Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 3

I know it’s only two weeks in, but I’m beginning to wonder if the Chicago Bears will even match last year’s win total of 5 in 2015. QB Jay Cutler is dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that could keep him out of games and the offense isn’t adjusting well without Brandon Marshall, now with the New York Jets, and Alshon Jeffery‘s own injury concerns. I realize that the Bears played two behemoths in the NFC in their first two games (Green Bay and Arizona), but things could go from bad to terrible very quickly for Da Bears in 2015.

The New Orleans Saints are 0-2, dropping their first two games to the Cardinals and divisional rival Buccaneers. They will be without QB Drew Brees for several games who is suffering from a torn rotator cuff. Rob Ryan’s defense is both injury-riddled and ineffective. Will S Jairus Byrd ever live up to that contract GM Mickey Loomis gave him a few years back to pry him away from Buffalo? Though WR Brandin Cooks looks like a special player, I’m not sure that Mark Ingram will become that featured back the Saints desperately need. It’s hard to admit it, but the New Orleans Saints’ home loss to Tampa might mean that they are now the worst team in the NFC South.

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I have a feeling that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will yo-yo in the bottom half of the NFC all season. Much of that is contingent on the play of 1st overall pick QB Jameis Winston. He helped guide the Bucs to an important division win on the road versus New Orleans. Last week, he struggled against Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans. The running game seems like it will help Winston this fall and it’s still up in the air if Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 Defense will work consistently against top flight aerial attacks in 2015. Tampa could win 6 or 7 games this year, but they could also win only 3 or 4. For now, the Buccaneers beat the Saints in the Superdome, so that’s a big step in the right direction for Tampa Bay.

Which San Francisco 49ers team is the real one and which one is the bizarro? The Niners dominated the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football in Week 1, holding the Purple People-Eaters to 3 points in Santa Clara. On Sunday, the Steelers put up 43 points on the 49ers’ defense. Recent history says that San Francisco can hang tough and finish around .500, but the mass exodus of players and coaches in the offseason may indicate otherwise. I feel that how the perform in the NFC West will decide if they’re an okay team or a bottom feeder in 2015.

Next: Tier III: NFC Playoff Pretenders