Touchdown Wire’s Week 17 NFL Power Rankings — Playoff picture becoming clearer

On the heels of a wild weekend that transformed the NFL playoff picture, Touchdown Wire unveils its weekly NFL Power Rankings.

Heading into Week 17, we already know the Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the league and the Cincinnati Bengals are the worst.

In Week 16, we found out two positive certainties for the Ravens and Bengals. First, by guaranteeing the league’s worst record, the Bengals clinched the No. 1 spot in the 2020 NFL draft.

At least at the moment, it appears likely they’ll use it on Heisman Trophy winner and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. That’s the silver lining in Cincinnati’s dismal season.

Baltimore earned a gift with its great season. At 13-2, the Ravens clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, meaning they have a bye and hold home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Lots of other scenarios were clinched in Week 16. But many more, including a number of playoff seeds, won’t be known until after Week 17.

We touch on that and more in this week’s Touchdown Wire NFL Power Rankings.

 

32. Cincinnati Bengals

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

(1-14. Last week: 32)

Finally, there’s something to celebrate in Cincinnati. It took an overtime loss to Miami, but the Bengals officially clinched the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. That almost certainly will be used on a quarterback, and most draft experts currently believe LSU’s Joe Burrow is the top prospect. While that seems like a certainty, the status of first-year head coach Zac Taylor isn’t a given. Bengals owner Mike Brown has been notoriously patient and frugal in the past, but a one- or two-win season may not be enough for Taylor to survive. Besides, there is plenty of room to question Taylor’s decision to go back to veteran quarterback Andy Dalton after briefly benching him in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. Yeah, Dalton threw four touchdown passes Sunday, but it’s clear he’s got no future with the Bengals. Apparently, Finley doesn’t either. This looks like a team that already has settled on Burrow.

31. Washington Redskins

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

(3-12. Last week: 31)

There hasn’t been much for Washington fans to cheer for this season, especially after Sunday’s overtime loss to the New York Giants dropped the Redskins into sole possession of last place in the NFC East. But there is one bright spot: the play of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Coming off the best game of his career, Haskins continued to show progress by completing 12 of 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an ankle injury. That means whoever is coaching the Redskins next year might already have his quarterback. The Redskins are going to have a premium draft pick and might decide on Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who is more of a sure thing than any of the quarterbacks who will be available.

30. Detroit Lions

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11-1. Last week: 29)

Things continued to get worse for Detroit with a 27-17 loss to Denver. That was to be expected because the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough, who totaled just 117 passing yards and took four sacks against the Broncos. This season has long been over for the Lions. But the real story here is about next season. Ownership came out last week and firmly said that coach Matt Patricia will be back for a third year and general manager Bob Quinn also will return. That’s somewhat surprising since Patricia’s tenure has been a disaster, and there haven’t been many signs of progress. But I can see the case for giving Patricia another year. He deserves a shot to see what he can do with quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy all season. If Patricia can’t win with Stafford, then it will be time to move on.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

(5-10. Last week: 27)

The Jaguars made news last week by firing executive vice president Tom Coughlin. Some assume that means coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are safe for next season, but that’s not necessarily the case. Marrone has lost 21 of 31 games since taking the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game after the 2017 season. Coughlin’s firing was about more than the team’s record. It was a reaction by owner Shad Kahn after the NFL Players Association issued a warning to players about signing with the Jaguars due to a high number of grievances against the organization. Those issues were a poor reflection on Coughlin. But the team’s poor record is a reflection on Marrone and Caldwell. Kahn might be better off cleaning house and starting over again.

28. Miami Dolphins

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

(4-11. Last week: 30)

Remember back early in the season when everyone thought the Dolphins were purposely losing to acquire better draft picks? At first, it seemed to be true, but they were just good enough to win their way out of the top pick — and it was fitting that their overtime win against Cincinnati helped the Bengals clinch the No. 1 pick. Miami stuck with veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick over second-year pro Josh Rosen most of the season. That was pointless, because Fitzpatrick is no long-term answer for a team that needs a major rebuild. By missing out on the No. 1 pick, the Dolphins apparently will miss out on consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect Joe Burrow. They probably still will draft a quarterback. Instead of Burrow, it likely will be Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert.

27. New York Giants

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

(4-11. Last week: 28)

Sure, the Giants are 4-11, and Sunday’s victory against a bad Washington team came in overtime. But I’m going to go way out on a limb and declare the Giants the favorite to win the NFC East in 2020. Seriously. Why? The Giants have the brightest future of the bunch. You could see Sunday that the Giants are set at quarterback and running back for the long term. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones returned from injury and threw for 352 yards and five touchdowns. Second-year running back Saquon Barkley ran for 189 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 90 yards and another touchdown. Jones and Barkley could be superstars. Sure, there’s plenty of work to be done on the defense, at receiver and on the offensive line. But Jones and Barkley give the Giants hope and something to build around. Their presence and promise probably is enough to keep coach Pat Shurmur employed.

26. Carolina Panthers

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

(5-10. Last week: 25)

Perhaps the most insightful NFL quote of the week came from veteran Carolina tight end Greg Olsen, who has a bright future in broadcasting. After an embarrassing loss to Indianapolis, Olsen put Carolina’s situation into perfect context.

“It’s a really tough way to operate,” Olsen said. “Players are underperforming. It’s right now a very collective failure, organizationally a failure.”

The Panthers might be in the most disarray they’ve been in since coach George Seifert’s final year, a 1-15 season in 2001. Interim coach Perry Fewell hasn’t come close to winning a game since taking over when Ron Rivera was fired. It’s become obvious that Fewell will not get the permanent job. Owner David Tepper has to go out and find the right guy. If general manager Marty Hurney sticks around and has any input, his track record suggest he’ll favor a rising coordinator and not a former head coach or a college coach.

25. Los Angeles Chargers

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

(5-10. Last week: 23)

The Chargers lost to the Raiders on Sunday, but the big story here came in the postgame. Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers told reporters he wants to continue playing. Rivers is 38 and in the final year of his contract.

“I’m capable enough physically and mentally, there’s no question,” Rivers said. “Yes, I do want to play football. I do, and that’s how I feel deep down as I stand here.”

But the bigger question is do the Chargers want Rivers back? Despite all he’s done for the franchise through the years, Rivers has endured a bad season. His 18 interceptions rank second in the NFL to Jameis Winston’s 28. The Chargers have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams and haven’t developed much of a fan base in Los Angeles. They’ll be moving into a new stadium next year, and it might be time for an infusion of excitement at quarterback, whether through the draft or via free agency.

32-25 | 24-17 | 16-9 | 8-1

NFL Week 16 Power Rankings: NFC East is center of attention

The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.

 

 

NFL Week 16 Power Rankings: NFC East is center of attention

The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.

The NFC East is the worst division in the NFL. It also is the most entertaining.

Even though no team in the division currently has a winning record, the playoff scenario got more intriguing in Week 15. Plus, there’s all sorts of speculation about which head coaches might be fired, and a New York icon may have played his last game for the Giants.

The Cowboys finally played the way a team with that much talent is supposed to play, improving to 7-7 with a 44-21 shellacking of the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles also climbed to 7-7 after a 37-27 win over the Redskins. Dallas plays at Philadelphia in Week 16, and the Cowboys can clinch the division title with a victory.

Even though the Cowboys are in the playoff race, coach Jason Garrett’s job doesn’t appear safe. Rumors are swirling that owner Jerry Jones is considering Urban Meyer as a replacement for Garrett.

Things got even more interesting when Meyer showed up at the Redskins game on Sunday. Can you imagine a bidding war for Meyer between Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder?

New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur also could be on the hot seat, even though he got a win against Miami. But Shurmur wasn’t the Giants’ most interesting story of Sunday. Instead, that was Eli Manning. The veteran quarterback played what might have been his final game for the Giants, while filling in for injured rookie Daniel Jones.

Here’s where the NFC East teams — and the rest of the league — stand in Touchdown Wire’s Week 16 Power Rankings.

32. Cincinnati Bengals

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

(1-13. Last week: 32)

A 34-14 loss to New England was expected, but the Bengals actually kept the game close until the third quarter. But in the end, they lost to one of the league’s best teams. More importantly, the Bengals remained on pace to earn the top pick in next year’s draft. That means it appears as if newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow will wear a Cincinnati uniform next season. After briefly benching veteran starter Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley, the Bengals have been sticking with Dalton. That’s somewhat inexplicable, because Dalton threw four interceptions Sunday. Dalton has no future with the Bengals. But he’s doing his part to make sure Cincinnati gets Burrow.

31. Washington Redskins

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 30)

The Redskins lost to Philadelphia, 37-27.  The game meant nothing to the Redskins aside from impacting their draft position. The real story here is that Urban Meyer was spotted in a luxury box at FedEx Field with injured Washington quarterback Alex Smith, who played for Meyer at the University of Utah. Let the speculation grow that Meyer, who won national championships at Florida and Ohio State will be the next coach of the Redskins. Of course, current Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins also played for Meyer, at Ohio State. Meyer’s sighting could foreshadow an off-field showdown in the NFC East. There is widespread speculation that Dallas owner Jerry Jones covets Meyer. Given the personalities and egos of Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder, there could be a bidding war for Meyer.

30. Miami Dolphins

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 29)

The only real highlight of Sunday’s 36-20 loss to the Giants was that it likely was Eli Manning’s final start for New York. Injured rookie Daniel Jones is expected back in the lineup next week, and Manning probably will retire or play for another franchise next year. But there were a few bright spots for the Dolphins, too. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and receiver DeVante Parker hooked up on two touchdown passes. More significantly, the loss keeps the Dolphins in the race for an early draft pick, where they can seek a long-term answer at quarterback — because there is no long-term future with Fitzpatrick or backup Josh Rosen.

29. Detroit Lions

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

(3-10-1. Last week: 28)

The Lions lost 37-17 to Tampa Bay on Sunday. That means they now have suffered 10 losses in consecutive years with Matt Patricia as coach. They also ran their losing streak to seven games. Does all that mean Patricia is on the hot seat? There are two ways to look at it. First, Patricia’s record in Detroit (9-20-1) has been unimpressive, and coaches have been fired for less. The fan base probably wouldn’t be too upset if Patricia gets canned. But on the flip side, Patricia still has his team playing hard even though the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough and are dealing with a rash of injuries. For the sake of continuity, I would give Patricia one more season.

28. New York Giants

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 31)

A 36-20 victory against the Miami Dolphins may not seem like much. But there was a big storyline for the history of New York’s franchise. This almost certainly was the last start of Eli Manning’s tenure with the Giants, as he threw for two touchdowns and Saquon Barkley ran for two more. Daniel Jones is New York’s quarterback of the future. Jones has been out with an ankle injury, and that’s the only reason Manning has been back as the starter. But Jones returned to practice on a limited basis last week and is expected to return as the starter for the final two games of the season. This win was important for Manning, who could decide to retire after the season. It got his career record back to .500. Manning is a borderline Hall of Famer. A .500 record sounds a lot better than a losing record to Hall of Fame voters.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week: 27)

The Jaguars went to California and beat the Raiders in their final game in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas next season. But the win doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that significant changes will be made in Jacksonville in the offseason. That could mean coach Doug Marrone, executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell are on the hot seat. Any or all of them could be gone after two disappointing seasons since a berth in the AFC Championship Game. The other big question in Jacksonville is who will be the quarterback next season. Rookie Gardner Minshew has outplayed the high-priced Nick Foles. Minshew has earned the right to at least compete with Foles in the preseason.

26. New York Jets

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week: 24)

Thursday night’s game against Baltimore went exactly as expected. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the likely NFL Most Valuable Player, threw for 212 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for 86 yards. That’s no surprise, since Jackson has put up huge numbers all season. What is surprising, and concerning, is that the Jets suddenly seem to be a team in turmoil. During Sunday’s game, coach Adam Gase and quarterback Sam Darnold had a heated exchange on the sideline. They downplayed the incident after the game, but it still wasn’t a good sign. Running back Le’Veon Bell, the source of controversy in Week 14 when he supposedly missed the game with the flu but was seen bowling the previous night, returned and rushed for a season-high 87 yards. Maybe Bell should go bowling more often. The Jets also clinched their fourth straight losing season. That’s their longest such streak in the Super Bowl era.

25. Carolina Panthers

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week 23)

On the surface, a 30-24 loss to Seattle isn’t embarrassing. The Seahawks are one of the best teams in the NFL, after all. But this one was embarrassing when you look at it from another perspective. The Panthers now are 2-5 at home this season. That’s embarrassing because the Panthers have good fans, and Bank of America Stadium has given the team a home-field advantage in the past. But the Panthers have lost six games in a row, and their future has more questions than answers. Will Kyle Allen, who threw three interceptions Sunday, be the starter next year? Or will it be longtime franchise quarterback Cam Newton? The bigger question is who will be the coach next year? Don’t be surprised if Urban Meyer’s name surfaces. Carolina owner David Tepper has the funds and the desire to compete with the big boys — Dallas’ Jerry Jones and Washington’s Daniel Snyder — for Meyer’s services.

32-25 | 24-17 | 16-9 | 8-1

8 NFL coaches on the hot seat

Jason Garrett, Ron Rivera and Dan Quinn are among the coaches who likely will find themselves on the hot seat.

It is the time for season’s beatings as records fall and the temperature rises on coaches who have not had success. A look at those who are flirting with becoming victims of the coaching carousel.

Dan Quinn

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons’ coach should wind up with another team. A fresh start would benefit him and everyone in the ATL. Point to the Super Bowl collapse as the start of the downfall, sure, but the Falcons simply are no longer close to contenders. They are not pretenders. They are a team that is playing poorly and when you do it for that long, your coach usually pays.

Pro Football Focus credits Saints pass rush with 41 QB pressures vs. Falcons

The New Orleans Saints defense started and ended their game with the Atlanta Falcons by sacking Matt Ryan, but the story is larger than that

The Atlanta Falcons did everything they could to take the New Orleans Saints defense out of the game on Thursday night. They forced the Saints defenders to remain on the field for a season-high 93 plays, expecting the heightened workload to tire them out down the stretch.

It didn’t happen. If anything, the prolonged playing-time hurt Atlanta’s own blockers. The Falcons allowed 5 sacks in their last 15 snaps (one of which was wiped out by a Saints defensive penalty) and 9 on the day as a whole, leading coach Dan Quinn to take aim at specific players for mistakes in his postgame media availability — a rarity in their troubled season. Quinn has largely avoided singling out struggling players, but he was left with no choice after the beatdown they suffered on Thanksgiving in front of a national audience.

Quinn told Falcons team reporter Kelsey Conway that two of the sacks were at fault of starting left tackle Jake Matthews, the team’s first-round pick back in 2014. Two more sacks were put on rookie first-rounder Kaleb McGary at right tackle, while big free agent signing Jamon Brown and star running back Devonta Freeman each allowed a sack of their own. Quinn chalked up three other sacks to lockdown coverage by New Orleans.

However, there was more to the Saints’ success than just their takedowns. They pressured Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan relentlessly, as seen in their game grades from the analysts at Pro Football Focus. The Saints pass rush was credited with 41 total quarterback pressures on the day, including all of those sacks, often moving Ryan off of his spot and hurrying him through his reads. Three different Saints defensive linemen received grades above 90 (defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport, and rookie nose tackle Shy Tuttle) as did rookie slot defender C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

When the Saints are getting after quarterbacks this well, there aren’t many passers who can hold up to such repeated pressure. The Saints played one of them already this season in Seattle Seahawks MVP candidate Russell Wilson; if things keep going the way they have so far, New Orleans might not see the other one until Super Bowl LIV, if Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens can go the distance.

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Behind Enemy Lines: 4 questions with Saints Wire

To help us preview this holiday matchup, we went behind enemy lines with John Sigler, the managing editor of Saints Wire. Here are four questions ahead of tonight’s game.

The Atlanta Falcons haven’t given their fans much to be thankful for this season, but one bright spot was the team’s Week 10 upset over the Saints.

Three weeks later, Atlanta has a chance to complete a season sweep over New Orleans in front of its home crowd on Thanksgiving. To help us preview this holiday matchup, we went behind enemy lines with John Sigler, the managing editor of Saints Wire.

Here are four questions ahead of tonight’s game.

It’s hard to imagine the Saints being able to win without Drew Brees in years past. What’s the biggest difference between this year’s team and those of previous seasons?

SW: Complementary football is the name of the game for the Saints this year. The team is getting huge contributions out of the defense and special teams units, whether it’s the defense stopping the Panthers six times inside the 10-yard line to close out last week’s game, or if it’s Thomas Morstead and the punt coverage unit downing more than half his tries inside the opposing 20-yard line. The offense has been up and down all year, but the Saints have made up for it by playing well in the other two phases. That’s a luxury Drew Brees and company haven’t always enjoyed, and when all three groups are firing on all cylinders, they’re tough to stop.

What happened to you guys in that Week 10 loss? Was it simply a fluke against a division opponent, or a sign of bigger problems for the Saints over the second half of the season?

SW: They just executed poorly, especially on offense. Michael Thomas was the only weapon who could make a play. Their offensive line was bullied by the Falcons defensive front. The Saints defense had unusual breakdowns in run discipline, and the loss of Marshon Lattimore opened up Atlanta’s passing attack. Whether the Saints weren’t dialed in after the bye week or simply laid an egg against a common opponent can’t be said, but they’ve played with much stronger focus in the weeks since.

Where is the weak spot on this Saints team that the Falcons could potentially attack on Thursday?

SW: There should be opportunities for Atlanta to make big gains through passes to their running backs. While nobody is going to confuse Brian Hill or an injured Devonta Freeman for Christian McCaffrey, the Saints defense often appeared to forget to assign someone to cover him in last week’s game with Carolina. He was given too much open space to run into out of the backfield and punished the Saints with 9 receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. If New Orleans hasn’t figured out their coverage assignments against running backs, Matt Ryan will be able to toss layups all night long. Also, keep an eye on the Saints offensive line — star left tackle Terron Armstead and left guard Andrus Peat are out.

Game prediction/score?

SW: I think the Falcons are going to have too many injuries at too many positions to keep up with the Saints. New Orleans has finally gotten tight end Jared Cook going as a compliment opposite Thomas, and they’ll find ways to put up points. I question whether the Falcons can match them blow-for-blow considering the injuries to Freeman, Julio Jones, and Austin Hooper. This feels like a game for Alvin Kamara to remind the NFL world what he’s capable of on a national stage. Give me Saints 30, Falcons 24.

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Falcons won’t say who will start at right guard in Week 13

The Falcons struggled to block the Buccaneers in Week 12, giving up way too much pressure, particularly on the right side. Quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked six times during Sunday’s loss.

The Falcons struggled to block the Buccaneers in Week 12, giving up way too much pressure, particularly on the right side. Quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked six times during Sunday’s loss.

Right tackle Kaleb McGary and right guard Jamon Brown did not play their best games. McGary is a rookie and has played well this season, so you can live with his occasional struggles.

The same cannot be said about Brown, however, and offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter wouldn’t say who he planned to start at right guard on Thursday:

It will either be Brown or backup Wes Schweitzer starting next to McGary in the team’s Thanksgiving matchup with the Saints.

Brown was given a lucrative free agent contract in the offseason, but wouldn’t be starting if it were not for an injury to first-round pick Chris Lindstrom.

Atlanta defeated New Orleans in Week 10, thanks in large part to the offensive line playing its best game all year. We will see if the unit can replicate those results tomorrow night and complete a season sweep of a hated NFC South rival.

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Falcons are 6.5-point underdogs for Thanksgiving matchup with Saints

The Falcons are in better shape than they were three weeks ago, but after Sunday’s ugly loss to the Buccaneers, the momentum this team had built after winning two-straight games has all but disappeared.

The Falcons are in better shape than they were three weeks ago, but after Sunday’s ugly loss to the Buccaneers, the momentum this team had built after winning two-straight games has all but disappeared.

This Thursday, the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints come to Atlanta for a Thanksgiving night battle. The Saints have a 9-2 record and look like a legit Super Bowl contender this season.

The Falcons, on the other hand, are 3-8 and in sole possession of last place in the division. However, you can throw records out the window when these two rivals play, as evidenced by Atlanta’s Week 10 upset over New Orleans despite being a double-digit underdog.

The odds came out for Thursday’s game and the Saints are again favored. Bet MGM has the Falcons opening as 6.5-point underdogs. The over/under is set at 49.5.

New Orleans squeaked out a three-point win over the Panthers on Sunday, but the team hasn’t quite looked as dominant since losing to Atlanta.

While the playoffs are certainly off the table for this 2019 Falcons team, to complete a sweep over a hated division rival on Thanksgiving would give fans something to take pride in during an otherwise dreadful year.

Kickoff for Thursday’s game is at 8:20 p.m, ET on NBC.

[Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.]

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Watch: Falcons coach Dan Quinn’s Monday press conference

The Falcons have just three days off before their Week 13 matchup with the Saints on Thanksgiving. That gives the team very little time to digest Sunday’s ugly loss to the Bucs, but that’s probably a good thing.

The Falcons have just three days off before their Week 13 matchup with the Saints on Thanksgiving. That gives the team very little time to digest Sunday’s ugly loss to the Bucs, but that’s probably a good thing.

Head coach Dan Quinn talked to reporters on Monday, giving updates on Devonta Freeman’s injury status and some thoughts on Atlanta’s upcoming Thursday night game.

Watch Quinn’s full press conference below, as tweeted out by the Falcons twitter account:

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Falcons RB Devonta Freeman likely to practice this week

The Falcons have been without starting running back Devonta Freeman for the past two weeks as he recovers from a foot injury. Head coach Dan Quinn gave an update this morning, saying he anticipates Freeman will return to practice this week: 

The Falcons have been without starting running back Devonta Freeman for the past two weeks as he recovers from a foot injury. Head coach Dan Quinn gave an update this morning, saying he anticipates Freeman will return to practice this week:

Freeman is having one of his worst years while Atlanta’s offensive line has been injured and ineffective at times this season. In the nine games he’s played in, he’s averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, with zero rushing touchdowns.

Backup Ito Smith is out for the season, while Brian Hill has been just as ineffective as Freeman. The Falcons’ rushing attack is ranked 31st in the league in yards per game.

Coming off Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers, Atlanta has to quickly regroup and prepare for its Thanksgiving matchup with the Saints.

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