Tag: NFC South

Falcons take control of NFC South with win over Buccaneers

Falcons take control of NFC South after Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers

The Atlanta Falcons have already played four of their six divisional games and have yet to lose a single one. This marks the first time since 2014 that the team has started 4-0 against NFC South rivals.

The Falcons took sole possession of first place after Sunday’s 31-26 win over the Buccaneers. With the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers continuing to spiral, it appears the NFC South will be a two-team race for the rest of the season.

Here are the updated NFC South standings as we head into Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season.

Pos. Team Record Div Record Next Opponent
1 Falcons 5-3 4-0 vs. Cowboys
2 Buccaneers 4-4 1-2 @ Chiefs
3 Saints 2-6 1-2 @ Panthers
4 Panthers 1-7 0-2 vs. Saints

The Falcons still have some work to do before securing the division crown, but they’ve officially secured a winning record in the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints are the last team to go undefeated within the division, doing so in 2020.

The last time the Falcons had four or more wins in the division was 2016 when they finished 5-1. Their next NFC South matchup is a Week 10 battle against the Saints in New Orleans.

Atlanta will close out the season against the Carolina Panthers in Week 18.

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Ravens’ DC Zach Orr brought mayday to Baker Mayfield, Bucs final score is misleading

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield only padded the final score after Baltimore Ravens DC Zach Orr and his defense let off the gas.

Of course, on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield tried to pad the score against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens’ lead had inflated to 23 points in the fourth quarter, and defensive back Marlon Humphrey and linebacker Roquan Smith had been reading Mayfield’s mail all game long.


With a sizeable scoring lead, the Bucs needed to rely on the pass, so Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr deployed Smith primarily as a quarterback spy. Thus, Smith could hone in on stopping Mayfield from scrambling while covering check-down options.

Humphrey and safety Kyle Hamilton were frequently used on the back end in Cover 2-man sets. Orr’s plan baited Mayfield into making tight window throws on blurred reads, leading to a few interceptions.

Smith finished with 18 tackles and was involved in nearly every play. Orr’s unit finished with three sacks and two interceptions, and the 31-point allowance doesn’t truly reflect how dominant they were in Tampa.

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NFC South Standings: Falcons reclaim 1st place entering Week 8

NFC South Standings: Falcons reclaim 1st place entering Week 8 matchup vs. Buccaneers

As we approach the halfway point in the 2024 season, the NFC South has become a two-team race between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons led the division for two weeks before Sunday’s 34-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Buccaneers then took over first place, but it didn’t last long. On Monday night, Tampa Bay lost to the Baltimore Ravens to fall to 4-3 on the season. Atlanta now moves back into the top spot due to its division record and a head-to-head win over the Buccaneers.

The two NFC South rivals will face off this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Let’s look at the updated division standings entering Week 8.

Team W L Pct. PF PA
Atlanta Falcons 4 3 .571 163 169
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4 3 .571 209 182
New Orleans Saints 2 5 .286 177 180
Carolina Panthers 1 6 .143 110 243

The New Orleans Saints continued to spiral in Week 7. With quarterback Derek Carr injured, was forced to start rookie Spencer Rattler in Thursday’s 33-10 loss to the Denver Broncos. The Saints have lost five straight games since their 2-0 start and will play the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend.

The Carolina Panthers were defeated by the Washington Commanders, 40-7, for their fourth consecutive loss. Despite the team’s struggles, head coach Dave Canales is sticking with veteran Andy Dalton at quarterback. In Week 8, the Panthers will face the Broncos.

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NFC South rival’s prime-time loss may give the Saints a fighting chance

The Buccaneers’ loss in prime time may give the Saints a fighting chance. Tampa Bay lost a lot of firepower, and the NFC South remains close:

On Monday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a brutal loss to the Baltimore Ravens who had them outscored 34-10 by the end of the third quarter. To Tampa’s credit, Baltimore is a phenomenal football team with top tier talent and a future Hall of Famer as their head coach. A loss to them shouldn’t take the spirits out of your team right? Probably not. But what Tampa suffered Monday night felt like much more than an L in the win-loss column.

The team’s top two wide receivers and maybe the best duo in the sport, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both suffered injuries to the lower extremities against the Ravens. Evans, who had caught the game’s first touchdown pass, suffered a hamstring injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the game. Meaning it was up to his fellow teammate Chris Godwin to carry the load.

Godwin did contribute in picking up the slack making some tough catches throughout the game including a 3rd-and-17 conversion late in the fourth quarter. But it seemed as though after this catch, Godwin was slow to get up. Godwin looked to be in serious pain after he was tackled by linebacker Roquan Smith. Enough pain to the point where he was put in an air cast and carted off of the field. Official diagnosis, a dislocated ankle.

Although we do not yet know the timeline of these injuries, we do know how impactful each player is to this Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. Mike Evans so far this season has 26 receptions for 335 yards and 6 touchdowns, which is tied for 1st among all receivers. Chris Godwin on the other hand is having a monster season, totaling 50 receptions for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns, which is good for top three in each category. With so much reliance on these two players in the Buccaneers offense, what will they do if significant time is missed? Looking ahead to their next three games they are at home against Atlanta, visiting Kansas City, and another home game against the 9ers. Just a brutal stretch.

With Tampa potentially struggling to win these next string of games, does this allow a team like the Saints to catch up in the South?

We’ll just have to wait and see how things shake out as they are currently battling their own injury concerns. We should know more later in the week on where the arrow is pointing on a lot of key players. If the Saints can get healthy specifically on the offensive side of the ball, they could at the very least keep themselves in games going forward.

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NFC South standings: Falcons drop to second place

Updated NFC South standings following the Falcons’ Week 7 loss to the Seahawks…

The Atlanta Falcons‘ three-game winning streak came to an end on Sunday as they lost, 34-14, to the Seattle Seahawks. After a two-week run atop the NFC South, the team has dropped to second place in the division.

However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still have to play against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night football. If the Buccaneers are unable to get the win, the Falcons will move back into a first-place tie atop the NFC South ahead of next weekend’s divisional showdown in Tampa Bay.

Check out the updated NFC South standings below:

Team W L Pct. PF PA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4 2 .667 178 141
Atlanta Falcons 4 3 .571 163 169
New Orleans Saints 2 5 .286 177 180
Carolina Panthers 1 6 .143 110 243

The Carolina Panthers also suffered a blowout loss in Week 7. Former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn led the Commanders to a 40-7 win over Carolina despite rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels leaving the game due to injury.

Marcus Mariota replaced Daniels and passed for 208 yards and two touchdowns for Washington. If Daniels is forced to miss extra time, Atlanta could face both Mariota and Quinn in Week 17.

The New Orleans Saints were thoroughly defeated by the Denver Broncos on Thursday night to drop to 2-5 on the season.

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NFC South standings: Falcons remain undefeated within division

NFC South standings: Falcons improve to 3-0 in the division after win over Panthers

The Falcons will end another week on top of the division after defeating a third consecutive NFC South opponent in Week 6. This time, it was a 38-20 road win over the Carolina Panthers, who fell to 1-5 on the season.

The division’s two other teams also faced off in Week 6. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers overcame a sloppy offensive performance to pull out a 51-27 road victory over the New Orleans Saints. The Buccaneers are right on Atlanta’s heels while the Saints continue to tumble after a 2-0 start.

As we look ahead to Week 7, let’s check out the updated NFC South standings and see where the Falcons stand in the playoff race.

Pos. Team Record Games Back Week 7
1 Falcons 4-2 – vs. Seahawks
2 Buccaneers 4-2 – vs. Ravens
3 Saints 2-4 2 vs. Broncos
4 Panthers 1-5 3 @ Commanders

Next week, the Falcons will face off against the Seahawks, who are tied with the 49ers for the division lead. Additionally, the Buccaneers have a tough matchup against the 4-2 Baltimore Ravens in Week 7.

Since the Ravens will likely be favored over Tampa Bay, the Falcons will have a chance to get some breathing room in the NFC South with a win over the Seahawks.

Currently, Atlanta ranks second in the entire NFC with a 66 percent chance to make the postseason. That percentage is dispersed between different seeds with the second and third seeds holding the highest playoff probability.

Seed Percentage
1 7%
2 15%
3 15%
4 7%
5 5%
6 8%
7 8%
No Playoffs 34%

The Falcons play the Seahawks at 1:00 p.m. ET this Sunday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta is 2-2 at home this season and 2-0 on the road. Seattle lost a tough division game to the 49ers on Thursday night football, so the team will have extra time to prepare for Week 7.

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Saints fans should be rooting for a Buccaneers loss on TNF

The Buccaneers and Falcons face off on Thursday Night Football. Saints fans will never root for the Falcons, but they should be pulling for a Bucs loss:

“Thursday Night Football” features an NFC South duel in Week 5 between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With these two being divisional opponents, the New Orleans Saints and their  fans should be glued to their screens.

An Atlanta win would further muddy the top of the divisional standings. Saying root for the Falcons doesn’t feel right, so let’s root for a Buccaneers loss. That would benefit the Saints.

It’s always important to remember the season is young, but the Saints face the risk of falling behind by a couple of games at the end of the week.

The Saints have a difficult game versus the Kansas City Chiefs on “Monday Night Football.” That isn’t necessarily the best game when looking to stop a two game slide.

Thursday’s outcome means more if the Saints lose, but the benefit is similar either way. You want to keep the Buccaneers from getting a two game lead on you. The Saints get the chance to handle business against the Buccaneers in Week 6.

If you enter that game only one behind, you get the chance to tie and pass Tampa Bay in the standings.

If you’re behind Tampa Bay by two games entering Week 6, this immediately feels like a must win. The worst case scenario gets worse.

The whole premise is a bit forward thinking. The point is, however, you want the Buccaneers to lose, so everyone is closer in record moving forward.

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NFC South: Where do Falcons stand in division after Week 4 win?

NFC South Standings: Falcons overtake Saints after Sunday’s 26-24 win..

It took a career-long field goal from Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo to give Atlanta a 26-24 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. Koo’s 58-yarder was the longest field goal ever made at Mercedes Benz Stadium and helped the team improve to 2-2.

Meanwhile, the Saints dropped to 2-2 after starting the season 2-0. Since the Falcons will play two more NFC South games in Weeks 5 and 6, the division is up for the taking. So, where does Atlanta rank within the NFC South now that we are roughly a quarter of the way through the 2024 NFL season?

Pos. Team Record Next Game
1 Buccaneers 3-1 @ Falcons
2 Falcons 2-2 vs. Buccaneers
3 Saints 2-2 @ Chiefs
4 Panthers 1-3 @ Bears

The Falcons’ win over the Saints gives them an early head-to-head advantage and a better division record. The winner of Thursday night’s matchup between Tampa Bay and Atlanta will sit atop the NFC South.

However, it won’t be easy as the Buccaneers are coming off a dominant win over the Eagles. The Bucs stumbled in Week 3 with a 26-7 loss to the Broncos, but they’re currently in first place with a 3-1 record.

As for the Carolina Panthers, they gave the Cincinnati Bengals a run for their money but couldn’t pull off the upset in Week 4. The Panthers are in the NFC South basement with a 1-3 record.

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An early edge in the divisional race at stake for the Saints in Week 4

An early edge in the divisional race is at stake for the Saints in Week 4. But the Falcons probably feel the same way:

The New Orleans Saints have the chance to take the all-time series lead over the Atlanta Falcons when the two teams face off on Sunday. As good as it will feel to say you lead the series against a heated rival, the game has more important impacts to the current season.

A victory would put the Saints up two games over the Falcons and they’d have the early tiebreaker. Week 4 may be a little early to be speaking about tiebreakers, but the Saints will have played two divisional games already by the end of the week.

It’s not too early to start calculating what a victory would mean from that perspective. A victory would keep Atlanta from winning the divisional series outright and give you the chance to complete a sweep at home later in the season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also have a tough game against the Philadelphia Eagles. A Saints win plus Tampa Bay loss would leave New Orleans all alone a the top of the division and end the streak of the Saints and Buccaneers mirroring outcomes.

A loss to Atlanta would drop the Saints to second at best in the division. New Orleans and the Falcons would have the same record with Atlanta holding the head to head victory. The Saints would have to then ensure they came down with the victory against the Falcons in Week 10 to avoid the season sweep.

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Where do Falcons sit in NFC South standings after Week 3?

Where do the Falcons sit in the updated NFC South standings after Week 3?

The Falcons had one of their biggest games since moving to their new stadium in 2017. While it was a star-studded event, Atlanta came up a few inches short and the Chiefs left town with a 22-17 prime-time victory.

As for the Falcons, this loss drops them to 1-2 after three games. The record doesn’t look great but Atlanta has played two undefeated teams in the Chiefs and Steelers. The Falcons’ lone win came on the road against the 2-1 Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2.

Fortunately, the top two teams in the NFC South also lost on Sunday. So, where do the Falcons sit in the division entering Week 4? Check out the updated NFC South standings below.

W L PF PA
New Orleans Saints 2 1 103 44
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2 1 64 62
Atlanta Falcons 1 2 49 61
Carolina Panthers 1 2 49 95

Atlanta may be tied with the Panthers for third, the team’s next three games are all against divisional opponents, with two of those games coming at home (Saints and Buccaneers). The Saints suffered a 15-12 loss at the hands of the Eagles.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers were dismantled by the Denver Broncos Sunday, losing by a final score of 26-7. By the end of October, the Falcons will have played four of six divisional games, giving us a better idea of what kind of team this is and whether or not the playoffs are a real possibility.

In Week 4, the Falcons will host the Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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