NFL Power Rankings: How ‘Rise Up’ are Falcons?
The sprint to the playoffs is on and the 6-7 Atlanta Falcons are in the race. After a 29-21 win for the Atlanta Falcons on the road against the Carolina Panthers, the team's outlook is bright heading into the final four games of the season.
“I still think there is more consistency for us,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “I still think that our best football is ahead.”
In the Falcons win, the defensive unit forced turnovers, Ryan and the offense capitalized, and the special teams were solid. That recipe will likely need to be repeated if the Falcons hope to make a run. Success on the road will also continue to be a key factor, with Atlanta improving to 5-2 away.
Around the NFL, with only four games left for every team in the 17-game marathon, zero teams have secured a playoff spot. There are only five teams completely eliminated from playoff contention. The Arizona Cardinals could have clinched with a win on Monday Night Football, but instead the the L.A. Rams beat the NFC-leading Cardinals 30-23.
Week 14 proved to be another exciting dose of football with big blowouts and close thrillers that caused some movement in the the league's power structure. Where do the Falcons stack up in Sports Illustrated's Week 15 Power Rankings? After Sunday's win, Atlanta is at No. 24.
A team playing way above themselves right now, the Falcons go into this week with the worst combined DVOA (Defense Adjusted Value Over Replacement) in the NFL. Miraculously, they’ve been able to take advantage of some bad opponents and feed on the bottom half of their schedule. Right now, the signature win of the Arthur Smith era is over the Saints. Could they surprise the 49ers or Bills down the stretch?
Increasing from last week, the Falcons have +710 odds to make the playoffs. If Atlanta wins its upcoming clash against the San Francisco 49ers, it will stay in the hunt.
