If, before this season, you had asked either of the long-suffering fanbases of the Atlanta Falcons or the New Orleans Saints if they’d like to see their team playing in a Week 18 game with the NFC South title on the line, they’d have said yes, yes, please yes, without even bothering to clarify any further. Because both the Buccaneers and the Panthers finished the season 8-9, a series of tiebreakers made the Saints-Falcons game a proxy battle for the NFC South crown. Carolina now plays in the postseason for the first time since 2017, and claims its first division crown since 2015, and the Panthers have the Falcons to thank for the final touches.
Author: Jay Busbee
Published at: 2026-01-04 21:07:28
Still want to read the full version? Full article
