Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 4
By John Buhler
. . Previous: . Chicago Bears. 16. team. 57
Though I like John Fox as a Head Coach and Adam Gase as an Offensive Coordinator, this 2015 Chicago Bears team is a far cry from the legendary team 30 years ago: Da ’85 Bears. The offense without Jay Cutler didn’t score any points against the Seahawks last week and the defense will be without a few familiar faces entering Week 4.
Jared Allen is now with the Carolina Panthers. I’m struggling to think who is the face of the Chicago Bears defense. Why am I having to ask myself that question? The Bears always have a great defense. What universe is this? It’s only Week 4 but it feels like the Bears are only playing for pride at this point. It would shock me to see Chicago match last year’s win total of 5 in 2015.
15. team. 42. . . Previous: . San Francisco 49ers
It seems like eons ago when the San Francisco 49ers dominated the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 in the second Monday Night Football game. The Niners have fallen back to earth ungracefully, as division rival Arizona destroyed them in Glendale last week 47-7. Ouch!
Colin Kaepernick was an interception throwing machine with four picks to the swarming Cardinals’ secondary. This team isn’t a championship contender anymore, nor is it even a .500 team anymore. Though Jim Tomsula seems like a decent guy, he doesn’t have enough talent to contend in the tough NFC West in 2015. GM Trent Baalke is certainly on the hot seat in the Bay Area.
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. . Previous: . New Orleans Saints. 14. team. 15
Starting out the year 0-3 doesn’t bode well for the Saints’ chances to make the playoffs. It doesn’t help that their best player, QB Drew Brees, is dealing with great discomfort in his rotator cuff. Verizon spokesman Luke McCown threw for a ton of yards but no touchdowns in the Saints’ 27-22 loss to divisional rival Carolina.
Being in salary cap purgatory has made it difficult for the New Orleans brass to field a contending team. The change of guard in offensive weaponry isn’t going as smoothly as GM Mickey Loomis intended. Though the Saints will host a Dallas Cowboys team without QB Tony Romo and WR Dez Bryant, I’m not certain that New Orleans has enough bravado to best a Cowboys team angry after last week’s let down to Atlanta. Starting 0-4 could be the beginning of the end for a lot of pieces in place for the 2015 New Orleans Saints.
team. 48. . . Previous: . Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 13
Tampa Bay is 1-2 after a beatdown by the Tennessee Titans, a late game stop of the New Orleans Saints, and a lackluster offensive showing versus the Houston Texans. Still, I find Tampa intriguing not just because their starting quarterback is Jameis Winston, but in that I don’t know what this year’s team’s ceiling is.
This isn’t a 2-14 team like last year. Do the Bucs win 5, 6, possibly 7 games? Or is it more of the 3 or 4 variety? They have the pieces on offense to make it work, but can they learn to play with poise when the game is on the line? The Buccaneers host rival Carolina at Raymond James on Sunday. Rivalry games are unpredictable. Maybe the Bucs get back to .500 with a thrilling upset over the Panthers? In all likelihood, they will fall to 1-3.
Next: Tier III: NFC Playoff Pretenders