The Atlanta Falcons are officially out of the playoff picture after falling to the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday-a loss that felt more like the final exhale of a season that never quite found its rhythm. But while the postseason is off the table, the Falcons still have something to play for: pride, jobs, and the chance to throw a wrench into the NFC South race.
And that race? It’s suddenly wide open.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who once looked like they were cruising toward a division crown after a 5-1 start-including a statement win over these same Seahawks-have stumbled to 7-6. That early-season cushion is gone, and now they’re locked in a tight battle with the surging Carolina Panthers. The two teams are set to meet twice in the final month, and those games could end up deciding who gets to hang a banner and who goes home early.
But before we get to that, Tampa Bay has to take care of business on Thursday night-and that means handling a Falcons team with nothing to lose and just enough talent to play spoiler.
The Bucs are getting some key reinforcements at the right time. Mike Evans is back in the lineup, and rookie wideout Jalen McMillan is also set to return, giving Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield a full deck to work with.
That’s a big deal for an offense that’s been inconsistent in recent weeks. When Evans is healthy and locked in, he’s still one of the most dangerous receivers in the league-capable of flipping a game with one big play.
Atlanta, meanwhile, continues to deal with injuries of their own. Drake London remains sidelined, which puts even more pressure on Kirk Cousins to make things happen through the air. Cousins, still adjusting to life in Atlanta’s system, hasn’t had the smoothest transition, but he’s a veteran who knows how to keep his team competitive-even when the stakes are low.
And let’s not forget: these are NFC South rivals. Division games have a way of throwing out the script, and this division in particular has been full of surprises.
The Saints have already knocked off both the Bucs and Panthers this season, proving that no matchup is safe. There’s a certain chaos to the NFC South this year, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see another wild finish.
So while the Falcons may be out of the playoff hunt, don’t expect them to roll over. They’ve still got a chance to make life miserable for a division opponent-and in a race as tight as this one, that could be more than enough motivation.