Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Falcons Rise Slightly in NFL.com Week 2 Power Rankings
The Atlanta Falcons had high expectations coming into the 2024 season despite years of futility. Those expectations fell flat on Week 1 in a bizarre showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Atlanta gave a glimpse of who they can become this season with a win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.
Kirk Cousins showed that maybe the Falcons were “a quarterback away” when he marched the Falcons down the field for the game winner in the two-minute drill. The game was closed by Atlanta’s best defensive player when All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III intercepted Jalen Hurts’s ill-advised pass.
The Eagles were No. 4 in NFL.com’s Week 1 Power Rankings, while the Falcons were No. 23. How much did Atlanta’s impressive-road win against an NFC powerhouse affect the Week 2 rankings?
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Turns out – not much.
The Falcons climbed three spots to No. 20, while the Eagles dipped two places from No. 4 to No. 6.
“After Saquon Barkley dropped what would have been the game-clinching pass on Monday night, the door was left open for Kirk Cousins to author a game-winning touchdown drive that was absolutely stunning — both in its efficiency and in the fact that the Falcons have a quarterback capable of doing this again,” wrote Eric Edholm on NFL.com. “Cousins lined up under center more often against Philly, which looked more natural, but early in the game, the 36-year-old’s deeper passes were dying on him. Even a few completions were badly underthrown.
“However, Atlanta’s offensive line looked good early, paving the way for a wicked run game and keeping Cousins’ pocket mostly clean. You certainly can point the finger at the Eagles for coughing this one up after it looked over more than once, but you also have to credit Cousins and some clutch plays from Darnell Mooney, Drake London and Ray-Ray McCloud III. This was the biggest win for the Falcons in a few years.”
It’s not hyperbole to think this was the biggest win for the Falcons in several years. Last year’s Week 7 win in Tampa Bay to push the Falcons to 4-3 might be close. Arthur Smith got himself fired by dropping the next three to quarterbacks making their first appearance of the season (or their careers).
The 2024 team has talent and expectations, something the squad has lacked in recent years. Now they have some momentum. NFL.com’s Power Rankings, and ESPN’s for that matter, blame the Eagles for losing the game, while not giving credit to the Falcons for winning it.
The Eagles were without A.J. Brown and had more than one head-scratching coaching decisions. The Falcons still had to go out and make the plays. This isn’t the finished product for Atlanta by a long shot. Kirk Cousins made his second start since his Achilles injury, with a new team, with a play caller in his second-career game.
This is an offense under Cousins in its infancy. They’ll need to grow up fast to reach the heights expected of them in 2024. However, they didn’t just take baby steps on Monday night against the Eagles, they took a giant leap forward.
The wins will come, and so will the national respect.
Sunday evening forecast
Expect above-normal temperatures to start the week out. The FOX 5 Storm Team is tracking the arrival of the next cold front. Here’s the latest.
ATLANTA – Winter’s roller-coaster temperatures are climbing back up the hill this week, with another drop expected next week.
Patchy fog could affect the start of the workweek across parts of north and central Georgia, followed by a rapid warmup that may push temperatures close to record levels before a sharp cooldown by the weekend, according to the FOX 5 Storm Team.
How warm will it get this week?
By the numbers:
Monday is expected to look similar to Sunday, with filtered sunshine and mild temperatures. “Tomorrow looks very similar to today’s, mostly sunny, a bit mild,” FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Greg Majewski said, with highs generally in the low to mid-60s.
The warming trend strengthens as the week continues. Overnight lows will rise into the 40s and near 50, followed by daytime highs climbing into the upper 60s and low 70s by midweek. “The trend is going to be going upward here for the week,” Majewski said.
Several days in the 70s are possible, bringing temperatures close to record territory. “We’re hitting the 70s here three days in a row,” he said. “This is going to get awfully close to the record high.”
Rain chances remain limited early in the week, though Majewski said a weak boundary could bring “a couple of isolated showers” late Tuesday. More meaningful rain is expected later in the week as a stronger system approaches.
By Friday night into Saturday, showers and thunderstorms could move through the area, followed by a dramatic cooldown. “Here comes the rain coming in on Friday, kind of late,” Majewski said, adding that colder air will move in behind the system.
How cold will it get this weekend?
What’s next:
Temperatures are expected to fall sharply by Sunday. “Boom. 51, 37,” Majewski said. “Much colder Sunday.”
That cold snap could bring another return to winterlike mornings early next week. “That means that Monday morning we’ll probably see the twenties back in here yet again,” he said. “So the roller-coaster ride of our winter continues here across Georgia.”
The Source: This article contains an original forecast by the FOX 5 Storm Team. The National Weather Service contributed to this report.
Well the NBP posted players all seem to be settled now, with Imai and Okamoto having signed with an MLB club and Takahashi returning to the NBP. Those players do not seem to have sparked movement in the overall market, either in free agency or in trades, at least so far, as this offseason continues to be glacial. Hopefully things pick up a bit as we get more separation from the holidays. The Braves still seem to be motivated to make a big addition, but this front office has shown that the right deal has to be there for them to pull the trigger.
ATLANTA – A man was stabbed Saturday in southeast Atlanta, according to police.
What we know:
According to Atlanta police, officers responded to the 400 block of Moreland Avenue SE to reports of a male who had been stabbed. Investigators believe a female and male were involved in a dispute that resulted in the stabbing.
What we don’t know:
Police did not identify the male or female.
No word yet on charges.
The Source: Information provided by the Atlanta Police Department.
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