NFL Power Rankings: Where Are Falcons After Bye?

The Atlanta Falcons didn't play over the weekend. But did their placement in this week's power rankings change?

Jeremy Brener | Dec 13, 2022

The Atlanta Falcons will look very different when they return from their bye this week.

Instead of trotting out Marcus Mariota under center, the team is making a change to third-round rookie Desmond Ridder at quarterback.

For those who have watched the Falcons, it's not much of a surprise. Mariota has struggled in recent weeks, likely dealing with a knee injury. However, the Falcons are just one game back from the NFC South division lead and Ridder will be tasked with leading the team there.

It's a huge risk, which is why the Falcons fell three spots in this week's power rankings from Sports Illustrated. Despite being on a bye, the Falcons dropped three spots from No. 22 to 25.

"I think it’s fair to appreciate Marcus Mariota keeping the Falcons (somewhat) afloat and be excited about the debut of Desmond Ridder," SI writes. "If nothing else, Arthur Smith and the Falcons’ offensive staff are not afraid to draw inspiration from across the football world, and, like Mariota’s debut, which was an array of creative backfield motion concepts, my guess is that Ridder will have his first few drives heavily schemed."

The Falcons play the New Orleans Saints Sunday at Caesar's Superdome. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Published Dec 13, 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.