The race for first is between two.
It may be a bit early to call the NFC South, but after the Week 15 games, only two teams in the division have a real chance for first place.
Carolina Panthers
Regular Season record 3-11
The Carolina Panthers season has been up and down since week 1, but there have been a lot of positives in recent weeks. This was not the case in week 15, and the Panthers fell to the Cowboys 30-14. Bryce Young has had some great performances recently, but the Dallas Cowboys defense did a great job getting to the young QB 6 times. When Young was able to get the ball away, he only threw one touchdown and two interceptions. The Panthers running game had one of their worst, which added to the offensive struggles. Carolina’s defense did not do much to help either. The run defense did nothing to shut down Dallas running back Rico Dowdle, and QB Cooper Rush had a career day against the Panthers’ pass defense. This game was a bit of a step back for the Panthers, but the good news is their draft position is still in the top 5.
Regular Season record 8-6
The Bucs were on a three-game winning streak going into week 15, but their opponent, the Chargers, was the best team on Tampa Bay’s schedule and a massive challenge. Well, the Chargers looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL against the Buccaneers, with the final score ending 40-17. This was a very surprising score, to say the least. The Bucs’ winning streak was real, but their wins felt too easy, and if they had faced better teams, they would have probably lost. Against the Chargers, the offense was a dominant force. Baker Mayfield was cerebral, with an 81% completion percentage, 4 touchdowns, 288 yards, and only one interception. Mike Evans was the main beneficiary of this performance and he finished with 159 yards and 2 touchdowns. The run offense of Tampa Bay also continued their season-long dominance. Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen has revolutionized this offense, and unless Tampa Bay promotes him, Coen will be a head coach next season. The Buccaneers defense was a nightmare for Los Angeles, picking off Justin Herbert once and only allowing the Chargers’ leading rusher to have 23 yards. This was the best win of the season for Tampa Bay, and with this win, the odds of them securing first place in the NFC South is high.
Atlanta Falcons
Regular Season record 7-7
The Atlanta Falcons season has taken a downward spiral, and unless things change, first place in the division will become less and less likely. There was a very good chance for the Falcons to end the losing streak, and in week 15, Atlanta squeaked out an ugly win against the Las Vegas Raiders. The score ended 15-9, and it seemed like both teams wanted to lose this game. Kirk Cousins, who has had an abysmal run as of late, finished the game with only 112 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. On defense, Atlanta had their way with the Raiders, and against Desmond Ridder, the defense picked off the former Falcons QB twice. Against the run, the Falcons shut down the Raiders rushing attack and stopped Las Vegas from gaining any momentum.
New Orleans Saints
Regular Season record 5-9
The New Orleans Saints could not afford a loss in week 15 against the Washington Commanders, and with Derek Carr ruled out with his hand injury, this game was going to be an uphill battle. For the first half, the Saints were dominated, and after a QB change, New Orleans battled back. After a failed two-point conversion, the Saints narrowly lost to the Commanders 20-19. Jake Haener started for the first half of this game, and he looked lost. The offensive line was not great at times, but Haener was running too early and dropping back way too far. When he did have time, passes were dropped, and he ended up throwing a very ugly interception. Changes needed to be made, and Rizzi wasted no time putting Spencer Rattler in at QB in the second half. The offense caught stride, and Rattler had the best game of his young career. In the preseason, Rattler led the Saints on a game-winning drive, and late in the 4th, he hoped to repeat this success. It came down to the two-point conversion, but Juwan Johnson dropped the ball in the endzone. The defense kept the Saints in the game, and the defensive line had their best game of the season. The line sacked Jayden Daniels 8 times, and the run defense was really good. Against the pass, the Saints got very lucky that Daniels missed some easy throws down the field. This loss basically eliminates the Saints out of contention for a playoff spot, but with Derek Carr set to miss some games, Spencer Rattler will now be the focus for the rest of the season. Next week, New Orleans will travel to Green Bay in a cold Monday Night Football matchup.
Week 15 NFC South Standings:
- Buccaneers
- Falcons
- Saints
- Panthers