Soaring Falcons now back in race

FLOWERY BRANCH — The defending NFC champion Falcons are surging faster than Uber prices on New Year’s Eve.

After posting their third consecutive victory, the Falcons are solidly back in the mix for the NFC South division title and a playoff berth. They are 7-4 and trail the New Orleans Saints (8-3) and Carolina Panthers (8-3) by one game with five to play.

The Falcons are set to play the rugged Minnesota Vikings (9-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Getting home-field advantage for the playoffs will be a challenge because the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFC East have raced to 10-1.

The Falcons, who were 7-4 last season before they made their run to the NFC South title and the Super Bowl, are gaining national support.

“I thought it was a good sign for the Carolina Panthers (on Sunday) to score that many points without Cam Newton really having a good day, but I like the Atlanta Falcons in this division,” said Tony Dungy during the Sunday night game on NBC. “I just like where they are. The energy and the way this offense is playing now. This is what we expected all year.”

Falcons coach Dan Quinn received the endorsement well.

“The guy is in the Hall of Fame for a reason,” Quinn quipped before locking back into his one-game-at-a-time mode.

Even the acerbic Rodney Harrison is giving the Falcons a “maybe” nod. “But the division is so close,” Harrison said. “I think it comes down to which team is the healthiest. For the Saints, the injuries are starting to pile up. Carolina, they use Cam Newton too much in the run game and they can’t run the ball consistently. If I had to pick a team, maybe the Falcons.”

After going 4-4 over the first eight games of the season, which included uninspiring losses to Buffalo, Miami and New England, the Falcons have started to roll offensively. They are averaging 31.6 points over the last three wins.

Of the NFC South teams, the Falcons have the toughest road to the playoffs. The Falcons’ final five opponents are a combined 37-18 (.627 winning percentage). The Panthers’ opponents are 33-22 (.600). The Saints’ opponents are 30-25 (.545).

Last season, the Falcons had a relatively easy path to the playoffs over the final five games when they faced the Chiefs, 49ers, Rams, Panthers and Saints. The Falcons dropped a 29-28 heartbreaker to the Chiefs and then ripped off four straight wins to finish 11-5.

Even with the tough schedule, the Falcons believe they can go on a similar roll.

“By no means do we feel like this team is peaked in any way,” Quinn said. “But I would say that our identity: how we want to play, our style and our attitude in a lot of examples, is coming through.”

“We are always chasing what we can do better,” Quinn said.

After facing Minnesota, the Falcons play New Orleans on Dec. 7 before traveling to Tampa Bay on Dec. 18 and to New Orleans on Dec. 24 before closing the season at home against Carolina on Dec. 31, in what could be a winner-take-all battle royale.

CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM Falcons receiver Julio Jones reaches to score his second touchdown of the game during a victory over the Buccaneers. It was Atlanta’s third consecutive victory.