The NFC South After Week 6: The Best Case Scenario

Coming into Week 6, this time the 2-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a Bye week. The 1-4 Panthers traveled to New Orleans to play the 1-3 Saints and the division leader 4-1 Atlanta Falcons played in Seattle against the Seahawks.

So what happened in Week 6?

Everything Saints fans could have hoped for.

The Atlanta Falcons lost to the Seahawks (regardless of a Richard Sherman shoulda-woulda-coulda been pass interference call) 24-26. The Saints won an emotional rollercoaster of a game against the Panthers, 38-41.

That means the Falcons remain in first place, but drop to 4-2. The Saints improve to 2-3, tied with Tampa Bay for 2nd place in the NFC South. The Panthers fall farther, now at 1-5, in the basement of the division. The Saints (and Bucs) are now only one game out of the Falcons in the loss column, a game and a half out of first place.

Next week, the Atlanta Falcons host the Bad News Bears San Diego Chargers, and regardless of how the Chargers game against the Saints ended, the Chargers could very much steal a win in Atlanta. The Bucs travel to San Francisco to play the now Colin Kaepernick-led 49ers, but San Fran’s most recent game against the Buffalo Bills makes it look like it doesn’t matter who is in at quarterback. The Panthers have their Bye week, and the Saints travel to Arrowhead to play the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs represent a tough, but still winnable game. Win, and let’s let the rest of the division take care of itself. #BeattheChiefs