17 weeks of the 2024 regular season have been played, so there’s only one week remaining: a crucial Week 18. Like every season, there’s a ton that will be decided in the final week. The playoff picture is still being put together, seeding is still up in the air, and the draft order for non-playoff teams is changing by the day.
The NFC will be in the middle of all of those decisive moments on Sunday. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers will help decide the order of the top 10 draft picks, and they’re playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, who are both hoping to make the playoffs by winning the NFC South.
That’ll all be decided in the early window of Sunday’s games, but for now, here’s how the NFC South is ranked after the penultimate week.
NFC South power rankings after Week 17
4. New Orleans Saints (5-11)
Previous ranking: 4
The Saints don’t have the worst record in the division, but they’re definitely the worst team in the NFC South right now. On Sunday, New Orleans was dominated by a lowly Raiders team, losing 25-10. It was yet another embarrassing low that should serve as a wake-up call to the front office. To make matters worse, the recent losses haven’t even improved where the Saints will draft.
3. Carolina Panthers (4-12)
Previous ranking: 3
In the end, this will be another underwhelming season for the Panthers. Being blown out 48-14 by the Buccaneers on Sunday is proof they still have a long way to go. However, Carolina should enter the offseason with some optimism, because they’ve significantly improved this season, and Bryce Young has made strides as a quarterback. They’ll also have a top-10 draft pick to add another impact player.
2. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
Previous ranking: 2
The Falcons entered the season as the talk of the division after an explosive offseason. However, they ultimately ended up still being just an average team, and have already moved on from Kirk Cousins to Michael Penix Jr. They do have a chance to win the division and make the playoffs, but Atlanta will need the Saints to get a win over Tampa Bay in Week 18.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
Previous ranking: 1
The Buccaneers are now set up to win their fourth straight NFC South Championship. All they have to do is get a home win against the Saints. With the way New Orleans has looked all season, and especially the last few weeks, Tampa Bay should be preparing for the playoffs.