It wasn’t supposed to go this way for the Falcons or the Panthers. Atlanta was supposed to be healthy and effective, and the Panthers were supposed to follow up their 2018 swoon with a healthy, effective year of their own. Instead, both teams have largely cratered, and the Saints once again have an easy road to an NFC South title.
This week’s matchup therefore means very little. Ron Rivera is gone, leaving an interim staff to muddle through Kyle Allen’s struggles and the slow but steady collapse of the Carolina defense. For Atlanta, it’s just time to play out the string until Dan Quinn is likely fired, with better performances and more time for the team’s potential future starters serving as the only compelling reasons to tune in.