The Atlanta Falcons have a legitimate shot to win the NFC South, but they’ll have to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 to secure a potential division title.
That idea is not lost on head coach Arthur Smith, who is looking for his first winning season since he took over in 2021.
The Falcons have gone 7-10 in each of Smith’s previous two seasons and are one win away from tying Smith’s best season as head coach with five games left.
So a win over a divisional rival would go a long way not just for Smith’s career, but the Falcons’ 2023 season.
It would also mean a third consecutive victory for the Falcons, something the team has never done in Smith’s tenure at the helm.
“It’s a huge game for us on Sunday,” Smith told the Pat McAfee Show on Friday, “and hopefully we just keep stacking wins.”
“I love these guys and it’s such a fun group to coach..
It’s a huge game for us on Sunday and hopefully we just keep stacking wins”
Artie Smith #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/GdX8mRDnPL
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 8, 2023
If the Falcons win, they’d push their lead to two games over the Buccaneers and own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Tampa Bay.
Atlanta would maintain at least a one-game lead over the New Orleans Saints, too, with a Week 18 clash upcoming for both teams.
Momentum would be in the Falcons’ favor at this critical point in the season with games against the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, and Chicago Bears still on the docket – all of which are winnable games for Atlanta.
But the Falcons first need to face the matchup in front of them – one they almost lost seven weeks ago.
The Falcons needed a 51-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo as time expired to beat the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay in Week 7
This time, they play in Atlanta.
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