NFL.com Thinks Buccaneers Secure in NFC South ahead of Falcons, Panthers

Plenty of motivation exists for the Atlanta Falcons to arrest the frustrating run of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning four-straight NFC South Divisional titles.

Unfortunately for devotees of the Dirty Birds, NFL.com has not reached the point just yet where they feel the Falcons are ready to wrestle the divisional crown off the head of Baker Mayfield and Co.

In general terms, however, despite the Bucs only being listed by their Senior National Columnist Judy Battista's the 6th most/least vulnerable divisional champ, she does suggest that the train is coming on down the tracks.

"Why might that change in 2025? Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. gave the Falcons a spark when he took over the job last season, and he is the entrenched starter now.” Battista wrote on NFL.com “And Atlanta finally addressed its pass rush in the draft. Bryce Young looked greatly improved after his benching last season in Carolina, and he has a pretty nice receiving corps now. The Saints are in for a post-Derek Carr reset, but the Falcons and Panthers could give the Bucs a real push in the division race.

“Still, Baker Mayfield is clearly the best quarterback of the group, and he will have a stellar group of receivers. Continuity counts for plenty, and Tampa Bay has it. You don’t always have to be dominant to win your division, and the Bucs get the job done.”

Despite Battista giving the Bucs the overall competitive edge, on account of them still having their experienced playmaker Mayfield under center, the Falcons are indeed closing the gap.

When you factor in the mere three-game sample of work Michael Penix Jr. has put together as a pro, it's entirely understandable how NFL com might conclude that it's just a little too early for him to dethrone the proven Mayfield and the Buccaneers.

Stepping into the full-time quarterback role also means Penix will inevitably have to take some lumps along the way. That's never an easy education. The good news, the Falcons get the first crack at the Buccaneers, whom they beat twice last season. Tampa Bay travels to Atlanta to open the 2025 season.

Fundamentally, that rebuilt pass-rushing unit, which Battista also referenced, will have to hit the ground running, and that means getting to Mayfield with destructive intent.

Traditionally, that's not particularly easy for even an established veteran group, never mind one that is relying so heavily on a pair of rookies.

Providing that the Falcons round into shape under new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, the Falcons could start to resemble a far more balanced football team at the very least.

By Week 14, when they face the Buccaneers again, it might be a whole different landscape as far as the continuing development of first-rounders Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., not to mention Penix himself.

All told, however, even if Battista is proved to be correct and the Bucs do hold on in the South, Penix has to conclusively prove he's got them on the run moving forward.