Few teams have injury luck as bad as the San Francisco 49ers. Brock Purdy and George Kittle are already sidelined, and things are going from bad to worse in San Francisco. It was reported on Monday that superstar EDGE rusher Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending ACL tear, a devastating blow for the 3-0 49ers.
While it's looking like Purdy (and potentially Kittle) could be back when they face the Atlanta Falcons, Robert Saleh's defense will be missing arguably its most important player. And with the Falcons reeling following their Week 3 loss in Carolina, this completely flipped the complexion of this matchup on its head.
Bosa has long been regarded among the most feared pass-rushers in the NFL for good reason, and with Atlanta's offensive line already missing Kaleb McGary with Michael Penix Jr already struggling, the thought of facing the Ohio State product was a nightmare scenario. Momentum is currently waning for the Dirty Birds, so fans should take advantage of every minor victory they can get.
The Falcons offense needs to step up in Nick Bosa's absence
While the five-time Pro Bowler eyes a return to the field in Week 1 of 2026, Kyle Shanahan still boasts a strong crop of pass-rushers. The two pass-rushers expected to draw the start going forward are Bryce Huff and first-round rookie Mykel Williams—who shined during his time at Georgia.
Williams was the No. 11 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and was a teammate of Jalon Walker's in Athens In three starts in 2025, he has yet to record a sack, but has nine pressures.
Now, Penix won’t have to deal with the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year breathing down his neck every snap. That could open the door for Zac Robinson’s offense to finally find a rhythm with him now calling plays from the sideline.
The Falcons rank near the bottom of the league in scoring, but things are trending upward after Raheem Morris made some much-needed changes to the coaching staff. The second-year hasn't topped 200 passing yards since Week 1 and was even benched for Kirk Cousins against the Panthers.
The offense has too much talent — including Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts — to be averaging just 14 points per game, and even Penix is better than his dismal Sunday would suggest.
Without Bosa, the Falcons were gifted a golden opportunity — a chance to bounce back after a wake-up call in Week 3. Flashes have been present, but this primetime Week 7 showdown will be the true litmus test of the offense’s growth.