The Falcons and Panthers were the class for the NFC South for a while, with the Panthers winning three straight division titles from 2013-2015 and the Falcons bookending those years with an NFC Conference Championship berth and a Super Bowl ticket. Those days are sadly long, long gone.
When these two teams meet this week, there’ll be little to play for. Atlanta’s 3-9 and likely on the cusp of clearing out its front office and coaching staff. Carolina’s 5-7 and fading fast, falling behind the Buccaneers and looking like they’re ready to finally cut Riverboat Ron loose from his mooring.