Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 12

It’s not that the San Francisco 49ers are the worst team in the NFC, it just has more to do with that they are not better than either Detroit or Dallas. The Niners will go with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback the rest of the way, as backup Colin Kaepernick went on IR with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. To me, that sounds like Kap is on his way out of San Francisco. Could he fit with Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles, assuming Kelly survives the Philly lynch mob.

If San Francisco didn’t beat Atlanta, this would have been an easier decision to make, as the 49ers would sit at 2-8. Since they lost to Seattle in Week 11 and both Detroit and Dallas won, I have to put San Francisco at the bottom of the NFC this week. There are worse teams in the AFC, but San Francisco will have a Top 10 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

What do you know? The Detroit Lions have won back-to-back games to move to 3-7 on the year. Perhaps I’ve been underselling Jim Caldwell’s team too much in 2015. I swear that the 2015 Detroit Lions are a replica of the 2013 Atlanta Falcons, a team with abysmal pass protection coming off a playoff berth, destined to finish 4-12 and nothing more.

So are the 2015 Detroit Lions better than a 4-12 football team? They could go 5-11, maybe 6-10 if they are lucky. The truth is, the Lions need to invest in a suitable offensive if they want to get back to playing contending football. Perhaps it is time to cultivate a new identity not around QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson? Detroit could handle a rebuild wisely picking in the Top 10, but history isn’t on their side.

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Dallas isn’t the worst team in the NFC anymore for one and only one reason: QB Tony Romo is back and that changes everything. All three of Dallas’ wins in 2015 have come with Romo under center. Could Dallas rattle off seven straight wins and claim the NFC East Division title for their own? Unlikely, as this team still loses games even with Romo at quarterback.

It’s great to see a passer of his caliber back starting for his team, but that eight week stretch without Romo opened up a can of worms that nobody could stomach. Dallas was the worst team in football without one player. Jerry Jones should use the 2015 season as an opportunity to seriously re-calibrate his roster for next year. Expect tremendous roster turnover during the free agency period in early spring.

I’ve finally figured this football team out! The Philadelphia Eagles are not good. This team will have to win out to get to 10 wins for the third straight season under HC Chip Kelly. The quarterback situation in Philly is a mess and outside of their pass rush, this team doesn’t do anything particularly well.

Philadelphia may want to shop for a quarterback in free agency because nothing promising is coming out of college this season. This Eagles team under Kelly sinks or swims with his offense. With Sam Bradford hurt, Mark Sanchez still turning the football over and Tim Tebow doing television, does Chip Kelly actually miss Nick Foles or does he already have eyes set on something else. Is that another quarterback or another college head coaching gig?

Next: Tier III: NFC Playoff Pretenders