SB Nation Atlanta - NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Jets, Steelers, Patriots Lead, Falcons Top NFChttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2010-10-26T13:50:52-04:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/15367122010-10-26T13:50:52-04:002010-10-26T13:50:52-04:00NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: CBS Sports, NFL Network Disagree On Ranking Of The Falcons
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/14191821/nfl-power-rankings-jerrys-got-a-big-mess-in-big-d/rss">Pete Prisco of CBS Sports</a> has four AFC teams atop his rankings but the first NFC team is not the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Atlanta Falcons</a>, but rather the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>. The Falcons victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> moved them up two spots from ninth last week to seventh this week. They are the second NFC team on Prisco's list.</p>
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<p>Hard to believe, but after a bye week they have a big division game next week with Tampa Bay. They have a chance to essentially go up by two in the division. Matt Ryan will be the key in the second half.</p>
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<p>As Prisco before him, <a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/10/26/week-7-power-rankings-giants-climbing/">Jason La Canfora of NFL Network</a> likes four AFC teams as the top of his power ranking tower but it's the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">Saints</a> as the team he likes the most in the NFC. The Falcons are 11th overall and only the fourth team in the NFC, behind the Saints, Giants and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Packers</a>.</p>
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<p>The secondary still scares me.</p>
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<p>I'm all for giving the Super Bowl champion the benefit of the doubt but the Saints have done nothing on the field this season to merit them being ranked ahead of the Falcons. Outrage! Both Prisco and La Canfora can agree the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a> are the worst teams in the NFL.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2010/10/26/1775675/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-cbs-sports-nfl-network-disagree-on-rankingTroy Heinzman2010-10-26T11:32:09-04:002010-10-26T11:32:09-04:00NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, And Atlanta Falcons Creeping Up On Baltimore Ravens
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<p>More week eight NFL power rankings are rolling in, with almost everyone's top ten sticking to including the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers at the top, followed by a jumble of AFC teams peppered with two or three NFC teams. As has been the case all season, it's hard to find any consensus on the Falcons. That's what happens when you barely beat the San Francisco 49ers, get blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles, and outgun the Cincinnati Bengals, with your marquee win over the Saints looking less and less impressive as weeks go by.</p>
<p>Fox Sports hurdles the New York Giants over the Indianapolis Colts, since beating the Dallas Cowboys is at least slightly more impressive than enjoying a bye week, and <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings">moves the Falcons up</a> one to eighth, but only due to New Orleans Saints attrition:</p>
<blockquote>Atlanta had a nice bounce-back victory over Cincinnati last week, but it's clear that they still have issues in their secondary. Yes, I'm aware that CB Dunta Robinson didn't play, but I'm also not convinced Brent Grimes should be in the starting lineup on the other side, either.</blockquote>
<p>I didn't see Grimes getting beaten a whole lot on Sunday. It seemed the Falcons were simply playing very loose coverage across the board, taking away the deep ball and living with the consequences. Fanhouse <a href="http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/10/26/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-situation-remains-stable-at-the-top/">leaves their top four unchanged</a>, introducing the Washington Redskins at tenth and leaving the Falcons sitting steady at eighth:</p>
<blockquote>After inexplicably blowing a 24-3 lead, Atlanta rallied and beat the game Bengals at home, thanks in part to Roddy White's big day. With New Orleans floundering and Tampa Bay still not having proven itself, the Falcons are a clear favorite in the NFC South.</blockquote>
<p>I'm a fan of that indefinite article there. Presumably the Saints and Bucs are also clear favorites in the NFC South? The Sports Jury <a href="http://thesportsjury.com/20101026382/tom-s-take/nfl-power-rankings-week-8">agrees</a> with Atlanta at eight, though they like both the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants over the Baltimore Ravens:</p>
<blockquote>Ugly win at home against the Bengals, but the offense looked real good. They have a bye week.</blockquote>
<p>NESN's <a href="http://media.nesn.com/2010/10/nfl-power-rankings-week-8/27/">horrible, horrible slideshow affair</a> finds the Falcons ranked fifth, which earned way too many clicks from me. This is one case where I'd prefer to see the Falcons way down there in the low 20's:</p>
<blockquote>Wide receiver Roddy White doesn’t always get the attention he deserves, but the Falcons might be setting themselves up for a prime spot in the national spotlight this season.</blockquote>
<p>Cappers' Picks <a href="http://www.capperspicks.com/blog/nfl/week-8-power-rankings-261010/">deposits</a> the Falcons 12th. You may be upset by this low ranking, but these guys also don't know who Titans WR Kenny Britt is, so. As for this question:</p>
<blockquote>They can win the NFC, but would anyone be shocked if these guys go 9-7 or 8-8?</blockquote>
<p>The answer is yes, very many people would. The harder portion of Atlanta's schedule is out of the way, with St. Louis and two games each against Tampa Bay and Carolina still ahead. Examiner.com's Detroit bureau <a href="http://www.examiner.com/sports-in-detroit/nfl-power-rankings-for-october-26">places</a> the Falcons at seven -- three ahead of the Saints.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2010/10/26/1775351/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-tennessee-titans-new-york-giants-andJason Kirk2010-10-26T09:23:29-04:002010-10-26T09:23:29-04:00NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Falcons Fluctuate, Jets And Steelers Dominate
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<p>While big-time media like ESPN, CBS, NBC, and so forth take forever to publish their week eight NFL power rankings, let's turn to some blogs and other small outlets. As long as they rank the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers in the top two, how far off can they be with the other 30? Mingling with commoners! Here we go!</p>
<p>Well, not entirely. Pro Football Talk at least has the good sense to get <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/10/26/week-seven-power-rankings/">their power rankings out</a> nice and early. The Jets and Steelers lead the way, so we're good. The Tennessee Titans make a surprise entry in the top four that shouldn't be all that surprising, except it's strange to see NFL people fire a team up the ranks like that. PFT inches the Falcons up from tenth to eighth, second in the NFC behind the New York Giants, and worries about the Birds' D:</p>
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<p>They won't stay in the top eight for long if they keep giving up 30 points per game.</p>
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<p>Luckily, Atlanta plays Tampa Bay next. The Sporting News is <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/feed/2010-09/nfl-power-poll/story/nfl-power-poll-titans-more-than-just-chris-johnson">also on the board</a>, ranking the Green Bay Packers eighth and the Falcons ninth:</p>
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<p>Youth is serving them well again, but will it also get the better of them down the stretch?</p>
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<p>TSN also worries about the Indianapolis Colts' youth and the Minnesota Vikings' age, so that must just be a thing they do. The Kansas City Chiefs guy at Examiner.com <a href="http://www.examiner.com/kansas-city-chiefs-in-kansas-city/chiefs-examiner-nfl-power-poll-for-week-8-ny-makes-giant-leap-into-top-5">ranks</a> the Giants all the way up there at the four spot, and the Falcons all the way down there at 11. This is the first set of power rankings I've seen since probably 2008 that features the Chiefs above the Falcons, and I welcome it for its novelty alone:</p>
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<p>Showed the world their warts - and their strengths - all in one game against the Bengals. Blowing a 21-point halftime lead is unacceptable no matter who you are playing.</p>
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<p>The Falcons have now won in two-score defensive struggles and shootouts. Somebody's always gonna be unhappy about either of those, but whatever. NFL News and Rumors agrees, <a href="http://nflnr.com/2010/10/power-rankings-week-17/">slotting the Birds second</a> behind only the New York Jets:</p>
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<p>It took a monster game from Roddy White for the Falcons to pull out a win last Sunday against the Bengals, and while they're still the best team in the NFC, that's not saying much given how bad the rest of the conference is right now.</p>
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<p>NE Patriots Draft, which sounds like the world's most specific website, actually puts out <a href="http://www.nepatriotsdraft.com/2010/10/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-2.html">a power rankings list </a>that we include every week. They find a home for the Falcons at sixth, behind five AFC teams led by the Steelers.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2010/10/26/1775080/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-falcons-jets-steelersJason Kirk2010-10-25T08:23:35-04:002010-10-25T08:23:35-04:00NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Jets, Steelers, Patriots Lead Preview Rankings, Falcons Top NFC
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<p>After <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2010/10/24/1771559/nfl-week-7-scores-early-games-upsets">one of the looniest weeks of pro football we've seen in a long time</a>, you'd expect the week 8 NFL power rankings to turn into a confounding jumble of pain and yearning. But that's not quite the case -- despite the madness and mayhem, the Big Four all remain one-lossy, even if the Ravens needed overtime to put away the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buffalo Bills</a>, the Steelers had to come back to beat the Dolphins, and the Pats would've been blown away by the Chargers if not for four turnovers.</p>
<p>Tennessee makes the biggest move this week, pummeling the NFC's king-for-a-week by three scores. The <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New Orleans Saints</a> fall from anybody's top ten after their most definitive of their three losses, though the game <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2010/10/24/1771823/video-cleveland-browns-punter-breezes-for-68-yards-against-saints">might have been the wackiest contest</a> of the NFL's wackiest week.</p>
<p>As always, here's a Monday top ten. Obviously this is pending tonight's Monday Night Football game between the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Cowboys</a> and <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Giants</a>. A Giants win would probably place them near the middle of the top ten, while a Cowboys win would have no effect on the top ten whatsoever.</p>
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<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Jets</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Steelers</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New England Patriots</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Baltimore Ravens</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Falcons</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.musiccitymiracles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tennessee Titans</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Indianapolis Colts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Eagles</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.battleredblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Texans</a></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas City Chiefs</a></span></li>
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<div>Next week's only game between ranked teams: the Monday nighter between the Texans and Colts. Other potential shakeups include the Steelers heading to the Superdome in prime time and the Titans flying out to San Diego. Strong weeks from the Bucs and Seahawks could merit inclusion in next week's rankings, while a <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Packers</a> upset of the Jets would earn a sure entry.</div>
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<div>The Ravens, Falcons, Eagles, and Giants are off next week. And the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Browns</a> and <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bears</a>.</div>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/2010/10/25/2323140/nfl-power-rankings-week-8-jets-steelers-patriots-lead-previewJason Kirk