If the Saints are the darlings of NFL media at the moment—and with their position in ESPN’s latest power rankings and their post-NFC Conference Championship Game coverage, there’s little arguing to do there—the Falcons have faded back into their customary gloom. A large part of that is deserved after an ugly season, but an equally large part is the team’s uncertain immediate future.
In the aforementioned ESPN power rankings, the Falcons place at #17, just ahead of the Panthers (#18), far ahead of the Buccaneers (#29), and well behind the Saints (#1).