Not too long ago, the Atlanta Falcons enjoyed a two-game lead, plus the tiebreaker, in the NFC South. Now, things aren't looking good for them as they hang on by a thread.
Last Sunday may ultimately prove to be the turning point in the season. Atlanta went into the day with a game lead in the win-loss column but with an ugly performance against the Chargers and the Panthers choking away their game against the Buccaneers, they are now tied at the top of the division.
If the season ended right now, the Falcons would win the division. But, as we all know, it doesn't. There are five games left and Tampa Bay has the advantage when you compare schedules.
Falcons will choke away the NFC South after disappointing Week 13
We cannot expect the Atlanta Falcons to beat any good teams with their recent performances. They can't score points and Kirk Cousins is playing the worst football of his career. Unfortunately, this team still has to play two of the best teams in the NFL while the Buccaneers only play one team with a winning record.
Week | Falcons | Buccaneers |
|---|---|---|
14 | @ Vikings | vs. Raiders |
15 | @ Raiders | @ Chargers |
16 | vs. Giants | @ Cowboys |
17 | @ Commanders | vs. Panthers |
18 | vs. Panthers | vs. Saints |
The disparity of difficulty means the Atlanta Falcons are in massive trouble.
It would take a miracle for this team to beat the Vikings and Commanders based on how they have played recently. And then in the season's final week, you play a Panthers team that is more confident than ever.
Meanwhile, the only game the Bucs won't be favored in is against the Chargers.
On paper, you can reasonably say the Falcons will beat the Raiders, Giants, and Panthers but lose to the Vikings and Commanders. The Bucs will be in every game they play and you can only expect a loss against the Chargers.
That would leave the Falcons at 9-8 and the Bucs 10-7, giving the Bucs the division.
And don't expect a Wildcard spot to be open with nine wins; there are five non-division-leading teams with equal or better records than the Falcons.
All of this to say, it seems more likely than not that the Dirty Birds miss another postseason.