Days of Valor and Courage in the NFL: The Atlanta Falcons vs. The New England Patriots – NFL Power Rankings
The New England Patriots
One of the most notorious monoliths of all time, the New England Patriots, have somehow managed to survive unscathed through the years, through changes of administration and ownership, and through the years of retirement, and still maintain a resplendent appearance. The Patriots, the original champions of the American Football League (AFL), have won five titles since the merger of the NFL and AIA in 1960, and their home-field advantage has remained intact through the strong rise of new teams. On the surface, the Patriots appear to be a stable and reliable team who have seen little change in the face of recent events, but behind the scenes, there is much more to them than meets the eye.
The Atlanta Falcons
Ancient, wily and skilled in the ways of the spread, the Atlanta Falcons are the perfect foil for the New England Patriots at the moment. The Falcons, who possess an eerily similar game to the Patriots, have shown no sign of slowing down, and are actually on pace for more wins than the Patriots are this season. It is, of course, easy to forget that the Falcons are still in the very early stages of their transition to a new uniform style, with the pants still being black.
The Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have not quite established themselves as a title-contender, but they have managed to remain a consistent and reliable force in the rivalry with New England. In fact, the Ravens have shown no signs of slowing down, and have cruised past the Patriots in six of seven meetings between the teams this season. The Ravens also have the league’s best record at 5-1, and they are currently sitting atop the power rankings with a standing 5th place ranking in the Overall Power Rankings.
The Denver Broncos
The Broncos, who sport a much more traditional look to their uniform, were once one of the most dominant teams in the entire National Football League. However, under the direction of coach Josh McDaniels and general manager offical success has been fleeting. The Broncos have won three games this season, and are currently sitting at 1-4. Fortunately, the NFL has been remarkably lenient on the penalties applied to New England for the many flagrant fouls committed against the team, and the NFL Office of officials has remained remarkably consistent in applying the right flags in recent years.
The Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have managed to survive through the years, and have managed to remain very much in the public consciousness in the years since the merger of the NFL and AIA in 1960. The Panthers have since won two Super Bowls and were recently sentenced to 10 games for the many flagrant fouls committed against the team during that period. Furthermore, Panthers fans can thank legendary coach and general manager Dan Reeves for keeping the team at a high pace in the years since the team was acquired from the New York Giants.
The Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have managed to survive through the years, and have managed to remain very much in the public consciousness in the years since the merger of the NFL and AIA in 1960. The Dolphins have since won two Super Bowls, and have been recently sentenced to 10 games for the many flagrant fouls committed against the team during that period. Furthermore, Dolphins fans can thank former Miami head coach Gil Brandt for keeping the team at a high pace in the years since the team was acquired from the New York Giants in 1972.
The Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are another team with a long and illustrious history, dating back to the days of the National Football League. However, the Philadelphia Eagles do not seem to be in the same league as the New England Patriots in terms of the numbers of victories and points scored during the period of time since the merger of the NFL and AIA in 1960. However, the Philadelphia Eagles do seem to be in the same league as the Pittsburgh Steelers in terms of their consistency in the season and in the two-game series against the New York Giants.
The Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are another team with a long and illustrious history, dating back to the days of the National Football League. However, the Green Bay Packers have managed to survive through the years, and have managed to remain very much in the public consciousness in the years since the merger of the NFL and AIA in 1960. The Green Bay Packers have also shown no signs of slowing down, and are currently sitting at 7-5.
The Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks are another team with a long and illustrious history, dating back to the days of the National Football League. However, the Seattle Seahawks do seem to be in the same league as the New England Patriots in terms of the numbers of victories and points scored during the period of time since the merger of the NFL and AIA in 1960. However, the Seahawks also seem to be in the same league as the Detroit Lions in terms of their consistency in the season and in the two-game series against the New York Giants.
game of the week- recap
The New England Patriots have been one of the most dominant teams in the NFL for many seasons. But in recent years, the team has found itself in the crosshairs of the NFL office of officials, who are looking for more than just wins and points. In their search for more than that, the office of officials have been targeting the Patriots for their wear and tear on the field, particularly in the running game. These days, running back Shane Veread has a special place in history as one of the most dominant players in NFL history. In fact, Veread has managed to carry the team through some truly scary moments, such as the debate between gay marriage and traditional marriage in New England a few years back, and the near-perfectionism that has come with it. As for Head Coach Bill Belichick, he has also seen changes in the past few seasons, as the team has found itself deeper into their rebuild under new ownership. The team now has more young players on the team than ever, and the leadership that has developed through the years has now become much more spread out.
The Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are another team that has seen change in recent years, as the team has found itself deeper into the rebuilding process under new ownership. The Browns are also now without starting QB/ Quarterback Geno Smith, who has been out of the lineup for almost a month. The Browns have also added running back/ Receiving Club captain James White to the team in recent years, after a down year for the team in 2009. White has also been able to help the team improve in the field position battle, where the Browns trail the Atlanta Falcons by a large margin.
The Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have also seen change in recent years, as the team has discovered that it needs a new identity and logo, as well as a new approach to player management. The team also found itself deeper into the rebuild under new ownership, after losing both GM Bob Moog and HC Jim Caldwell to retirement in 2011. The Detroit Lions remain as one of the most consistent teams in the NFL, and have shown no sign of slowing down. The team even managed to take one game off of the worldwide stage in the football eyes by winning their first game in the NFL for more than 50 years in 2011.
