NFL Power Rankings: Atlanta Falcons and 3 Surprisingly Mediocre Teams

Week 5 of the NFL season is a little early to start talking about the postseason, but when teams enter the season with lofty expectations and don't live up to the hype, it is time to start talking about failed expectations.

One of the biggest disappointments this season has been the Atlanta Falcons, who won 13 games and the NFC South last season. They are just 2-2 this season and have been outscored 105-90 through four games.

The biggest disappointment is on the defensive side of the ball. The team signed Ray Edwards to play alongside John Abraham on the defensive line and upgrade their pass rush. But it has not worked out the way the team was hoping as Edwards has zero sacks and one tackle for loss.

They have a rough three-game stretch coming up before their bye in Week 8, with Green Bay, Carolina and Detroit coming up. Given the way they have been playing thus far, it will be a morale boost if they come out of that with one victory.

The Super Bowl hype before the season was overblown because the secondary, which was the biggest problem for this team last season, did not get upgraded.

Matt Ryan is good, but there is only so much that he can do to make up for a bad defense.

Here are two other teams mired in mediocrity right now with no hope of rescue.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2)

The Steelers' struggles this season are real. They are not a product of playing great teams and just having a bad day.

The offensive line has been bad for years, and the team has done little to fix that unit. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Rashard Mendenhall have struggled to make things happen because the line is not giving them time to do anything.

The key to this team's success has always been the defense, but that unit has let the team down on more than one occasion. They are giving up almost 120 yards per game on the ground, nearly doubling what they allowed in 2010 (62.8).

San Diego Chargers (3-1)

Yes, the Chargers are in first place in the AFC West. But if you have watched them play, it is frustrating.

The Chargers are one of the most talented teams in the NFL, and should be competing for championships every single season.

The problem for this team has always been an inability to get out of their own way. They play down to their competition, which ends up costing them at least two wins every year.

They showed signs of improvement against Miami, but we have to wait and see how they do against good teams before putting them in the same class as Detroit, Green Bay, New England, et al.

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