NFL Power Rankings: Atlanta Falcons and the 5 Best 2-2 Squads

Let's be honest. A 2-2 record after four games is nothing to write home about. Heck, even the lowly Cincinnati Bengals are 2-2.

Admittedly, now probably isn't the best time to be ripping on the Bengals, but you probably get the point. As far as records go, 2-2 isn't good. Nor is it bad. It just kinda is.

But if I may use an expression that I probably use far too often, not all 2-2 teams are created equal. Some of them are better than their record says they are, and the odds are good that they are going to be in the postseason hunt for the bulk of the year. A couple of them will even make the playoffs.

So let's give these teams a little credit, shall we?

Here are the five best 2-2 teams in the NFL.

5. New York Jets (No. 17)

When we last saw the Jets, they were being hammered into a pulp by the Baltimore Ravens on prime-time television. The week before, they were hammered into a pulp by Darren McFadden and the Oakland Raiders.

But despite all evidence to the contrary, it's not all bad for the Jets. You can talk all you want about the issues the Jets have on offense (i.e. Mark Sanchez), but we are still talking about one of the better defenses in the league. It certainly wasn't the defense's fault that the Jets got hammered by the Ravens, anyway.

Besides, we've seen the Jets go in the tank before. They invariably find their way out, and my guess is that they will again.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 16)

I'll be the first to admit that the Steelers are more flawed this year than they have been in any season in recent memory. In fact, they're kind of a mess.

This has a lot to do, I think, with Pittsburgh's schedule to this point. The Steelers have only played one home game, and their two losses came on the road to two of the best teams in the league in the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans.

The Steelers play four of their next five games at home, the next three of which are against sub-par opponents. Don't be surprised if the Steelers look like the Steelers again before long.

3. Oakland Raiders (No. 14)

If you've watched the Raiders at all this year, you know that they have some serious issues they need to take care of on the defensive side of the ball.

On the bright side, the Raiders have as many offensive weapons as any team in the league, particularly at the running back position. McFadden is arguably the best running back in the league, and Michael Bush could probably start for a handful of teams.

McFadden and Bush alone are good enough to keep the Raiders in any game. And if they get some help from Jason Campbell and the defense, odds are they're going to win.

Besides, there's no shame in losing to the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots.

2. Chicago Bears (No. 13)

Personally, I'm not particularly impressed with anything the Bears do. They're just okay defensively, Jay Cutler is just OK as a quarterback, and it scares me that Matt Forte is the only playmaker they have in the passing game.

This being said, the Bears do strike me as a team that is better than the sum of its parts. They're certainly nowhere near as good as the Green Bay Packers or the Detroit Lions, but they're no pushover.

They also have Devin Hester, which is only a good thing for them.

1. Atlanta Falcons (No. 12)

Before we go any further, I should make it clear that I am well aware of the struggles Atlanta has had this year. The Falcons were the best team in the NFC last year, but they look like a deeply flawed team this year.

Despite that, the Falcons are still a very talented team. They've been outplayed, and they've been out-schemed, but few teams can match their sheer talent level.

Because of that, I for one have a hard time believing that Atlanta's early-season issues are going to be a year-long thing. They have some adjustments to make, but they'll make their presence known before the season is over.

Zachary D. Rymer's Week 5 Power Rankings

Rank	Team	Record
1	Green Bay Packers	4-0
2	Baltimore Ravens	3-1
3	New Orleans Saints	3-1
4	New England Patriots	3-1
5	Detroit Lions	4-0
6	Houston Texans	3-1
7	San Diego Chargers	3-1
8	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	3-1
9	Buffalo Bills	3-1
10	Washington Redskins	3-1
11	New York Giants	3-1
12	Atlanta Falcons	2-2
13	Chicago Bears	2-2
14	Oakland Raiders	2-2
15	Tennessee Titans	3-1
16	Pittsburgh Steelers	2-2
17	New York Jets	2-2
18	San Francisco 49ers	3-1
19	Philadelphia Eagles	1-3
20	Dallas Cowboys	2-2
21	Cincinnati Bengals	2-2
22	Cleveland Browns	2-2
23	Carolina Panthers	1-3
24	Arizona Cardinals	1-3
25	Jacksonville Jaguars	1-3
26	Denver Broncos	1-3
27	Kansas City Chiefs	1-3
28	St. Louis Rams	0-4
29	Miami Dolphins	0-4
30	Seattle Seahawks	1-3
31	Indianapolis Colts	0-4
32	Minnesota Vikings	0-4