The NFC South is probably the weakest division in the NFL. None of the four teams were able to achieve a positive result four match days before the end of the season. What’s lacking in quality, at least three teams make up for in excitement.
The Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all have the same number of wins. But who ultimately comes out on top in the snail race? Sport.de takes a look at the NFC South!
You can find the exact situation in the fight for the playoffs in Playoff picture!
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in pole position
Last weekend, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to Atlanta for the division duel and struggled for a long time, especially on offense. At the right moment, Baker Mayfield and his teammates were there and won for the Falcons.
By scoring 29:25, the Bucs were able to overcome the 13:16 from the “first leg” and win the direct comparison with the Falcons. As a result, the Bucs took the lead in the NFC South and are, at least for now, in pole position in the snail race.
And it didn’t look like a good start to the season for a long time. Tampa started the season with a 3-1 record and beat, among others, the Vikings – then still with Jefferson and Cousins.
What followed were six defeats in seven games and the danger of ruining the first season after Tom Brady. However, two wins from the last two games turned the tide in favor of the men from Florida.
However, that is not a reason to fall into euphoria. In the end, they beat the Panthers first and far too narrowly at 21:18. And in the duel against Atlanta, the Falcons somehow beat themselves again in the end with missed field goals and unnecessary turnovers. So the results are at least somewhat misleading about the Bucs’ performance, but in the end that’s probably the core question of the NFC South: Who can best capitalize on their manageable performance? And currently Tampa is at the top.
Meanwhile, the Bucs face the Green Bay Packers at the weekend (7 p.m. live on RTL) and the Jaguars on Christmas Eve. The latter in particular, with a fitter Trevor Lawrence, could represent a big hurdle for the Bucs, who can use every win in the snail race for the division title.
Does the schedule help the Atlanta Falcons?
With a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Atlanta Falcons could have taken a big step towards the playoffs. With a two-win lead and the direct comparison won, the Bucs could probably have been taken out of the race for the division crown. Would have.
In the end, however, the Falcons once again tore up what they had done with their own backside. Sure, Atlanta certainly didn’t play like a star either, but they controlled the game for almost the entire game and definitely had the victory in their own hands.
But Younghoe Koo, the otherwise reliable kicker, wasn’t at his best this Sunday and then there’s Desmond Ridder.
The Atlanta Falcons quarterback simply cannot manage to reward himself for good or at least solid performances. The game against the Bucs was emblematic of his season, and Ridder himself is also a sort of emblem of the Falcons’ playing time.
He completed 65 percent of his 40 passes, he collected 347 passing yards, he threw a touchdown and ran one himself. In the end, Ridder was part of the defeat again. In the first half he held the ball in the end zone too long, received the sack and the Bucs created a safety. In addition, a screen pass to Bijan Robinson was intercepted and the interception was carried back for a touchdown.
Especially when the fumble was lost – the play call was a play action in his own end zone – Ridder didn’t have much support in the play calling, but his unnecessary, ill-timed turnovers continue throughout the season.
For Atlanta, however, it is now important to look forward again, because according to “ProFootballNetwork”, the Falcons have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL there. Fittingly, the start is in Charlotte, where a must-win against the Panthers is expected. Actually.
The rest of the Saints’ program is only simple on paper
The New Orleans Saints also have a fairly simple rest schedule on paper. However, this impression may be misleading. This weekend the Saints face shooting star Tommy DeVito against the currently strong New York Giants.
This is followed by the duel with the LA Rams, who are playing a solid season and are still right in the fight for the playoffs despite a strong division. The men from California have nothing to give away anyway.
Afterwards, the weeks of truth follow for the Saints when they first face the Bucs and then the Falcons at the end of the season. Here Derek Carr and Co. could turn their season around again – or lose it completely.
The first two duels against the opponents were lost, which also ensures that the Saints currently have the worst starting position of the three candidates.
Panthers tipping the scales?
And then there are the Carolina Panthers. However, the team from Charlotte doesn’t play a role this season and is only the favorite for the first pick in the draft, which they don’t have themselves, but the Chicago Bears.
A lot of capital was transferred to them in the summer to get Bryce Young. However, in very bad circumstances this cannot necessarily develop.
And so perhaps the Panthers’ only joy for the rest of the season is that they can still tip the scales. After all, duels against the Bucs and Falcons directly intervene in the fight for the playoffs.
Who will win the snail race?
Who will ultimately emerge as division winners from the NFC South is pure speculation. The Atlanta Falcons should be best positioned with their now strong defense around Jessie Bates and AJ Terell, as well as offensive playmakers like Bijan Robinson and Drake London, and of course Atlanta’s game plan can also help. But if there’s one team that can ultimately miss the opportunity, it’s the Falcons.
Then the Bucs and Saints have to be there. Both need top performances from their receiver stars Mike Evans and Chris Olave respectively. Only then can enough victories be achieved to take the crown in the south.
As is well known, whoever comes out on top in the end will not only get any playoff spot, but at least (and probably that) seed number four. This would guarantee the division winner home advantage at least in the wildcard round.
However, the second place in the NFC East would probably be waiting here, i.e. the Eagles or Cowboys. There could be more grateful opponents.
Marcel Schmidt