2019 NFL power rankings, Week 5: Browns impress, Falcons regress

Recap: The inconsistent Falcons returned home looking to even their record against a Tennessee Titans club whose offense has struggled throughout the early part of the season. The team would be minus safety Keanu Neal for the remainder of the season, the second consecutive year he’s been knocked out of action early in the year.

Atlanta’s defense again struggled in all facets while quarterback Matt Ryan continued to have issues with ball security. Dan Quinn’s club trailed by 17 in the second quarter and never caught up. Ryan threw for 397 yards but was sacked five times. The Falcons allowed 138 yards rushing and failed to come up with a sack or takeaway.

Next Week: Quinn’s club faces its third straight AFC South foe as the Falcons face the Texans in the Lone Star State for the first time since 2011. It’s only the fifth meeting between the clubs. Of course, the franchise doesn’t need to be reminded about its last trip to Houston, a stinging 34-28 overtime loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

Playoff hopes: Four games into the season and the Falcons have allowed each team to put at least 20 points on the board. That may not sound like a lot but it is when your own offense continues to be plagued by mistakes. Quinn’s defensive unit has been a huge disappointment and didn’t put up much resistance vs. the limited Titans.

Recap: The team’s latest loss showed that Mike Tomlin’s club has an awfully long way to go on defense. While the Steelers came up with an astounding five takeaways in the 24-20 loss at San Francisco, it wasn’t enough to prevent the Niners from moving the ball (436 total yards) when they hung onto it.

Second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph has looked solid but the Pittsburgh running game continues to be the afterthought that it was the second half of 2018. Coordinator Randy Fichtner’s unit has totaled only 51 running plays for 192 yards to date. Rookie inside linebacker Devin Bush (3) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (2) have teamed for five of the club’s seven takeaways.

Next Week: For the second time in seven days, the Steelers will play host to a divisional foes as they take on the always-dangerous Ravens. A season ago, the clubs split their traditional two-game set for the second time in three years. Dating back to the clubs’ second clash in 2016, Pittsburgh has prevailed in four of the last five meetings.

Playoff hopes: While a 0-3 start will be difficult for Tomlin’s team to overcome, it’s been done by other clubs before. Two of the team’s first three losses were out of conference. And it is worth noting that the Steelers have all six of their games versus their division rivals ahead. The opportunity awaits this team but can they seize it?

Next: Nos. 24 and 23