Just two NFC South games last Sunday, as the Saints and Panthers played hosts to the Buccaneers and Falcons respectively. With a tight division race shaping up, how did “Shakeup Sunday” play out?
New Orleans Saints 30, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
In spite of Jameis Winston‘s best attempts to hype up his team, the Buccaneers simply had no answer. A rejuvenated Saints defense shut down the passing game and limited their opponents to under 200 total yards. Meanwhile, Saints special teams even chipped in with a blocked punt returned for a touchdown.
Tempers flared late in the game as Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore got into a scuffle on the Tampa sideline. As a result of his extracurricular effort, Evans earned himself a one-game suspension, and his absence only makes this Sunday’s contest against the visiting New York Jets all the more tougher as Winston struggles for consistency.
If there is one thing that Drew Brees enjoys, it is having a dual-threat back as an offensive option. After all, during his Saints career, he has turned unheralded names like Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles into reliable targets.
Only time will tell if rookie Alvin Kamara will thrive in like manner, but the early returns are encouraging. In the four weeks since the Adrian Peterson trade gave Kamara an expanded role, he has averaged over 105 combined yards per game.
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What have been the Saints’ hallmarks this season? A balanced offense that ranks in the top 10 in both passing and rushing as well as strength on defense. Rookie Lattimore and veteran Kenny Vaccaro have stabilized a previously-porous secondary while Cameron Jordan wreaks havoc up front.
This change in the Saints’ personality has taken a load off Brees’ shoulders as they have navigated their way to a 6-game win streak. He has almost quietly worked his way into the top 10 in all major passing categories thus far.
Up next for the Saints? A visit to the Buffalo Bills that has all the makings of a classic, as both teams find themselves in contention in their respective divisions. Staying atop the NFC South will be the priority as they face the league’s 4th-ranked scoring defense.
Carolina Panthers 20, Atlanta Falcons 10
A midweek surprise hit the Panthers as they traded away former first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin to Buffalo. Question marks abounded as to how the rest of the team’s offense would respond. This is, after all, an offensive unit that ranked in the 20s in scoring and yards.
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Much will presumably be asked of Devin Funchess, and he responded on Sunday with a 5-catch, 86-yard day. As the team awaits the return of Greg Olsen, Funchess will undoubtedly see more targets.
However, it was the running game which took center stage for more reasons than one against the Falcons.
Things began well for the visitors, who have been having their own issues with consistency on offense. Fumbles by Jonathan Stewart on back-to-back possessions gave the Falcons an early advantage. Nevertheless, the Panthers responded strongly after falling behind 10-0 and reeled off 20 straight points.
Leading the way on this dominant comeback? The rushing offense, as Stewart, Christian McCaffrey, and Cam Newton combined to rack up over 200 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. The highlight of the day was easily Newton’s leaping “dunk” as he took the ball across the goal-line to give the Panthers the lead for good at the end of the first half.
Despite the loss, the Falcons can nevertheless take some solace in the fact that for the first time in weeks, the offense looked like a well-oiled machine. With options like Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Mohamed Sanu, and the otherworldy Julio Jones (inexplicable drops aside) at his disposal, this offense is simply too talented for Matt Ryan to squander.
A potentially wild shootout against the Dallas Cowboys at home is up next for the Falcons. Meanwhile, the Panthers have the luxury of an extra day of rest as they prepare for a Monday night game against the visiting Miami Dolphins.
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