As an Organization, the Atlanta Falcons are Near the Top

The Atlanta Falcons organization has come a long way in a short time. At least Adam Schein of Fox Sports thinks so. In his 2nd annual NFL organizational rankings the Falcons are rated as the #8 organization in all of football.

How does he determine the list? Schein explains the process:

"“We rank franchises 1 to 32 based upon: Owner, front office, head coach, coaching staff, QB and “intangibles,” — a combo of fan support, facilities, stadium and PR. Teams were scored 1 (lowest) to 10 (Peyton Manning) in each group. Reminder, this is NOT a power ranking.”"

Hit the jump to see where the Falcons rank among the NFC as a whole and the NFC South.

#8 Atlanta Falcons

Score: 48.5

Schein’s Thoughts:

"Atlanta at No. 8? Believe it! Arthur Blank gets it. Mike Smith is a strong head coach with a strong staff. Atlanta knows how to win at home. Plus QB Matt Ryan is a wonderful face for the franchise."

Only the Eagles, Packers and Saints ranked higher than the Falcons in the NFC. It’s no surprise those are the same teams most experts are picking for the playoffs.

#3 New Orleans Saints

Score: 51

Schein’s Thoughts:

"Saints GM Mickey Loomis has done a remarkable job through the years acquiring talent via different means — trades, draft, undrafted free agents and free agency, highlighted by bringing in Drew Brees, arguably the best offensive signing in the history of free agency. Head coach Sean Payton, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, a rabid fan base and a great PR staff all played a role in the No. 3 ranking."

The rest of the NFC South shakes out as you’d imagine with the Panthers followed by the Buccaneers, who have the worst organization in the NFL.

#21 Carolina Panthers

Score: 34.5

Schein’s Thoughts:

"Is general manager Marty Hurney coming back? How about head coach John Fox’s security? Carolina got a lot of 5s across the board for being pretty average."

#32 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Score: 11

Schein’s Thoughts:

"Head coach Raheem Morris seemed completely over-matched last year. He has already overhauled his staff. There are major questions about the commitment of the team to winning."

Top 10 Organization

It is really rewarding to see the Falcons organization getting credit for the work they’ve done. The #1 and #2 teams on the list (Patriots and Colts) have been excellent organizations for a decade now and the Falcons appear to have the foundation in place to follow suit.

What do you think? Is the ranking too low? Too high? Just right? Let me know in the comments or start the conversation on Twitter. You can also fan us on Facebook.