NFL Power Rankings: Where Do Atlanta Falcons Land After Week 12?
The Atlanta Falcons are fresh off a win over the division rival New Orleans Saints on Sunday, continuing to keep pace in the NFC playoff race despite a lackluster start to the season.
How did the Falcons' win impact their standing in the NFL pecking order? Sports Illustrated released its updated power rankings for the league on Tuesday, and Atlanta comes in at No. 19 on the list, still in the bottom half of the NFL's 32 teams.
You can read an excerpt from the piece below.
"I thought that Arthur Smith could not emerge from the bye week without putting Bijan Robinson in some better spots, and lo and behold, we have the kind of fresh air game from Robinson we’ve been waiting for. This is not to say Smith didn’t want to put Robinson in space before or lacked the ability to do it, but sometimes time away brings clarity."
Atlanta Falcons Bijan Robinson and Desmond Ridder.
© Brett Davis, USA TODAY
Robinson did have a big game for Atlanta on Sunday, rushing for 91 yards and a score alongside three catches for 32 yards. This performance showcased his ability to be a sparkplug for the Falcons offense once again, especially in the midst of quarterback struggles in Atlanta.
That's not to say that Desmond Ridder was awful in his return as the Falcons starting quarterback, but he did throw two interceptions. Still, his 168 yards passing and a score were enough to help lead Atlanta to a huge divisional win and return it to first place in the NFC South.
In comparison to the rest of the league, the Falcons may not be in the upper echelon of teams, but the bottom line for Atlanta is that they need to keep stockpiling wins if they hope to hold onto a playoff seed.
The Falcons are scheduled to travel to face the scuffling New York Jets on Sunday, and kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on FOX.
