Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 17

Dec 27, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) scores a touchdown past Carolina Panthers defensive end Jared Allen (69) in the second quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Rams have won three straight since ending their awful five-game slide mid-season. St. Louis does three things very well: run the football, play defense, and win NFC West games. The Rams are 4-1 in the West and despite having one of the worst offenses in football, could finish at 8-8 by defeating the reeling San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

.500 is about what we should expect out of a Jeff Fisher coached football team. The Rams are a competitive team a tough division. However, even if they do finish the season on a four-game winning streak, it may not stand as enough to keep Fisher in the Arch City.

Though the Atlanta Falcons will miss the NFC Playoffs for the third consecutive year, the future looks bright for this football team. The Dirty Birds are one win away from their first winning season in three years.

Offensively, the Falcons are more balanced than I can recall in the Matt Ryan era. Defensively, only a few players are missing from making this an elite unit. Here’s to beating the dreaded Saints on Sunday to move to 9-7 on the year, carrying all momentum into 2016.

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Seattle may not stand as the most imposing Wild Card threat in the NFC anymore. A season sweep at the hand of the Rams puts the ‘Hawks at 9-6 on the year: proof that anybody can beat anybody on any given Sunday.

The Seahawks know that they will travel to one of three cities in two weeks for a Wild Card round game: Landover, Minneapolis, or Green Bay. Seattle has played its last game at Century Link this season. The 12th Man won’t aid the club in the NFC Playoffs.

Green Bay is coming off its worst loss of the season, getting destroyed by the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale on Sunday, 38-8. The worst part about this loss is that the Packers will likely have to return to Glendale in the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs should they want to get to Super Bowl 50.

The offensive inconsistencies of the Packers and their so-so defense aren’t Super Bowl caliber. This team may have 10 wins, but they are not a strong 10-win football team. It’ll take a big upset for the Packers to get back to the NFC Championship this season.

Next: Tier I: Projected NFC Division Winners