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Tabeek's NFL Power Rankings: Chiefs hold top spot, Falcons move closer to top 10

Three NFC South teams are in the top 12 spots as Week 1 kicks off

Sep 10, 2020 at 09:32 AM
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Matthew Tabeek

Digital Managing Editor

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We're about to (FINALLY!) play some actual contact football this week – and the good news is that the games will count in the standings. Whether there are some fans or no fans in NFL stadiums initially because of the global pandemic, we'll at least be able to watch the games on TV. And what a sight for sore eyes it'll be.

The first game of 2020 is Thursday night when the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs play host the Houston Texans. Speaking of the Chiefs, they kick off my 2020 Wildly Important NFL Power Rankings in the top spot – and I think they'll be keeping that seat warm quite a bit this season.

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As far as the biggest movers since the last set of rankings (May 1 following the NFL Draft and free agency), the Dallas Cowboys jump six spots – from No. 11 to the fifth spot. The Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions both moved up five spots heading into Week 1.

The Atlanta Falcons are two spots out of the top 10 right now after moving up a couple spots. I really liked the Falcons' offseason moves – trading for Hayden Hurst, and then signing Dante Fowler and Todd Gurley in free agency. While I think the majority of Falcons' draft picks will impact this team as the season moves on, first-round pick A.J. Terrell looks like he will make an immediate difference in that secondary.

So, without further ado, it's time for the Week 1 edition of my Wildly Important NFL Power Rankings. These rankings will appear here on AtlantaFalcons.com every Tuesday morning. Enjoy!

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Chiefs_table
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs may be even better on offense this year. Chew on that for a minute.
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Ravens_table
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson was a blast to watch last season. I think he only improves, and I love the moves to bolster the running game.
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Saints_table
New Orleans Saints
This looks like the last hurrah for Drew Brees in New Orleans, and I think they’re going to be a tough out in the NFC this season.
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49ers_table
San Francisco 49ers
As Jimmy G goes, so do the Niners on offense. Keep a close eye on rookie Javon Kinlaw. He’s got big shoes to fill after losing DeForest Buckner.
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Cowboys_table
Dallas Cowboys
Can Mike McCarthy, the new sheriff in town, take this talented roster to a place it hasn’t been in 25 years? Dak Prescott is betting on himself.
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Vikings_table
Minnesota Vikings
Loved the trade for edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue. Paired with Danielle Hunter, the Purple People Eaters might be back in 2020.
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1
Bills_table
Buffalo Bills
I feel like a lot of people are sleeping on this team. They’ll become the new bullies of the AFC East.
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Seahawks_table
Seattle Seahawks
Love the talent they’re assembling around Russell Wilson, but my biggest question with them: Where’s the pass rush coming from?
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Steelers_table
Pittsburgh Steelers
Big Ben is back and has a decent number of weapons at his disposal. Oh yeah, that Steelers D is among the best in the league.
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Packers_table
Green Bay Packers
Talk about under-the-radar teams. The Packers made it to the NFC title game, won their division and went 13-3 last year. They’re good.
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Bucs_table
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Every time I turn around, they’re signing another name player. They’ve assembled lots of talent, but can they bring it together?
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Falcons_Table
Atlanta Falcons
They were aggressive in the offseason, adding Hayden Hurst, Todd Gurley and Dante Fowler. I think the upgrades push them into the playoffs.
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Titans_table
Tennessee Titans
They made a nice run before falling short in the playoffs a year ago. Adding Jadeveon Clowney certainly helps that pass rush.
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Eagles_table
Philadelphia Eagles
I’m not as high on the Eagles as some. Doug Pederson is a good coach, but can they stay healthy? If so, they’re a playoff team (again).
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Texans_table
Houston Texans
Huge Deshaun Watson fan but some of their offseason moves (trading DeAndre Hopkins) have been head-scratchers.
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5
Cardinals_Table
Arizona Cardinals
Speaking of DeAndre Hopkins, I like some of the moves they’ve made and they could be a surprise team to make the playoffs.
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Colts_table
Indianapolis Colts
Adding Philip Rivers and DeForest Buckner were two significant moves. I like the talent on this roster and absolutely love that offensive line.
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Rams_table
Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVey will get that offense going eventually if the running back-by-committee approach works out. They still have Aaron Donald.
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Patriots_table
New England Patriots
Bill Belichick is still the coach and that defense was really good a year ago. It’ll be interesting to see what Cam Newton can do.
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Raiders_table
Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr and the offense should be better – they’ve added speed on the outside and Josh Jacobs is a capable runner. Will the defense be better?
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Broncos_table
Denver Broncos
It looks like Von Miller, their best player on defense, might be lost for the season. Huge blow.
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Browns_table
Cleveland Browns
Ah, remember all the hype surrounding this team a year ago? I’ll believe it when I see it. Lots of question marks still.
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Chargers_table
Los Angeles Chargers
The Bolts have talent on defense and questions on offense, namely at quarterback. Can Tyrod Taylor drive the bus long enough for Justin Herbert to take over?
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Lions_table
Detroit Lions
It’s go-time for Matt Patricia’s gang. The (very) good news for Patricia is that Matthew Stafford looks like he’s healthy again.
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Jets_table
New York Jets
Sam Darnold has shown (flashes) that he can be the long-term answer behind center. That’s a positive.
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Bengals_table
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow, A.J. Green and Joe Mixon. That’s a nice set of triplets to work with. I think they’ll be better and surprise some teams.
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Dolphins_table
Miami Dolphins
It all comes down to Tua Tagovailoa. It’s clear the Dolphins see him as the foundation and are building around him.
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Bears_table
Chicago Bears
Mitchell Trubisky is the Week 1 starter. How long he remains there will be telling, especially with Nick Foles on standby.
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Panthers_table
Carolina Panthers
They have the league’s best all-around running back, but not much else around him. Matt Rhule, however, has a history of turning programs around.
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Giants_table
New York Giants
Daniel Jones should be improved and has the luxury of handing off to Saquon Barkley. Won’t mean much if that O-line isn’t better.
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Washington_table
Washington Football Team
I think Ron Rivera is a really good football coach and his work cut out for him. They do have Chase Young on defense.
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Jaguars_table
Jacksonville Jaguars
I get that their trying to change the culture and build around guys who want to be there. But they’ve traded away and released a lot of talent, too.
Kyle Pitts catch

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