After a 5-0 start, the Atlanta Falcons climbed to No. 3 in the ESPN Power Rankings.
Then a 31-21 loss to the one-win division rival New Orleans Saints made the Falcons tumble a bit.
In the latest rankings, the Falcons stand at No. 7, right behind undefeated NFC South foe Carolina (5-0). The New England Patriots (5-0), Green Bay Packers (6-0), and Denver Broncos (6-0) top the list, with the two-loss Arizona Cardinals (4-2) coming in at No. 4. The Cincinnati Bengals (6-0) round out the top five.
No one expected the Falcons to be in this position anyhow after going 10-22 the previous two seasons.