Falcons in Free Fall in NFL.com Week 14 Power Rankings

The Atlanta Falcons dropped again on the NFL.com power rankings ahead of Week 14.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons have lost three in a row. As a result, the Falcons have dropped eight spots on the weekly power rankings from NFL.com over the last month.

Ahead of Week 14, NFL.com's Eric Edholm placed the Falcons at No. 19 on his Week 14 NFL power rankings.

"Kirk Cousins has stacked three straight poor games, throwing six interceptions and zero touchdowns, with the Falcons dropping all three. It’s to the point where asking if Michael Penix Jr. is Atlanta’s best option isn’t met with immediate scorn," Edholm wrote. "Cousins had two four-TD games against the Bucs, throwing for 506 yards in the first meeting, but he’s just not right at this juncture of the season. Cousins’ four interceptions Sunday all came on the Chargers’ side of the field, including one in the end zone and one where he was baited into throwing a 61-yard pick-six.

"It was Atlanta’s best defensive effort of the season, which included a stunning five sacks and a forced fumble, allowing one play longer than 20 yards all game. The Falcons looked to be a playoff lock three weeks ago, but their chances are barely hovering above 50 percent as we speak."

Things can change quickly in the NFL. The Falcons are the latest prime example of that.

As Edholm concluded, the Falcons not making the playoffs was an afterthought a month ago. They completed a sweep of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in October and held the organization's best record since 2017 at the midseason point.

Now, the Falcons will have to turn things around quickly to make the postseason. The Falcons are one of six NFC teams either 6-6 or 5-7 entering Weeek 14, but Atlanta is the only one in a playoff spot because of the team's lead in the division. The Falcons hold that spot because of the aforementioned sweep of the Buccaneers.

If the Falcons lose and the Buccaneers win in Week 14, Atlanta is guaranteed to fall out of a playoff spot entirely.

Tampa Bay has won two in a row and sat at No. 13 on Edholm's Week 14 power rankings. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers came in at No. 24 and 26, respectively.