Falcons still in thick of wildcard race
In the NFC South race, the Falcons (6-4) are four games behind the streaking Carolina Panthers (10-0) with six games to play.
The Panthers appear headed for a three-peat in the NFC South unless they stumble miserably down the stretch.
Despite going 1-4 over their past five games, the Falcons are in control of their own destiny in the wildcard race at 6-4. They have a game lead over Tampa Bay (5-5) and Seattle (5-5) for the last wildcard berth. Minnesota and Green Bay of the NFC North are 7-3.
There are a host of teams at 4-6 on wildcard life-support in the Rams, Saints, Bears, Eagles and Washington. Longshot Dallas is at 3-7 after getting quarterback Tony Romo back from injury.
If the playoffs started today, the Panthers and Arizona would have byes as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds from the NFC.
The Falcons, as the sixth seed, would open the playoffs on the road against Green Bay, the No. 3 seed.
The Vikings, the fifth seed, would play at the New York Giants, the fourth seed.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
