2012 NFL Power Rankings: Atlanta Falcons a consensus No. 2

There's a lot of conjecture in the Top 10 of most power rankings, but the top two spots are the same across every major media outlet - the Houston Texans are No. 1, and the Atlanta Falcons are No. 2

The Falcons sat unmoved at No. 2 in every rankings except for SB Nation NFL editor Joel Thorman's. Thorman had Atlanta and Houston 1-2 last week, and flipped the rankings after Houston blew out Tennessee and the Falcons came from behind to beat Carolina on a field goal:

2. Atlanta Falcons (LW: 1, 4-0): Like the Texans, the Falcons are way out ahead of their division and will probably have it wrapped up early. Atlanta looks like the real deal from top to bottom. This could be the year it gets over the playoff win hump.

ESPN.com agrees that Atlanta could have an automatic home playoff game if the NFC South continues to crumble:

For the Falcons, playing in the NFC South is like getting a free pass to the playoffs.

Pete Prisco at CBS gave the Birds some credit for surviving a scare, even at home, and even to a lesser team in Carolina:

Good teams need games like they had against the Panthers. That's a good sign, being able to win the way they did.

Brian Billick at Fox Sports also kept Atlanta at No. 2 and also defended the Falcons for having to come from behind:

It took everything the Falcons had and six different lead changes to beat the Panthers, but that is the type of game you’d expect against a divisional opponent. Two words: Matty Ice.