The Atlanta Falcons are far from the worst team in the NFL this season, as some predicted, but they’re on pace for another single-digit win total. At 5-8, you would think the playoffs are off the table. However, the NFC South just can’t get out of its own way and Atlanta is still very much alive.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints on Monday night to stay atop the division with a 6-6 record. The Falcons would need to beat the Buccaneers head to head in Week 18, and get a little help in order to reclaim first place. Here’s a look at the current NFC South standings.
- Buccaneers (6-6)
- Falcons (5-8)
- Panthers (4-8)
- Saints (4-9)
The last time the division had such a down year was during the 2014 season when the Falcons went into Week 17 with a winner-take-all contest against the Panthers with a 6-9 record. According to FiveThirtyEight, the Buccaneers have an 87 percent chance to win the division, which is followed by the Panthers at eight percent and the Falcons at just four percent.
If we look at the team’s overall standing in the NFC, Atlanta is behind the Commanders, Lions and Packers for the final wild-card spot — which is currently held by the Seahawks. The Falcons have already lost to both Washington and Seattle this season, so grabbing a wild-card seed isn’t as easy as it may appear at first glance.
Winning the division is still Atlanta’s best chance at qualifying for the postseason.
