Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 4

I came away impressed with the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over the New York Jets. New York had statistically the best defense in the NFL. Eagles players like KR Darren Sproles didn’t care about that one bit, taking a return to the house on Gang Green.

The DeMarco Murray signing has proven fruitless in the first three weeks for Chip Kelly. He didn’t play last week and looked pedestrian in Weeks 1 and 2. Sam Bradford is still healthy and the Eagles are starting to develop some cohesiveness on offense. Philly is teetering between good and bad entering Week 4. How they play in Washington could set the tone for the rest of their season.

The Minnesota Vikings aren’t a sneaky good team anymore. That’s because so much of the NFC has underwhelmed in the first three weeks. In the first three games of 2015, we know that the same Vikings principle holds true: the team goes as RB Adrian Peterson goes.

AD had an outstanding game in Week 3 against the San Diego Chargers. He looks like the old AD. I feel that Minnesota’s core is better around Peterson in 2015 than it was in his record-setting 2012 campaign. The Vikings have enough talent to make the playoffs, but their schedule isn’t easy (NFC West and AFC West). Can they steal a game in Denver next week? I think they can, but I don’t think that the Vikings are catching the Packers in the NFC North this season. Expect them to contend for a Wild Card Berth into Week 17.

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The Carolina Panthers are another team that I still don’t have a good understanding of. Yes, they are 3-0, but looked at who they’ve played: Jacksonville, Houston, and New Orleans. Not that the Panthers have any control over it, but those are 3 of the 10 worst teams in football entering Week 4.

We still won’t know how good the Panthers are after Week 4 when they travel to Tampa. However, entering Week 5 undefeated puts the Carolina Panthers in a great position to make the playoffs for the third year in a row. I see them as a no doubt, NFC playoff team, regardless of how soft their schedule is to start 2015.

No more reason to panic in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Seahawks are back in the win column after shutting out the Bears at home in Week 3. The ‘Hawks got back S Kam Chancellor and found a way to get TE Jimmy Graham the ball on offense. Seattle’s defense got its talons back and the Legion of Boom happily reunited.

Thinking that Seattle will miss the playoffs in 2015 is almost unfathomable. However, it isn’t a sure thing that the ‘Hawks three-peat as NFC Champs, let alone win the NFC West. I have questions with the offense should Seattle find themselves in a hole early. Can Russell Wilson take that next step as a passer in Year Four? Sure, he can rely on RB Marshawn Lynch and the Legion of Boom in the short-term, but what happens in three years when free agency has made him the best player on the Seahawks?

Next: Tier I: Projected NFC Division Winners