Tag: NFC South

NFL writer lays out Saints’ three biggest selling points to head coach candidates

This SI writer finds the most attractive aspects of the Saints job to be an easy division with a passionate fan base, and the benefit of low expectations:

The New Orleans Saints aren’t seen as the most desirable vacancy this year (depending on where you look, they could have the worst head coach opening in the NFL), but Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr laid out what could attract coaches to join the black and gold:

An incredible fan base and unique locale for the right head coach; a division that, year after year, seems to elicit no interest in a runaway winner; a place where moderate success and salesmanship can lead to a long career. 

Orr doesn’t mention young talent like Chris Olave, Taliese Fuaga, Rashid Shaheed, Bryan Bresee or Erik McCoy in his pros. That either means he generally doesn’t view the Saints’ young players as a plus, or it just ranks low on the list.

There is probably no greater upside to coming to New Orleans than the weak state of the NFC South. The Buccaneers have won four division titles in a row, but they’ve felt like benefactors of a poor division for at least the last two years. Tampa Bay has lost seven or more games in each of the last three seasons.

The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers are beginning their attempts at ascension. This division is free for the taking, and with the right leadership, the Saints can be the ones to grab it. It’s hard to say you’re ever far away in a division that’s been this bad for so long.

The last three seasons have tanked the Saints’ reputation, but the fan base is still looked at highly. Reggie Bush, also, placed a premium on the connection between the fans, city and a potential head coach. It’s a passionate community, and it’s not hard to become beloved with success.

When Orr labeled the Saints as “a place where moderate success and salesmanship can lead to a long career,” he had to be referencing Dennis Allen getting a third year when some thought he’d be out after Year 2. That description doesn’t fit Sean Payton, but it does fit back to back seasons hovering around .500.

This is just another example of how the view of the organization has dropped recently.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Saints finish last in NFC South, but will still pick after a division rival

Despite finishing last in the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints will still pick after the Carolina Panthers due to a strength of schedule tiebreaker:

With the dust settling on Week 18, the New Orleans Saints now hold the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NFL draft — with the Carolina Panthers slotted at No. 8. But the Saints managed to finish last in their division for the 2024 season for a variety of tiebreaking decisions, as it went down to the third tier of tiebreaker. Here is how that was handled:

  1.  Head-to-head record – Both teams had a win this season against each other.
  2. Division Record – Both teams completed the season with a 2-4-0 divisional record
  3. Record in common games (games in which both teams had the same opponent at some point in the year) – Saints finished 2-10 in these games, Panthers finished 3-9.

One single win split these two teams apart in the divisional standings, where the Panthers beat the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and Atlanta Falcons once, the Saints only beat the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants from the list of common games.

With this in mind, the tiebreaker for draft picks is different, as its first method to break up the deadlock is strength of schedule. The belief is teams with an easier strength of schedule should get a better pick, as it means they had the same record against worse opponents. For the 2024 season, the Saints had a .507 strength of schedule to the Panthers’ .496, meaning the Panthers had easier opponents overall, and get the better pick as a result.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Falcons eliminated from playoff race after Buccaneers’ win

Falcons eliminated from playoff race after Buccaneers’ win over the Saints

The Atlanta Falcons have officially been eliminated from the NFL playoff race following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win over the New Orleans Saints.

The Falcons entered the final week of the 2024 season needing some help to get in but didn’t get it. Atlanta needed a win over the Carolina Panthers, and for the New Orleans Saints to upset the heavily favored Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, the Buccaneers overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Saints, 27-19. The Falcons will now miss the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season.

Tampa Bay will host the loser of Sunday’s Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings next weekend at Raymond James Stadium.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1360]

Are Bucs in NFL playoffs? What needs to happen for TB to make postseason

But with the Bucs not being in the playoffs yet, how much is at stake in their Week 18 matchup?

In less than 24 hours, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will kick off against their division rival, the New Orleans Saints. That game is one where the Bucs can control their own destiny with a win, a loss would require them to root for other teams to have specific outcomes.

But with the Bucs not being in the playoffs yet, how much is at stake in their Week 18 matchup?

We talked about how they can control their own destiny, and it is very matter-of-fact. A win secures them the NFC South and the fourth seed at minimum in the NFC Playoffs. A loss would mean they need the Atlanta Falcons to lose to the Carolina Panthers, which isn’t likely.

It is almost win or go home for the Bucs. They fought tooth and nail to come back from a 4-6 start to the season. Now they are just 60 minutes away from securing their fourth straight NFC South division title.

NFL playoff bracket predictions: How Bucs can get in, who they could face?

The Bucs will face the Saints with control of their own destiny where a win over their division rival earns them a ticket to the dance.

The 2024 NFL season concludes in just three days when the final game, the 272nd of the season, ends between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. While they compete for who will earn the number one and five seed, the Bucs are focused on securing their own playoff spot.

The Bucs will face the New Orleans Saints with control of their own destiny, where a win over their division rival earns them a ticket to the dance.

We bring up the Lions and Vikings because if the Bucs win and secure the fourth seed, they are playing the loser of that Sunday Night Football matchup. That would mean they would be facing arguably the second-best team in the conference in the Wild Card round of the playoffs despite winning their division.

The Bucs defeated the Lions in Week 2 this year on the road by a score of 20-16. The Bucs did not face the Vikings this year, so that would be a new test for this team. Either way, the Bucs are staring down the barrel of a tough playoff matchup right off the bat.

A win would propel them and their momentum heading into the divisional round. A loss, well, we all know where that sends any playoff team.

New Orleans Saints now control bitter rival Falcons’ playoff hopes

The New Orleans Saints now control their bitter rivals’ playoff hopes. Atlanta Falcons fans must cheer on the black and gold this Sunday:

The New Orleans Saints don’t have much left to play for this season and in fact, a loss may bring fans the most joy they have felt since the first two weeks of the season.

Though the Saints themselves have been eliminated, their game on Sunday does decide whether or not the bitter rival Atlanta Falcons make the playoffs. A Tampa Bay Buccaneers win over New Orleans would secure the NFC South for them. That means if the Falcons want to advance, they will need to root for the Saints for what is likely the first time in many Atlanta fans’ lives.

For years, the two teams were so bad that playing each other twice a year might be the only chance they had at a win. That is when the rivalry that is still running today was born.

The two teams have met 112 times in NFL history and sit tied at 56-56. They have split the series in each of the last two seasons, with the home team winning each time.

There hasn’t been much for New Orleans fans to be happy about this year, so they are definitely relishing in this development.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Saints could cost Buccaneers a playoff spot in Week 18

The NFC South title is up for grabs in Week 18. The Saints can’t win it themselves, but they can impact the playoff picture and ruin the Bucs’ season:

The NFC South title is up for grabs going into the final week of the season.

With the Atlanta Falcons’ loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, Washington clinched the final Wild Card spot. It also took control of the division out of the Falcons’ hands.

All the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to do is win Week 18 and they’ll secure their fourth consecutive divisional title. There’s only one thing standing in their way: the New Orleans Saints. The Saints may not have a playoff future of their own, so ruining the future of the Buccaneers is a nice consolation prize.

The last time New Orleans and Tampa Bay faced off was Spencer Rattler’s first start. It was an all-around embarrassing loss, and the Saints were outclassed on both sides of the ball.

It’s also unlikely the Saints will drop in the NFL draft with a Week 18 victory. The Saints have such a low strength of schedule that moving outside of the top-10 picks appears doubtful.

If the Saints win and the Falcons beat Carolina Panthers, Atlanta has punched their ticket to the playoffs. This also means the Falcons would have to begrudgingly root for a New Orleans victory.

A Saints loss means the Falcons are eliminated from playoff contention. With the season lost, the Saints can spoil someone’s hopes on Sunday. Will it be the Falcons or Buccaneers?

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Seahawks have a chance spoil Rams playoff seeding in Week 18

Seahawks have a chance spoil Rams playoff seeding in Week 18

The Seattle Seahawks will not be playing for a spot in the postseason, but they still have one more game to play. Seattle’s 2024 campaign will conclude against the Los Angeles Rams on the road. The date and time of this Week 18 divisional showdown was TBD based on playoff implications. Now that everything from Week 17 is settled, the game time has been announced.

The Seahawks will take on the Rams at SoFi Stadium at 1:25 pm on Sunday, January 5th. This game will be played only for pride, as Los Angeles sewed up their NFC West title this year on Sunday night. The Rams clinched the division thanks to a strength of victory tiebreaker, and did so once the Washington Commanders defeated the Atlanta Falcons in overtime.

While this game is ultimately meaningless in terms of playoff implications, the Seahawks still have plenty to play for on Sunday. This is their last opportunity to go out on a high note. To earn a 10th victory for the first time since 2020. To be able to snap a three-game losing streak to the Rams. To finally get a chance to end Matthew Stafford’s perfect record against Seattle as Los Angeles’ quarterback.

And, most importantly, a chance to hurt the Rams’ playoff seeding. Right now, LA holds the No. 3 seed in the NFC (which of course was occupied by the Seahawks for several weeks, but no need to keep rubbing salt in the wound). However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hot on their tail to leap them in the standings.

Tampa has every reason to stay engaged in the last week of the regular season, as the Bucs need one final victory to clinch the NFC South for the fourth-consecutive year. (side note, this would match the New Orleans Saints’ record from 2017-2020 for longest championship streak in division history). If Tampa prevails as NFC South champs, and the Seahawks defeat the Rams, then the Bucs will jump into the No. 3 seed.

The Rams would then fall to the No. 4 seed and host either the Vikings or Lions. Both of those teams will finish the regular season with no less than 13 wins, and one could potentially be a 14-win Wild Card team.

No, the Seahawks won’t be competing for a Lombardi this year. They will watch the playoffs from home like the rest of the country. But they still have one more opportunity to stick it to a hated division rival and build momentum going into next year.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Report: Atlanta Falcons plan to release Kirk Cousins after only one season

ESPN reports the Falcons are looking to move on from quarterback Kirk Cousins after only one season of him playing in Atlanta:

The Atlanta Falcons made an intriguing decision this offseason, and that was giving Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract with $90 million guaranteed at signing, before drafting another quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. in the top ten picks of the 2024 NFL draft. This move received an exceptional amount of fan and media criticism, and for good reason as the move was questionable at best. Things have changed now however, with the pick of Penix Jr. looking like the better of the two moves, rather than the signing of Cousins looking better initially.

A report from Adam Schefter of ESPN came out early Saturday morning with the news that Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons are expected to part ways sometime between now and Mar. 17, 2025 when his $10 million roster bonus is due. This comes after Cousins was formally benched during the week for Penix Jr. in lieu of a string of bad performances by the veteran signal-caller, and despite some good mixed in there, the Falcons have opted for the rookie instead.

The Falcons were on a four game losing streak before Week 15, where they managed to scrape by the lowly Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 15-9, where Cousins only threw for 112 yards with 1 touchdown to 1 interception. The offense stalled out, and ultimately that was the tipping point for the Falcons’ front office, as they will now move on to another option.

Bucs OC Liam Coen addresses head coaching rumors

If Coen takes a head coaching job with another team, the Bucs will need to find their third new offensive coordinator in as many years.

As the NFL’s 2024 regular season winds down, so does the shortlist of head coaching candidates for teams opting to move on from their current coaching staff on the infamous “Black Monday” following the last game of the regular season. Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s name has been a mainstay on that list as the mastermind behind the Bucs high-powered offense, which ranks third overall.

If Coen takes a head coaching job with another team, the Bucs will need to find their third new offensive coordinator in as many years. However, addressing the rumors during yesterday’s press conference, the Buccaneers fans and organization may find solace in learning that Coen isn’t currently looking to move on from Tampa Bay anytime soon.

“There’s literally only one goal,” Coen said as the Bucs eye their fourth-straight NFC South division title. “There’s just no time in the day. I’ve got a kid at home, sick, throwing up last night. There’s just no time to even truly think about these things,” Coen told reporters when asked about the head coaching rumors. “Is that a goal? Is that a dream? Yeah, but that’s not at all what’s on my mind right now.”

The Buccaneers head into Dallas for a Week 16 bout with the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, which is the one thing on Coen’s mind regarding football. “How are we going to try and score points and stop Micah Parsons in this game on Sunday Night Football? That’s truly one of the focuses and where it has to be, and you really don’t have enough time to think otherwise right now,” Coen stated.

While the Buccaneers have not secured a spot in the postseason yet, they do hold an 86% chance of doing so, along with 78% odds of winning the NFC South, per The Athletic’s Playoff Projections. With the battle for the NFC South as tight as ever with the Atlanta Falcons, the Bucs control their own destiny if they win out; however, the waters get muddied because the Falcons hold the head-to-head tiebreaker- should they finish with the same record. The good news for the Bucs is that they are favored in all three remaining games. The bad news is that two of three are division games, which are always tough.

Baseball fans saw what happens when a team gets hot at the right time with the Detroit Tigers just a few months ago. The same remains true in the NFL, as Coen is laser-focused on having his offense be the catalyst behind a potential seven-game winning streak to end the regular season.