Have you ever had a magician request you to, “Pick a card, any card?”
It is of course the opening volley in a card trick that the operator somehow uses your selection to baffle and amaze you.
Well, how about the National Football Conference South Division? I suggest you pick a team, any team. Now, I will attempt to amaze you.
Today, the Atlanta Falcons host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in search of their second win of the season over Todd Bowles' squad. If they get that done on their home field, Arthur Smith's team will move closer to winning this division and entering the playoff field.
Now, an Atlanta victory seems probable to most observers.
The Falcons have played a bit more consistently this year than the Buccaneers and beat them in Florida seven weeks ago. With a victory today, the Falcons will push the Bucs two games back in the division standings while maintaining at least a one game lead over the second place New Orleans Saints.
Yet, before we crown the Falcons, know this; they are a division leader that hasn’t won more games than they’ve lost this season. Atlanta quarterbacks are nearly as likely to throw an interception than they are a touchdown, nine picks versus 11 TD’s. Coupled with their fumbles lost, Atlanta is minus three in turnover ratio in 2023.
Not exactly the stats of a champion.
But, win here, beat the Buccaneers for the second time this season, and perhaps the only competition left to knock you out of the playoffs are the woeful New Orleans Saints, a team that has lost more games than they’ve won this year. Dennis Allen’s squad has five victories and seven losses coming into today’s action.
What this comes down to is that the Falcons are just not good enough to get done what they want any way easy. They may win this division, there is no strong competition to prevent that, but make it easy on themselves?
Not likely.
It is much more in line with basic math that they get upset today at home by the Buccaneers and head into next week tied for first with Tampa Bay. Which leaves one more question, are the Saints good enough to beat the last place team in this woeful division, the Carolina Panthers? If the Saints survive the Panthers challenge, it will create a three way tie for the top spot by joining the Falcons and Buccaneers with six wins and seven losses.
There is no guarantee the Saints can beat the Panthers, but there is in all likelihood a chance for them to share first place at the end of the day if they do … because the Falcons are going down. It is a perch breach.
Qoxhi Picks: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2) over Atlanta Falcons