Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 10

I want this St. Louis Rams team to fight for a playoff berth so badly. It’s been a decade since the Atlanta Falcons knocked them out of the 2004 NFC Playoffs in the divisional round. The Rams have an outstanding defense and Todd Gurley at running back. Their problem is that they have the worst passing game in the NFL.

Nick Foles has thrown for just over 1,400 yards this season. Philip Rivers threw for a third of that in one game against Green Bay. St. Louis signed Wes Welker yesterday to combat Stedman Bailey‘s four-game suspension, but will that help the Rams’ passing game? It’s their Achilles’ Heel in 2015 and I’m afraid it will cost them a playoff spot. Hopefully I’m wrong, but it’s hard to overcome that bad of a passing game and still win consistently.

Here we are entering Week 10 with Seattle still very much alive in the NFC Playoff picture. The ‘Hawks clawed their way back to .500 and look to get above it in Week 10 after their bye. Getting both Marshawn Lynch and Jimmy Graham heavily involved in the offense could give Seattle the boost they need to get either a Wild Card berth or possibly win the division.

Seattle could play well in the second half of 2015 as they try to defend their NFC throne. However, they are still two games back of Arizona in the West and a game and a half back of Atlanta for the six-seed. The Seahawks will need to continue to play well and some other teams slide if they want a seat at the table in the NFC Playoffs. They’re out, but barely.

More from ATL All Day

• Atlanta Braves: Felix Has Already Shown Enough to Win a Rotation Spot
• Atlanta Braves Implode Late To Phillies, Cole Hamels Remains Sidelined
• Kyle Wright Shines As Folty Struggles In Atlanta Braves Loss To Red Sox
• Atlanta Hawks Sweep Back-to-Back Games Over Weekend
• Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League Play Check Up

The Atlanta Falcons played down to their competition in the easiest part of the easy 2015 schedule, without question. This team needs a serious wake up call during their bye. The play of late has not been acceptable. If this team wants to make the playoffs, they will need to at worse go 4-3 in their final 7 games of 2015.

Let’s get absolutely everything we can out of this Week 10 bye and come out as a different football team in Week 11 when the Indianapolis Colts come to town. Atlanta may have a game and a half cushion in the Wild Card race, but that could evaporate in a few weeks. Fix it, guys.

The Minnesota Vikings are at 6-2 and are clearly a better team than I was giving them credit for. It helps getting back an angry Adrian Peterson and having a soft schedule to start the year. Their Rams win on Sunday was their best of the season. The schedule for the Vikings only gets harder from here on out.

They sit tied with Green Bay atop the NFC North Standings, but recent history is still very much on Green Bay’s side. The Vikings feel like a playoff team, but I’m not sure that the are better than Green Bay entering Week 10. However, the separation between one and two in the North feels razor-thin in mid-November.

Next: Tier I: Projected NFC Division Winners