The Falcons are the current betting favorites to win the NFC South, and it’s easy to see why with the state of the division.
The Buccaneers are essentially running it back with the same roster that barely beat a Desmond Ridder-led Falcons team and a Derek Carr-led Saints team. However, their biggest loss was easily Dave Canales.
The former Tampa Bay and Seattle offensive coordinator is credited with helping revive the careers of Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith. Now, he’s the Panthers head coach. I expect a steep decline for the Bucs.
The Saints are a complete dumpster fire on the offensive side of the ball. Carr is a perfectly fine quarterback if only considering the New Orleans defense holding their own, but the offensive line will be the downfall of Carr and the Saints offense.
Nobody is worried about Carolina, but then again, nobody is scared of the Falcons either. At least according to the ESPN simulation of the 2024 season, in which Atlanta is expected to fall flat on their face and finish third in the division and worse than last year.
NFC South Final Predictions
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-7
- New Orleans Saints 7-10
- Atlanta Falcons 6-11
- Carolina Panthers 5-12
The Atlanta Falcons‘ all-in (well, all-in-ish) bet on the 2024 season went south early, as they opened the season 2-4. Kirk Cousins struggled in his age-36 season while returning from an Achilles injury, and the offense stumbled hard. Atlanta managed a 6-11 record despite being in a weak NFC South. This season did have one bright spot for Atlanta, though, as it served as a cleaner handoff than expected to the Michael Penix Jr. era.
If the Falcons finish with fewer wins in 2024 than they did at any point in the Arthur Smith era, heads will roll. It would be shocking if it was Raheem Morris, but Atlanta’s new head coach of an energizer bunny would immediately be on the hot seat for the 2025 season.
The Falcons would undoubtedly move on from Kirk Cousins, though. It could end up being a blessing in disguise because of the potential awkward transition to Penix, but even still, 2024 would be seen as a massive disappointment.
Something would’ve gone horribly, horribly wrong in Atlanta if the Falcons finished with six wins.
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