Whenever you get handed a loss like the Atlanta Falcons did a week ago against the Denver Broncos, you want to quickly get that taste out of your mouth and move forward. However, with the team being idle this week, that loss will fester for another seven days.
The Falcons have lost two straight and three out of their last five games entering the bye. The team must find a way to get back on track entering the final six-game stretch. The New Orleans Saints also had their bye in Week 12.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New York Giants, 30-7, to improve to 5-6 for the season. The Carolina Panthers nearly upset the Kansas City Chiefs but couldn’t hold on in a 30-27 loss.
Updated NFC South standings: Week 13
| Pos | Team | Record | Div Record | Games Back | Next Opponent |
| 1 | Falcons | 6-5 | 4-1 | – | vs Chargers |
| 2 | Buccaneers | 5-6 | 1-2 | 1 | @ Panthers |
| 3 | Saints | 4-7 | 2-3 | 2 | vs Rams |
| 4 | Panthers | 3-8 | 1-2 | 3 | vs Buccaneers |
It may look as if the Buccaneers are one game back from the Falcons, but they are effectively two games back. Since Atlanta swept Tampa Bay this year, the Falcons hold the tiebreaker if the two teams finish with the same record.
Atlanta also holds the tiebreaker over the Saints due to having the better division record. There’s no way the Saints can get the tiebreaker back this season. New Orleans would have to finish with a better overall record than the Falcons to overtake them in the NFC South.
In Week 13, Atlanta hosts the Los Angeles Chargers. The last time the Falcons beat the Chargers was during the 2012 NFL season. Since then, Atlanta has lost three consecutive games to Los Angeles. Sunday’s game starts at 1 p.m. ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.