NFL Power Rankings: Where Are Falcons Ahead of Week 1?

The Atlanta Falcons are coming into the season with low expectations. Where does that put them in Sports Illustrated's power rankings?

Jeremy Brener | Sep 7, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are hoping to go 1-0 for the first time since 2017 when they face the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.

The Falcons haven't won an opener in their last five tries and also haven't been over .500 in that stretch of time. Tasked with leading the team to victory is quarterback Desmond Ridder, who is starting his fifth NFL game on Sunday.

It's not much experience, but it beats out No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, who will make his NFL debut.

Ridder's inexperience is a large reason why many don't have belief in the Falcons, and why Atlanta ranks No. 21 in Sports Illustrated's latest power rankings.

"For the people saying that Desmond Ridder isn’t going to be talented enough to accentuate the skill-position talent, I would counter that they’ve never seen a truly gifted point guard at work. Ridder can and will be that guy. Putting Atlanta at No. 21 is a fair reflection of future potential, a stock that you could, and should, buy now and enjoy the profits later on," SI's Conor Orr writes.

Despite the below-average ranking, the Falcons are atop the NFC South and ahead of the New Orleans Saints (24), Panthers (25) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31).

Even with the division title attainable for the Falcons going into the season, Atlanta knows it won't be easy. However, a win against the Panthers on Sunday will go a long way towards building momentum for the season. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Published Sep 7, 2023

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.