuller's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month award in September may be just the tip of the iceberg. Six regular-season games into his professional career, the cornerback is playing at a Pro Bowl level. The first-round pick forced another fumble and broke up another pass in the Georgia Dome. If that isn't impressive enough, consider that Julio Jones caught only four passes for 68 yards, while Roddy White managed just three receptions for 40 yards. Certainly the Bears' pass rush is partly responsible for Atlanta's lack of success in the passing game, but Fuller and the rest of the defensive backs played tight coverage for much of the game. It's early, but Fuller doesn't just look like a smart pick, he looks like a brilliant selection at No. 14 overall.
3. Linebacker play a bonus: The prospects of the Bears' defense having success in the Georgia Dome looked bleak before the game, when starting linebackers Jon Bostic, Lance Briggs and D.J. Williams were all ruled out. Bears fans remember Khaseem Greene from last year, but Christian Jones and Darryl Sharpton were relative unknowns to the masses. What a pleasant surprise to see all three thrive on Sunday. Sharpton (five tackles) had a couple of nice hits. Jones seemed to know his proper pre-snap alignment, which was a slight concern heading into the game. And Greene played extremely fast to lead the team with eight stops. This is a major confidence builder for the defense. The Bears now have depth at linebacker that most of us outside the building did not know existed.
4. Hester a non-factor: We all know special teams is far from a finished product. The Bears commit way too many penalties and even had a PAT blocked. However, Devin Hester did next to nothing in the return game, thanks to the Bears' coverage units and rookie punter Pat O'Donnell. They need to be commended. If you're going to criticize, it's only fair to point out the positives when warranted. Covering kicks is not a problem for the Bears. And O'Donnell is having a good season for a rookie. Like Fuller, O'Donnell's future appears to be extremely bright. Can we shelve the fire Joe DeCamillis narrative for at least one week?
5. Concern over Conte: I've been one of the more vocal supporters of Chris Conte. I believe he is a talented free safety who just had a really tough 2013 season. Every player deserves a chance to redeem himself. When Conte has been on the field this season, he has done a good job. Conte broke up two more passes in Week 6 and is still tied for second on the team with two interceptions. But Conte is having a difficult time staying on the field. He exited Sunday's contest early with another shoulder injury. This marked the fourth game Conte has been unable to finish in 2014. He has two documented concussions since August, along with multiple shoulder issues. Are we reaching a point where the best course of action is to sit Conte and let him heal for an indefinite period of time? Conte seemed to be in good spirits in the postgame locker room. He badly wants to continue playing. But for as much credit as I give Conte for bouncing back from all these ailments, can the Bears keep going with a safety that can't finish games? Is it better for Conte in the long run to take a break? I don't know the answer. But I think most of us agree the situation is troubling.
