Week 18 of the NFL season, the final game for most teams before the long offseason, and while many clubs are playing for pride, the New Orleans Saints still have plenty at stake.
The Saints enter Sunday’s finale against the Atlanta Falcons riding a four-game winning streak and hoping to carry that momentum into next season.
This stage of the season also brings spoiler scenarios, and Sunday’s matchup carries significance in that regard.
What a Saints win means for the NFC South?
Tampa Bay defeated the Carolina Panthers on Saturday, setting up a complicated tiebreaker situation involving potential two- and three-way ties for a division crown with an 8–9 record—a scenario the Buccaneers have already navigated before, winning the NFC South at 8–9 in 2022.
A Saints win over Atlanta, combined with Saturday’s results, would effectively hand the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the NFC South title.
What a Falcons win means for the NFC South?
Atlanta, meanwhile, still has plenty to play for. The Falcons are riding a three-game winning streak with a chance to finish tied atop the NFC South despite being eliminated from playoff contention.
According to the NFL’s “Playoff Picture,” Carolina still holds a 60% chance of reaching the postseason despite Saturday’s loss.
New Orleans will look to play spoiler behind an impressive rookie campaign from Tyler Shough, but the Saints will be shorthanded. Wide receiver Chris Olave is out after doctors discovered a blood clot in his lung, opening the door for several unproven receivers to get an opportunity in the season finale.