The Dirty South

By: Josh Frey-Sam

This is like a kid being forced to choose between broccoli, brussels sprouts and spinach — they know they’re going to be stuck eating one of them, no matter how much they despise each of those vegetables.

For the record, I’ve grown to love all of the above, and they are even probably a few of my go-to vegetables.

But this is an analogy for what it could be like as a fan having to watch the winner of the NFC South in the playoffs — only if Baker Mayfield’s left shoulder injury proves to be too great to overcome.

Mayfield’s AC joint is sprained, and it’s unclear how long it’ll keep him out, if at all. It’s possible he plays through it when the Bucs host the Cardinals on Sunday, but if his performance on Sunday night against the Rams was any indication, we won’t be getting the best version of Mayfield.

And if this lingers (it probably will), the Bucs’ season could quickly go from one with Super Bowl aspirations to a lost one.

This begs the question: Is the NFC South the Carolina Panthers’ division to lose?

For the sake of NFL fans and the quality of playoff football, God, I hope not. But with the Bucs at 6-5 and the Panthers at 6-6, this is a legitimate possibility.

Count me in the group of people who have not bought into the Panthers for a second this season. Yes, they beat Dallas earlier in the year, and outlasted both Green Bay and Atlanta on the road in a three-week span, but this team can not be taken seriously.

It starts with the quarterback, Bryce Young, who has finished with a passer rating below 65 more times (four) than he has above 91 this season (twice). And with the defence not being anywhere close to playoff-ready, the pressure falls on an offence that is led by a quarterback who has continuously shown he’s just not that guy.

There’s no doubt that the Bucs, even with their injuries, are the best team in the NFC South if Baker is near full strength, but we might not get that again this season, so it’s worth talking about how the end of this race could shake out.

The Panthers' remaining schedule is vs. Rams, BYE, @ Saints, vs. Tampa Bay, vs. Seattle, @ Tampa Bay. Considering they already lost to the Saints this season, I don’t think there are any games you can check off as wins at this point.

The Buccaneers’ remaining schedule is vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints, vs. Atlanta, @ Carolina, @ Miami, vs. Carolina.

Obviously, Week 16 and 18 against each other will be crucial, but if it’s Teddy Bridgewater at the helm, we can’t count any of these as wins for the Bucs either.

How about the Atlanta Falcons, who are two wins behind both of them at 4-7?

Frankly, I don’t think it’s a hot take to say I’d consider taking Kirk Cousins over both Young and Bridgewater, and we know the Falcons have offensive weaponry around him.

The Falcons are @ Jets, vs. Seahawks, @ Bucs, @ Cardinals, vs. Rams, vs. Saints. Their two toughest games (Hawks and Rams) come at home, and they have some juicy matchups outside of that.

I’m not counting them out yet.

The problem is that I don’t think it matters who gets in — the NFC South is primed to be a one-and-done in the playoffs. Right now, you’re talking about that team hosting the likes of the Seahawks, Packers or Lions in the first round, which is a tall task for any of those clubs.

If Baker is playing and able to be himself — or some semblance of himself — then it’s a different story, and we’re probably not too worried about who wins the division.

For that reason, the NFC South — and our playoff viewing experience — is on Baker’s shoulders — literally.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh