Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 4

Once again, the Washington Redskins are not in Tier IV, even after losing on Thursday Night Football to division rival New York. Though Kirk Cousins is extremely efficient in throwing interceptions (the polar opposite of Aaron Rodgers), I like the two back tandem Washington has on offense in Matt Jones and Alfred Morris. When the Redskins can run the football with conviction, they’re usually a halfway decent team.

I think their defense improves via subtraction of former DC Jim Haslett. Losing CB DeAngelo Hall to a toe injury for a month stinks, but I think the Redskins can tread water defensively in his absence. Their dysfunctional reputation hurts them, but the Washington Redskins might actually be a 6-win to .500 team this year. Cousins has to stop throwing picks for that to happen, but it’s possible.

Detroit is in a really bad place with regards to their football team. Heading into Seattle with an 0-3 record could not sound any worse. The offensive line is letting QB Matthew Stafford get ravaged at least once every set of downs. After watching Sunday Night Football, I’m afraid for his health and I can’t see him playing 16 games should this type of beating continue.

Admittedly, the Lions first four games are against tough opponents (the San Diego Chargers, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos), but Detroit went 11-5 last year and made the NFC Playoffs. Week 4 in Seattle is a must win game for HC Jim Caldwell and the Detroit Lions. Too bad Seattle is the toughest place to play football on the road in the last half decade.

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When the pyrotechnics set the turf ablaze in the Edward Jones Dome, you knew that it wasn’t the St. Louis Rams’ day. After declawing division rival Seattle in Week 1, the Rams have dropped their last two games to Washington and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The defense is still good, the offense still isn’t.

Even with Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger being carted off the field with a lower leg injury, the Rams’ offense could only generate 6 points of offense and fell to Michael Vick‘s team, 12-6. Over a decade ago the St. Louis Rams had the Greatest Show on Turf. Now we know that sparks can still fly on the turf in the Arch City, so long as the Rams organization has faulty, game-delaying pyrotechnics on the sidelines.

The New York Football Giants got in the win column by defeating division rival Washington on Thursday Night Football. Eli Manning still can win games on a big stage and the Giants could stand as a serious sleeper in the NFC landscape this fall. Should the WR corps continue to grow and the offensive line keep Eli clean in the pocket, then New York can contend in the NFC.

I think the Giants have enough talent to stay relevant in the East the entire year, but do the Giants have the intangibles, the necessary mental toughness to win games in adverse circumstances? So far, their 0-1 in that department after letting a 10 point lead with the chance to get more in the red zone against the Atlanta Falcons slip away in Week 2. The Giants can play as good or as bad as they want to this season. It’s up to them.

Next: Tier II: NFC Wild Card Contenders