Even though the Atlanta Falcons are not participating in Week 11, the events of Sunday will still have an effect on them. On Sunday, where should supporters focus their attention?
Even though the Atlanta Falcons have a much-needed Sunday off in Week 11, plenty of people are still sitting down to watch football.
This week’s bye also goes to the NFC South leaders, the New Orleans Saints. Fans will therefore look elsewhere for updates regarding the NFC playoff situation.
Based on simulations by the New York Times, Atlanta’s chances of making the playoffs are only thirty percent at 4-6, and the division is still very much in contention. If not, the remaining games will be used to either start mock drafts or scratch for the conference’s seventh seed.
Let’s examine the NFC and the level of fan interest that Falcons supporters ought to have.
The Bay Area Buccaneers
Naturally, Tampa poses a serious threat to Atlanta’s chances of making the playoffs. The Bucs are in front of the Falcons in the NFC South and Wild Card rankings, with a record of 4-5.
Luckily for Atlanta, Tampa Bay has a difficult assignment ahead of it. They will pay a visit to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. The 49ers have just finished an impressive
performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and in Week 11 they are 12-point favorites.
The road ahead for the Falcons will be slightly easier because San Francisco is expected to win easily against an offense that has an abundance of weapons. But a victory for the Bucs would reduce Atlanta’s chances of making the playoffs to around 25%.
WASHINGTON OFFICIALS
Envy is a completely human emotion. The Washington Commanders may make the Falcons and their supporters jealous. Of course, they have to contend with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, two of the best teams in the NFC, in their division.
However, Washington will host a team that is virtually tanking on Sunday. With the first pick in the April draft, the New York Giants are very much in the running. Tommy Devito, the quarterback, is a step below every other quarterback that will be playing on Sunday.
There’s good reason why Washington is favored by 8.5 points. They would be one half-game ahead of Atlanta at 5-6 after a victory.
The game will begin at 1 p.m. (ET) on Fox for those who dare to watch a reprehensible Giants team.
VIKINGS OF MINNESOTA
Falcons supporters on Sunday Night Football will be emotionally invested. After Kirk Cousins’ season-ending injury, the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings is playing with a renewed sense of purpose. Josh Dobbs has stepped in admirably, but with a vulnerable Minnesota team, questions remain about how long his run can last.
The Denver Broncos, who have improved in the weeks following their 50-point defeat, are the team the Vikings are visiting. They are a threat to Minnesota after victories over the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs highlighted their recent winning streak.
Having said that, the Vikings lead the other contenders for the seventh seed by 1.5 games. With seven games remaining, a victory would establish the Falcons as divisional contenders, 2.5 games ahead of Atlanta. Minnesota, of course, has the advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker.
On NBC, Sunday Night Football will begin at 8:20 p.m. (ET).
