NFL Power Rankings: Where Do Atlanta Falcons Land?
The Atlanta Falcons were idle last week, but there was plenty of action in the National Football League to shake up another edition of power rankings.
Sports Illustrated released its updated list of NFL power rankings on Tuesday, and the Falcons come in at No. 21 out of 32 teams, just ahead of the New Orleans Saints who they host this week. You can find the full piece here and read an excerpt below.
"I think we will learn the most we will ever learn about Arthur Smith as a head coach coming out of the bye week against New Orleans. Derek Carr remains in concussion protocol. Smith has made another switch at quarterback, and he has had adequate self-scouting time to try and better parse out how to keep his offense at pace with a solid defense."
Atlanta Falcons QB Desmond Ridder
USA Today Sports
The biggest talking points in Atlanta are just that: the ongoing quarterback controversy and Arthur Smith's job security as the team's head coach. The Falcons are currently 4-6 overall, but given the current state of the NFC South, they are not out of the playoff picture here during the week of Thanksgiving.
That makes Sunday's game against the Saints a pivotal one. Should the Falcons win, they get a leg up on New Orleans in the race for a playoff seed, but they also inch closer to returning to the .500 mark in overall record, both of which are key factors in the hunt for the postseason.
Sunday could go one of two ways. Either Arthur Smith looks like a genius for giving quarterback Desmond Ridder a "reset" on the sidelines in recent weeks, or the clamoring for his job and a new draft pick under center becomes even louder.
The game between Atlanta and New Orleans is set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, and the game will be televised on FOX.
