Who Dat Dish
Fansided

Saints had two ways to clinch NFC South Sunday. Neither happened.

By Nathan Beighle

TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 08: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepares to take a snap during the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium on November 08, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 08: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepares to take a snap during the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium on November 08, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The New Orleans Saints could’ve clinched the NFC South two ways this past Sunday, and sadly, neither happened and the division still remains unclaimed.

To be fair, it’s still a distant thought that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will win out and actually take the division over. It’s still the Saints division, but Week 14 was a tough loss as the team was overpowered by a 3-8-1 Eagles roster.

The Saints have yet to lose in their division, the NFC South, one which they’ve won three years in a row. They are 7-0 with two wins over the Atlanta Falcons, two wins over the Bucs, and one win over the Panthers. They play Carolina again in Week 17 to end the season.

Outside of their divisional play, the Saints are 4-3.

With wins over the 49ers, Broncos, Lions, and Chargers and losses to the Raiders, Packers and Eagles, this team has showcased a dynamic resilience for much of the season, having multiple come-from-behind victories and several single-score wins as well.

But, when their backs were against the wall and they had a chance to continue their reign over the NFC, they failed. The Saints lost 24-21 to the Philadelphia Eagles, and we already took the liberty to point out a few positional groups that were most at fault.

The Packers are now the top seed in the NFC.

If the Saints learned anything from last season, it’s that securing that first-round bye is important. A Week 14 loss took them out of the race for the first two spots last season, resulting in them missing the first-round bye and then losing in the first round.

This season, it happened again. The Saints have a drastically tougher schedule ahead than Green Bay. The Saints have Kansas City and Minnesota, two talented opponents. It’s unlikely they gain a game on the Packers.

dark. Next. Top 30 players in New Orleans Saints’ history

The Saints will win their division, but after having the top seed in the NFC for a few weeks, it appears unlikely they’ll be able to get that one back. With seven teams in the playoffs, not six, the lone first-round bye would sadly go to Green Bay.

Home/Saints News