PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS

NO. 32

ATLANTA FALCONS

We struggled with our selection of the worst team in the NFL as we embark on a new NFL season.  It would have been too easy to drop the Raiders to the bottom of the barrel.  Sure, they were terrible last season, but that was seven months ago.  Since then, there has been cause for optimism.  Okay, not a lot of optimism, but enough to lift them out of the bottom of the NFL barrel.

Based on the events of the offseason, and specifically the occurrences of the past three weeks, we think it's easy to spot the weakest member of the strongest sports league in America.

The Atlanta Falcons.

The Mike Vick indictment plunged the franchise into disarray.  Joey Harrington is the starting quarterback, for crying out loud.

Think about that -- as of January 1, the team had Mike Vick and Matt Schaub.  Now, they have Harrington.  Ugh.

Along the way, a fairly successful head coach (Jim Mora) was thrown out the door, due in large part to his ill-advised musings about his desire to return to Seattle as the head coach of the local college team.  In his place is the latest overhyped college coach who'll within a few years will be the latest former NFL coach hoping to find a situation reasonably similar to the sweetheart deal he gave up for a crack at the big boys.

This franchise is headed for a very bad 2007, and an even worse 2008.

Key departures:  QB Matt Schaub, DE Patrick Kerney, LB Edgerton Hartwell, WR Ashley Lelie, FB Justin Griffith.

Key arrivals:  QB Joey Harrington, WR Joe Horn, FB Ovie Mughelli, CB Lewis Sanders.

Draft pick most likely to make an impact:  DE Jamaal Anderson.

Coach's current job security:  3 years.