ATL Standard

The Atlanta Falcons, who held the NFC South lead for ten weeks after securing it in Week 4, have seen their position slip following a four-game losing streak. Their recent defeat against the Minnesota Vikings allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to overtake them with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Despite losing control of their playoff destiny, the Falcons remain focused on improving their performance. "It's really about us trying to find ways to get wins and really just focus on us," said Falcons head coach Raheem Morris. He acknowledged Tampa's success and emphasized the need for his team to reset and prepare for upcoming games.

The Falcons will face off against the struggling Raiders in Week 15 on "Monday Night Football." The Raiders have lost nine consecutive games, including their latest against Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are set to play against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Atlanta holds a tiebreaker advantage over Tampa Bay due to winning their season series, which could prove crucial if both teams end up with identical records at season's end. With four games remaining, both teams face only one opponent with a winning record; Atlanta is scheduled to meet the Washington Commanders in Week 17.

The last time Atlanta won the NFC South was in 2016 when they reached the Super Bowl. They finished second in 2019 after closing that season with four straight victories. This year’s schedule featured numerous divisional matchups early on, contributing to their current best-in-division record of 4-1.

For Atlanta to keep its playoff hopes alive, they must outperform Tampa Bay down this final stretch of games. Quarterback Kirk Cousins summarized their approach: "You take it one day at a time...you just got to play out your schedule the best you can and see where it leads you."