NFL Power Rankings: Atlanta Falcons and Teams Peaking at the Perfect Time

Now is the time to be playing your best football of the season.

As early season success fades for struggling teams like the Bengals and Bills, these three teams are red-hot and marching towards the postseason with some terrific momentum.

8. Denver Broncos

You can't stop the Tebow train.

The Broncos are on a six-game winning streak and are the kings of fourth-quarter comebacks. Tim Tebow is like Tiger Woods in his prime during a major tournament. Woods would charge up the leaderboard as other golfers around him wilted under the pressure of knowing that Woods was hot on their tails.

Tebow is making strides with his passing mechanics and the team has as much confidence as any in the NFL. People don't know how to describe this historic run—but they don't have to. The 7-1 record as a starter speaks for itself at this point.

The Broncos are playing superb defense; Tebow is taking care of the ball and saving his magic for when his team needs him most.

What's not to like about this team right now?

10. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons were down 23-7 at the half to the Panthers and didn't even blink. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones hooked up for two incredible touchdowns in the second half and scored the remarkable road win.

It was a season-changer. Now the Falcons have the strangle hold of the fifth seed in the NFC wild-card race.That's what happens when you win three out of four games down the stretch while teams like the Bears and Lions fall apart.

With Ryan back on track and the defense a surprising third in the league against the run, this team is going to be favored in a road playoff game against the Giants or Cowboys.

Speaking of...

12. New York Giants

The G-Men may not be as hot—considering they lost four in a row before beating the Cowboys on the road—but this team looks poised to run the table. Eli Manning continues to show why he's a Super Bowl-winning QB with incredible poise in the most frantic of situations.

Their 10-point comeback in the final five minutes on the road against Dallas was incredibly clutch. They now own the tie-breaker over the 'Boys, with a home game against them in Week 17 still on the slate.

With the emergence of Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham, the G-Men have the fourth-ranked passing attack. The defense is obviously the weak spot of this team, but it looks like the offense is good enough to cover it up.

I expect them to beat the Redskins, Jets and Cowboys again to enter the playoffs red-hot.

Eric Ball's Week 15 NFL Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (13-0)

2. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)

3. New Orleans Saints (10-3)

4. San Francisco 49ers (10-3)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)

6. New England Patriots (10-3)

7. Houston Texans (10-3)

8. Denver Broncos (8-5)

9. New York Jets (8-5)

10. Atlanta Falcons (8-5)

11. Detroit Lions (8-5)

12. New York Giants (7-6)

13. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)

14. Oakland Raiders (7-6)

15. Chicago Bears (7-6)

16. Dallas Cowboys (7-6)

17. Tennessee Titans (7-6)

18. Philadelphia Eagles (5-8)

19. San Diego Chargers (6-7)

20. Seattle Seahawks (5-7)

21. Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

22. Buffalo Bills (5-8)

23. Kansas City Chiefs (5-8)

24. Carolina Panthers (4-9)

25. Miami Dolphins (4-9)

26. Washington Redskins (4-9)

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-9)

28. Cleveland Browns (4-9)

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9)

30. Minnesota Vikings (2-11)

31. St. Louis Rams (2-10)

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-13)