This is the time of the year where bad teams are playing out the string. For a team like the Falcons who have determined they’re not firing their head coach and are returning their franchise quarterback and many pieces on both sides of the ball, it’s an especially awkward way to end the year. Who do you play? What do you care about? How invested can you truly be?
The same is true of the Carolina Panthers, who will have Cam Newton next year, except the coach part. Ron Rivera may legitimately be in danger of being fired with a new owner in place in Carolina and a pretty epic collapse after the Panthers looked like a virtual playoff lock earlier in the year.