The Falcoholic
Normally, a week of upsets leads to significant changes, but this isn’t a normal division. The team with the best division record is in last place, and the team in the lead just blew one of the most embarrassing games in recent memory.
No one wants to win the South, but someone has to. Here’s the Week 15 NFC South Review.
Week 15 Result: Buccaneers 28 – Falcons 29
Week 16 Opponent: Carolina Panthers
The Buccaneers have lost two games in a row and have watched their division lead shrink, but not vanish. The Buccaneers practically gave the game away to the Falcons. After being up by 14, they allowed Atlanta to crawl back while missing every opportunity they had to close the game. Even after giving up two touchdowns, Raheem Morris’s decision to go for two with 10 minutes left and avoid playing for a tie/OT meant the Bucs didn’t even have to score on their final drive, but it didn’t matter.
With all that being said, this is still Tampa Bay’s division to lose. They’ll play their challenger, Carolina, twice in the final three weeks for the NFC South title.
Week 15 Result: Saints 20 – Panthers 17
Week 16 Opponent: New York Jets
The Saints have won back-to-back games for the first time this season, and both victories came against the division’s top teams. The Panthers had everything to lose but couldn’t hold off this scrappy team. Tyler Shough doesn’t play the prettiest brand of football, but the young (at heart) quarterback has been making improvements every week, and that has to give the Saints brass hope that with a better cast in 2026, he could prove to be their quarterback of the future.
Shough will have an excellent opportunity to make that case against the discombobulated Jets in Week 16.
Week 15 Result: Panthers 17 – Saints 20
Week 16 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Cardiac Cats are back, spiking sales of Bayer Aspirin in Charlotte. Everything went right for them on Thursday Night Football, but the Panthers failed to take care of business on their own end. Bryce Young still hasn’t proven that he can be relied on every week, and when he shrinks, the offense’s run game isn’t enough to carry this team for a whole afternoon.
The team’s playoff hopes aren’t crushed, but they’ll need some help and to win out. While this season has been an improvement for the club, squandering the opportunity to make the playoffs would be a tough note to end on.
Week 15 Result: Falcons 29 – Buccaneers 28
Week 16 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Todd Bowles wakes up in the middle of the night with cold sweats induced by nightmares featuring Kirk Cousins. The Falcons won a game they were all but out of and took down the division leader in mid-December. This game should’ve resulted in Atlanta taking the...
