FLOWERY BRANCH — The NFL playoff picture goes in cycles, and this season is the NFC South’s turn to be the low man at the playoff party.
The Buccaneers (6-8) are in the driver’s seat with a one-game lead over the Falcons, Saints and Panthers (5-9).
The Bucs play the Cardinals, who have been eliminated and are without quarterback Kyler Murray, at 8:20 p.m. Sunday in Glendale, Arizona. The Bucs are favored by 6.5 points over the Cardinals, according to betmgm.com.
The rest of the division plays Saturday, with the Panthers hosting the streaking Lions at 1 p.m. The Lions are favored by three points. The Saints travel to play the Browns at 1 p.m. The Browns are three-point favorites.
The Falcons are 7.5-point underdogs to the Ravens.
If Las Vegas is right, the Bucs will open a two-game lead with two games to play.
The race likely will move to next week, which will feature a head-to-head elimination game between the Panthers and the Bucs in Tampa.
The Falcons will host the Cardinals and the Bucs in their final two regular-season games.
The Saints, who hope to upset the Browns to stay in the race, play at the Eagles, who at 13-1 have the NFL’s best record, in Week 17.
So, it’s likely that the NFC South battle will go down to the final weekend of the season.
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Atlanta Falcons 2022 schedule
Sept. 11: Saints 27, Falcons 26
Sept. 18: Rams 31, Falcons 27
Sept. 25 Falcons 27, Seahawks 23
Oct. 2 Falcons 23, Browns 20
Oct. 9 Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15
Oct. 16 Falcons 28, 49ers 14
Oct. 23 Bengals 35, Falcons 17
Oct. 30 Falcons 37, Panthers 34 OT
Nov. 6 Chargers 20, Falcons 17
Nov. 10 Panthers 25, Falcons 15
Nov. 20 Falcons 27, Bears 24
Nov. 27 Commanders 19, Falcons 13
Dec. 4 Steelers 19, Falcons 16
BYE WEEK
Dec. 18 Saints 21, Falcons 18
Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD
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