The Atlanta Falcons caught a major break in the form of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss on Sunday night football. That loss propelled the Falcons into first place in the NFC South due to holding the tiebreaker over the Bucs.
Atlanta would host a playoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium if the season ended today. According to NFL.com, the team has a 54 percent chance of making the postseason. Those odds would go up to 85 percent with a win over the Washington Commanders in Week 17.
There’s also a scenario in which the Falcons could win the division this weekend. If the Buccaneers lose to the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta defeats Washington, the Falcons would end their seven-year NFC South title drought.
While a Panthers win appears unlikely, Carolina has been on a bit of a tear over the last month:
If the Falcons lose to the Commanders, things get much tougher (playoff odds drop to 34 percent). However, as long as the Buccaneers don’t finish with a better overall record, Atlanta will win the division.
Sunday’s road game against Washington kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.