You already know what happened Sunday. The Falcons needed to win to keep pace, and instead they were stunned by the Panthers late to drop to 6-8. That puts them behind both the Buccaneers and Saints, and it would be fair to argue that their remaining slate is more difficult than Tampa Bay’s, at the very least. If they’re not cooked, we’ll all be surprised.
Here’s a look at the standings for the week.
NFC South Standings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-7
New Orleans Saints: 7-7
Atlanta Falcons: 6-8
Carolina Panthers: 2-12
The Bucs have been miserable much of the year and were lucky to get by the Falcons, to put it mildly, but they put together an impressive performance against the Packers and may be choosing the right time to get hot.