Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 1

Aug 14, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) celebrates after he scored a touchdown against Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin (33) in the first quarter of their preseason NFL football game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons fans, the 2015 NFL regular season is upon us, which means it’s time for the first edition of our weekly NFC Power Rankings here at ATL All Day.

The Atlanta Falcons finished the preseason with a 2-2 record under new Head Coach Dan Quinn, and have seen improvement on both sides of the ball. Matt Ryan and the offense looks explosive, while the defense under Defensive Coordinator Richard Smith has improved in their pass rushing capability and in the secondary.

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Julio Jones was signed to a new contract a couple of weeks back, which will provide offensive stability for years to come. The offensive line does remain a concern for the Atlanta Falcons, as the team has added two new faces over the course of the past week in Andy Levitre and Gino Gradkowski to provide consistency up front to defend Matt Ryan in Kyle Shanahan’s new zone blocking scheme.

Tevin Coleman was named the “starting” back by nature of Devonta Freeman‘s inability to play during the preseason, so it will be interesting to see how the running back battle shapes up early on — especially if the Atlanta Falcons do decide to sign former Denver Bronco and Wisconsin RB Montee Ball.

As the Atlanta Falcons prepare for their home opener on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, let’s take a look at the state of the NFC and how the teams stand going into Week 1:

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