Falcons 2023 Schedule at Stake in Season Finale

The Atlanta Falcons aren't playing for much on Sunday, but there are ramifications to the game's results.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 5, 2023

While the Atlanta Falcons won't play for anything tangible in Sunday's season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, small details are at stake that could make large impacts for next season.

The NFL opponents for next season will be finalized after this weekend's events, where a win and loss could send the Falcons in two different directions.

Should the Falcons lose, Atlanta will finish 6-11 and last place in the NFC South. That would net them games next season against other last place teams in the NFC West, NFC East and AFC East.

That means a loss would likely mean the Falcons would have to host the Washington Commanders and travel to face the Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets, all of whom currently sit in last place in their respective division. However, results from this weekend's games could also affect their placement in the divisional standings.

A win and a Carolina Panthers loss would put the Falcons in third, which would line them up to host the New York Giants and travel to face the Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins.

Small details, but if the Falcons are in the thick of things next season, these games could be the difference between the playoffs and another year of watching the postseason from the couch.

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Published Jan 5, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.