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Coming into Week 12, the first place Atlanta Falcons hosted the Arizona Cardinals. Tampa Bay, in second place, hosted the Seattle Seahawks. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, both tied for third, hosted the Los Angeles Rams and travelled to Oakland respectively.
So what happened in Week 12?
The NFC South went 3-0 against the NFC West, with the sole NFC South road team being the only team to take a loss this week.
Atlanta and New Orleans put a whooping on the Cardinals and Rams. For the second week in a row, Tampa Bay was on the winning end of a potential upset-of-the-week, beating the surging Seattle Seahawks 14-5. The Panthers played an up-and-down game against the Raiders, eventually losing, unable to tie the game on their final drive, losing 32-35.
Next week, the Saints play the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions. The remaining NFC South teams travel west, with the Panthers playing in Seattle, the Bucs playing in San Diego, and the Falcons playing in Kansas City.
The Saints were able to keep football interesting for at least one more week, with a win over the Rams. Still, the Saints desperately need to find a way to gain ground on the Falcons and Buccaneers.
Win, and let’s let the rest of the division take care of itself. #BeattheLions