By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints may not control their own postseason chances any longer, having been eliminated since before their Week 16 game. But they do control the destiny of their most hated rivals, the Atlanta Falcons.
The Saints will travel to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend. The season finale give New Orleans one last hoorah to display their talent and compete for one another.
A win or loss for the team won’t really impact their draft position much either. So this game will be all about pride as interim head coach Darren Rizzi likely leads his final game with the Saints.
Despite the fact that New Orleans itself doesn’t have much to gain or lose against the Bucs, the result of the game has major implications for the Falcons.
It’s a simple win-and-in scenario for the Bucs are are knotted up at the top of the NFC South with Atlanta. If Tampa wins, they’re right back in the postseason as the division’s champion. But if the Saints were to win, Atlanta remains alive and could get into the playoffs with a win over fellow NFC South-mate, the Carolina Panthers.
That means the Falcons and their fans have no choice but to root for the Saints on Sunday. Which feels like a perfectly poetic ending for a tumultuous 2024 Saints season.
Falcons fans having to root for the sAints next week pic.twitter.com/ypqVgMfcKA
— David Schiele WTSP (@Deacon_Schiele) December 30, 2024
Both games will be played simultaneously at 12:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, Jan. 5. So, expect some scoreboard watching throughout.
Perhaps the best-case scenario is the Saints dropping a nail-biter after an impressive display hanging with the Bucs. That would provide the team the slim chance to improve its draft position, show off some talent and competitiveness and the Falcons would end up eliminated with a win or loss.
The Saints, of course, are going to focus on winning over anything else. Such a mindset is evidenced by starters like quarterback Derek Carr, running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Chris Olave all fighting to return from injury for the final game.
That’s the way it should be. But from the outside perspective, New Orleans has the chance to do something really funny.
