NFL Network Claims Falcons 'Season Trajectory has Changed' in Week 7 Power Rankings

The Atlanta Falcons are fresh off a tremendous 24-14 win over the Buffalo Bills. The victory was a total team win, with strong performances on both sides of the ball.

While most of their production came in a dominant first half, the Falcons finished with 233 yards through the air and 210 yards on the ground in the game. They averaged 6.7 yards per play in the game.

The Falcons Podcast: Spotify | Apple Pods | WATCH

Led by another outstanding performance from Bijan Robinson, who finished the day with 238 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, the offense was cooking. Drake London corralled 10 of his 16 targets for 158 yards and a touchdown. The wideout was clearly the preferred option for the Falcons’ passing attack, having accounted for half of quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s passes in the win.

Defensively, the Falcons held the Bills to just 291 yards and sacked Josh Allen four times. The NFL’s third-ranked offense was limited to just 14 points, while the reigning MVP was turned over several times.

After the strong performance, the Falcons rose four spots to No. 17 in NFL.com’s Week 7 power rankings, and Eric Edholm was as demonstrative in his amazement on Bijan Robinson as the rest of us were on Monday night.

“I heard Raheem Morris say that Bijan Robinson is the best player in football, and I am having trouble finding counterarguments at the moment. We can have MVP debates about running backs until we're Falcon red in the face, but Monday was a truly breathtaking performance from Robinson, who's had at least 111 yards from scrimmage in every game so far -- and he more than doubled that against the Bills with a career-high 238 total yards.

“And sure, it could have cost Atlanta, but I absolutely loved Drake London going for the knockout blow at the end of the first half, despite the fact that he came up just short. It showed a little killer instinct from a team that looked like it leveled up in Week 6. The offense delivered on a huge stage, and the Falcons' season trajectory has changed.”

The national perception of this Falcons team is changing before our very eyes, as people around the league start to take notice. They now possess the league’s No. 2 offense and its No. 1 defense.

A confident offense that is playing its most balanced football of the season only makes the attack-minded defense that much more dangerous. They faced their best test of the season and passed with flying colors.

Elsewhere around the NFC South, the Buccaneers are now Edholm’s No. 1 team (up three spots after their big win over the 49ers on Sunday), the Panthers are No. 21 (up three spots after their win over the Cowboys), and the Saints are No. 25.