NFL Power Rankings: Falcons Fall After Loss vs. Commanders?

The Atlanta Falcons lost in heartbreaking fashion Sunday against the Washington Commanders. Where does that put them in this week's power rankings?

Jeremy Brener | Nov 29, 2022

The Atlanta Falcons are picking up the pieces after their crushing 19-13 loss against the Washington Commanders over the weekend.

The Falcons had a chance to win the game with a goal-to-go opportunity inside the 5-yard line. However, instead of running the ball with Atlanta's strong rushing attack, Arthur Smith opted to have quarterback Marcus Mariota throw the ball on a play-action pass that was tipped and intercepted by cornerback Kendall Fuller in the end zone.

Despite the loss, the team moved down just one spot in Sports Illustrated's power rankings from No. 17 to 18.

"Even though the Falcons aren’t blitzing anymore, it was surprising they laid just two hits and no sacks on the Commanders," SI writes. "In order to remain relevant, they’ll need complementary, whole-team performances."

The Falcons remain just 0.5 game back in the NFC South standings behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, likely a big reason why the team isn't further down the rankings. The team also nearly beat a red-hot Commanders squad that has now won six of its last seven games.

Atlanta passed the eye test and by gaining some help from its rivals, the Falcons didn't miss a beat in the standings.

The Falcons are now preparing for another crucial game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Published Nov 29, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.