Nearly each NFL season there’s at the very least one division that if ripped from the league and forged into the ocean, the product could be a lot better. This season, that division is the NFC South.
While the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have performed some entertaining video games, neither group has been in a position to string collectively sufficient wins to get to a .500 document. The Falcons misplaced to the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday, and final week the Buccaneers misplaced a heartbreaker in extra time to the Cleveland Browns.
It has been so tough for any group to get a strong footing on this division that, at 4-8, the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers are nonetheless within the combine for first place. Andy Dalton is main the Saints’ offense, and the Panthers launched their massive offseason quarterback improve, Baker Mayfield, and traded their greatest participant, Christian McCaffrey.
On Monday Night Football the Buccaneers will host the Saints, and if these groups’ current performances are a harbinger of issues to return, count on a clunky, unentertaining primetime matchup.
The Saints bought blanked final week by the San Francisco 49ers’ athletic and rabid protection. Yes, the 49ers are excellent, and would possibly have the ability to win a Super Bowl with a rookie, last-overall draft decide, at quarterback, however getting shut out shouldn’t occur within the NFL. Especially to an offense with proficient gamers like Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed.
G/O Media might get a fee
Even in opposition to the Browns’ leaky run protection, the Bucs couldn’t maintain any success on the bottom. They have been up 17-10 on the Browns for a lot of the second half earlier than David Njoku tied the sport with a late landing seize. Still, 17-10? In the second half, the Buccaneers went three and out 4 instances. Let a group cling round lengthy sufficient, and sure Jacoby Brissett can lead landing drives late within the fourth quarter, and in extra time to drag out the win.
So that’s what goes head-to-head to conclude the Week 13 slate. Two offenses which have been struggling to place 20 factors on the board, taking part in in a vital sport with division title ramifications, and each groups are beneath .500.
According to NFL guidelines, a group has to win this division and that group should host a playoff sport. It’s an archaic rule that must be achieved away with in all main American sports activities. However, since that gained’t be taking place anytime quickly, let’s simply root for this division to be out of our lives as shortly as doable.
That means pull for each opponent that the Buccaneers have for the remainder of the season. If they win the division with an 8-9 document, that is the one group that may slog their technique to a playoff victory. The Buccaneers would most likely host the Dallas Cowboys within the Wild Card Round. On paper, this might be a whole mismatch. However, be trustworthy, you realize you possibly can see the Cowboys blowing that sport.
I actually do. They don’t have the offensive playmakers to threaten the Buccaneers down the sector. It could be even tougher to take action with a wholesome Antoine Winfield Jr. and Sean Murphy-Bunting on the sector in January.
The Cowboys may let the Buccaneers cling round too lengthy, after which the outdated vet Brady may flip again father time’s clock for a few late landing drives, and we might be caught with them within the divisional spherical. Maybe even a rematch of final 12 months’s Philadelphia Eagles’ playoff nightmare.
None of that might be enjoyable to observe. The playoffs are imagined to showcase one of the best that the league has to supply, not a rock combat for 3 and a half quarters.
So for many who need most leisure within the playoffs, change into a Saints fan for a day. Because the sooner the Buccaneers are gone, the sooner the 2022 NFC South might be out of our lives.