The Atlanta Falcons left Las Vegas with a 15-9 win on Monday night but did so in a concerning fashion. For a team fighting to stay in the playoff race, it shouldn’t have had to rely on a last-second defensive stand to thwart a Raiders comeback.
While we can look at the shortcomings of last night’s contest, we also have to acknowledge that a win is a win and the Falcons effectively kept their season alive. Following last night’s victory, the team is still a game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South standings.
NFC South standings: Week 16
| Pos | Team | Record | Div Record | Games Back | Next Opponent |
| 1 | Buccaneers | 8-6 | 2-2 | – | @ Cowboys |
| 2 | Falcons | 7-7 | 4-1 | 1 | vs Giants |
| 3 | Saints | 5-9 | 2-3 | 3 | @ Packers |
| 4 | Panthers | 3-11 | 1-3 | 5 | vs Cardinals |
The Falcons will need to find a way to ward off the lowly New York Giants in Week 16. However, even if the team wins out, the Buccaneers have to lose a game for Atlanta to jump them in the standings.
Tampa Bay blew out the Las Angeles Chargers and will face the Dallas Cowboys this weekend. The Cowboys dominated the Panthers in Week 15. The Saints and Panthers are no longer in the playoff hunt.