NFC South standings: How Buccaneers loss to Falcons in Week 15's "Thursday Night Football" impacts playoff race

With just four weeks left in the 2025 regular season, teams have limited chances to make a playoff push and the NFC South division looks like it will come down to the wire.

The Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints are both eliminated from postseason contention, leaving the division race up to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers. 

The Buccaneers opened Week 15 against the Falcons on "Thursday Night Football," with the Panthers taking on the Saints on Sunday. 

Tampa Bay was down a point at halftime and got up two touchdowns in the second half. But Atlanta battled back and used a walk-off field goal to flip the NFC South heading into the weekend. 

Here is more on how the Buccaneers' loss against the Falcons for Week 15's "Thursday Night Football" game impacts the NFC South divisional race. 

MORE: Updated AFC, NFC playoff picture heading into Week 15

NFC South standings

The loss to the Falcons hurt the Buccaneers. At least for the time being, Tampa Bay doesn't control its own destiny to get to the playoffs. This could change if the Panthers lose to the Saints on Sunday, but for now, Carolina sits atop the NFC South. 

Panthers remaining schedule

Carolina still has a Week 15 game against New Orleans to deal with. The Panthers can't afford to look past the Saints, as they lost their first matchup against the team in Week 10. 

Carolina has one of the toughest end-of-season schedules in the NFL, while the Buccaneers aren't one of the league's top teams, they still sit atop the division, and if the Panthers have any hope of going to the playoffs, they have to win at least one of the games against Tampa Bay down the stretch.

Buccaneers remaining schedule

With the Week 15 game against Atlanta behind them, the Buccaneers only have three games left. To make the playoffs, Tampa Bay must win more games than Carolina down the stretch. 

The Buccaneers currently don't control their own destiny. Tampa Bay will be rooting for New Orleans on Sunday, and will turn its attention to taking on Carolina in Week 16, in the first of two hugely important matchups between the two teams still to be played this season. 

MORE: Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order

Falcons remaining schedule

The Falcons are eliminated from the postseason. Atlanta is playing for pride and draft positioning at this point. The Falcons have a Week 16 matchup against the eliminated Cardinals, but then have back-to-back important games to end the season. 

Los Angeles will be traveling across the country for a trap game in Atlanta. The Rams are sitting in a playoff position and likely can't afford a loss in that matchup.

While the Week 18 matchup against the Saints won't matter for this season, it could end up having big draft order implications. The Falcons don't own their 2026 first-round pick, so the Rams will be keeping an eye on that to see if the pick stays in the top ten. 

Saints remaining schedule

New Orleans is eliminated from playoff contention and ends their season taking on three teams also not in playoff contention. The Saints will be playing solely for pride and draft order standing the rest of the way. The game against the Titans will be an important one because both teams are currently projected to be in the top five of the draft order come April. 

New Orleans does have the chance to throw a wrench into Carolina's playoff hopes. A win over the Panthers would give them an uphill battle to make the playoffs.