The NFL waited until it knew the most dramatic possible course to set its Week 18 schedule, and it's making sure nothing gets spoiled too soon in the NFC South race.
The Saints host the Falcons and the Panthers host the Bucs, with three teams still in contention to win the division. Both games will go off simultaneously at noon (central). Saints-Falcons will be on CBS.
It's high drama for the NFL. If the Bucs beat the Panthers, it will be Tampa walking away with a third consecutive NFC South crown. But if not? Then it will come down to the winner of the Saints-Falcons matchup.
The Saints also retain a chance at a wild card, but that would require the Seahawks to lose to the Cardinals and the Packers to lose to the Bears. Both of those games will kick off in the afternoon window.
The Bucs had a chance to clinch the NFC South in Week 17, but the Saints kept their season alive with a 23-13 win at Raymond James Stadium.
"We knew our backs were against the wall and we knew that if we didn’t take care of business today that it didn’t matter what happened anywhere else," Saints head coach Dennis Allen said, "and we knew that we had to win this game and I think our guys had the mindset that we were coming in here to win and that’s what they did.”