After 10 weeks and one game, the often-maligned NFC South is separated by four games. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per usual, sit atop the division with a 6-3 record. Next in line are the Carolina Panthers (5-5), Atlanta Falcons (3-6), and New Orleans Saints (2-8).
While the Bucs are in Buffalo and the Saints are off, the Panthers and Falcons renew acquaintances for the second time this season. Back in Week 3 at Charlotte, Dave Canales’s team got its first victory of the season courtesy of a 30-0 shutout.
The rematch is later today at Atlanta. Earlier this week, Andrew Buller-Russ of Sportsnaut came out with one bold prediction for each of the NFL’s 15 games. He sees Falcons’ second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. enjoying a big outing,
“Penix is only 11 starts into his NFL career,” said Buller-Russ, “but he still hasn’t had a big breakout performance that suggests he can be one of the league’s most productive passers. Penix’s career-high still sits at 313 yards.”
That effort came in Week 4 this season in the Falcons’ 34-27 home win against the Washington Commanders. Since then, he has seen his passing yardage totals decline in each game. In his last four outings, he’s thrown five touchdown passes without an interception. However, Penix has been sacked eight times and lost a pair of fumbles in those contests.
