Even though the Falcons are coming off a bye week, it still feels like they lost, with the Buccaneers dismantling the Giants.
That’s because the last time we saw Raheem Morris’ team, they were on the receiving end of an ass-kicking. The Broncos throttled the Falcons 38-6, which followed a loss in New Orleans, where Younghoe Koo uncharacteristically missed three field goals.
Despite the Falcons spinning their wheels and the Bucs flying high, the good guys still hold the division lead and the head-to-head tiebreaker over their rivals. The Falcons will have to completely collapse, while the Bucs will have to be nearly perfect to win the NFC South.
It’s a long shot, but that’s exactly what ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Folwer sees happening down the stretch.
“It is a big ask, but I have the Bucs pressing Atlanta into late December and making this interesting. Tampa’s remaining opponents have a combined record of 23-43 (.348 winning percentage), which is the easiest remaining schedule, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Bucs nearly pulled off several upsets through the challenging part of their schedule, and now comes the payoff. The Falcons need at least three wins, maybe four, to secure the division crown.”
If the Falcons go 3-3 over their final six games, the Buccaneers will have to win five of their six, which is difficult no matter the schedule. So, that means if Atlanta wins four games down the stretch, it’ll force the Bucs to run the table. That’s a lot to ask.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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