ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. should be good to play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday despite a rib injury after practicing fully on Wednesday and reporting positive MRI results. Penix, who pulled a towel over his head on the sideline as the Ravens rolled in overtime Sunday night, said the scan was encouraging for his availability this week.
"They get better every day. I felt good today at practice," Penix said. "… I just gotta stay on top of my rehab and just make sure I'm doing all the right things." He added, "It's not always comfortable, but I made every throw today," noting he made all of his throws during Wednesday's session.
Penix declined to elaborate on the nature of the injury when asked if it was a bruised rib, saying he did not want to get too specific. He said the MRI was positive, with Marc Raimondi from ESPN clarifying that the MRI was not positive for an injury but positive for his chances to start against the Bears on Sunday. "Positive means I'm good to play," Penix said. During the limited portion of practice open to media, he moved well through drills without noticeable hesitation or gingerly favoring his rib area.
Atlanta catches a break with Chicago defensive end Montez Sweat sidelined this week due to his suspension for violating the league's PED policy. Penix acknowledged Sweat's impact but said the rest of Chicago's defensive front remains tough. "I feel like he is an impact player, so he makes impacts on games, but the next-man-up mentality in the league — I feel like the guys that's right behind are almost as good. They're very close. So it's hard for us to try to say that that's going to change much because of him being out," he said. The official injury report Wednesday will provide further clarity heading into Sunday's matchup against the Bears.