The race for the NFC South crown may come down to a sick Kirk Cousins.
With the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tied at 8-9, the division winner will be decided through a tiebreaker. However, that tiebreaker winner depends on who wins the game between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
The situation got more intriguing on Sunday morning, when Kirk Cousins woke up ill ahead of the final game of the year. The 37-year-old is the Panthers' best hope at winning the division, so Cousins' status has major playoff implications.
Here's the latest on Cousins' health ahead of the Week 18 game.
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Is Kirk Cousins playing today?
Several Falcons players, including quarterback Kirk Cousins, woke up sick on Sunday ahead of their Week 18 matchup against the Saints. While linebacker Ronnie Harrison was declared out for the game with an illness, Cousins will start the game despite his illness.
Kirk Cousins woke up ill today but will play. Pic.twitter.com/ze48V9cvTN
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2026
With Michael Penix out for the season, Cousins is finishing the year as Atlanta's starter with Easton Stick as his backup. If Cousins' illness impacts him during the game, then Stick will play in his first NFL game since 2023.
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Who will win the NFC South?
The NFC South division title will come down to the final game of the regular season between the two teams who were already eliminated from division contention. With the Panthers and Buccaneers both finishing the season at 8-9, the tiebreaker for the division is different between two teams than it would be between three teams.
Therefore, a Falcons win would get Atlanta to 8-9 on the year and trigger a three-team playoff, which would mean the Panthers win the NFC South. However, a Saints victory means Tampa Bay and Carolina would have a two-way tiebreaker to decide the winner, with the Buccaneers taking the crown.
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