Following back-to-back NFC South matchups on the road, the Bucs were back home for a one-week break from divisional play. However, that didn’t mean their Week 7 task was any lighter, as they were hosting the red-hot Ravens on Monday Night Football.

Still, after Sunday’s results, Tampa Bay had a chance to regain sole possession of the NFC South lead with a win over Baltimore. The three-time defending division champion Bucs had a great opportunity in front of them to move ahead of the Falcons ahead of a rematch between the two sides in Week 8. Going into that game with a chance to build a two-game lead in the race sure felt like an intriguing proposition for Todd Bowles and Co.

But that wasn’t to be. Despite racing out to another early lead and going up 10-0 on the Ravens, things soon went south for the Bucs.

Mike Evans left the game after reaggravating his hamstring injury, Tampa Bay allowed 34 straight points and in the waning moments of a 41-31 loss, Chris Godwin went down with a devastating ankle injury.

So, where do things stand in the NFC South race through Week 7 of the 2024 season? It’s time to break it all down.

NFC South Update: Week 7

An unhappy Saints fan Photo by: USA Today

The Saints got the weekend started in the NFC South on Thursday Night Football, hosting former head coach Sean Payton and the Broncos. It was a happy homecoming for Payton and a disheartening one for New Orleans, which dropped its fifth straight game. Denver ran for 225 yards and never trailed in what turned out to be a 33-10 primetime win.

Spencer Rattler was 25-of-35 for 172 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions, though he did lose two fumbles. Jake Haener entered the game late and threw the only touchdown for the banged-up Saints, who are quickly falling out of the divisional race and fading into irrelevance.

The NFC South dropped to 0-2 on the week during Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. window, with the Falcons hosting the Seahawks in Atlanta. It was a close one early on, with Seattle taking a 10-0 lead before Bijan Robinson ran for a touchdown to get the Falcons within 10-7. Geno Smith and D.K. Metcalf connected for a touchdown just before halftime to go up 17-7, but Kirk Cousins and Drake London answered to get back within three about halfway through the third quarter.

Seahawks LB Boye Mafe and Falcons QB Kirk Cousins Photo by: USA Today

But it was all Seahawks the rest of the way, as Kenneth Walker scored his second touchdown of the day, Boye Mafe came up with a sack-fumble on Cousins that Derick Hall returned 64 yards for a touchdown and Seattle later tacked on a field goal to go up 34-14. That ended up being the final score, with Atlanta falling to 4-3 after a three-turnover day by Cousins.

Life didn’t get any better for the NFC South in the 4:00 window, as the Panthers dropped to 1-6 with a 40-7 loss to the Commanders. Jayden Daniels left the game early for Washington, but it ultimately didn’t matter as Dan Quinn’s team built a 20-0 first-half lead thanks in large part to a 67-yard pick-six by Dante Fowler Jr. and an 8-yard touchdown run by Brian Robinson Jr.

That Washington lead grew to 37-0 before Carolina finally got on the board, but a 4-yard Chuba Hubbard touchdown run was the only scoring for Dave Canales’ team in yet another embarrassing loss.

Then came Monday night, when the Bucs had a chance to take control of the top spot in the NFC South. Instead, they allowed a 34-0 Ravens run between the second and third quarters and lost 41-31. Losing Mike Evans for a yet-to-be-determined period of time and seeing Chris Godwin go down with what is believed to be a season-ending injury hurts more for Tampa Bay, but it was still a missed chance to grab ahold of the division lead.

As a whole, the NFC South went 0-4 in Week 7.

Updated NFC South Standings After Week 7:

Atlanta Falcons 4-3 (3-0 in the NFC South)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-3 (1-1 in the NFC South)
New Orleans Saints 2-5 (1-2 in the NFC South)
Carolina Panthers 1-6 (0-2 in the NFC South)

Bucs’ Attention Now Turns To Crucial NFC South Game In Week 8

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

The loss to the Ravens stings, and losing two key players to injuries stings even more. But for the Bucs, nothing was lost on Monday night in terms of the divisional race other than an opportunity. As things stand now, they’ll still be squaring off with the Falcons on Sunday in a game that will determine the lone leader of the NFC South through eight weeks.

As difficult as it might be without Evans and Godwin, the Bucs need to quickly regroup after Monday’s loss and recover on a short week ahead of Sunday’s game against the Falcons at Raymond James Stadium. Because this rematch is crucial for Tampa Bay as it hopes to win a fourth straight NFC South title.

After Atlanta won the first meeting in Week 5 by a score of 36-30 in overtime, the return game in Tampa became even more critical for Todd Bowles and his team. Splitting the season series with the Falcons is a must, as dropping this game and losing both to Raheem Morris’ team would badly damage any hopes of a four-peat as division champions. Because with two wins over the Bucs, the Falcons would have a key tiebreaker. And considering how close this race promises to be, that could be the decider in all of this.

Baker Mayfield is going to have to operate the offense with a receiving corps that will undoubtedly be pieced together. The Bucs will need Sterling Shephard, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer and Cade Otton to really come through in the passing game. Rachaad White is another key in the passing game, and he, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker will have to carry the load on the ground as well.

But even more important in this game for Tampa Bay is Bowles needing to figure out a way to solve Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta offense. Cousins threw for a Falcons-record 509 yards when these two teams met back in Week 5, and it doesn’t matter in the slightest what the Bucs offense does if Cousins is able to pick apart Bowles’ defense once again.

So, the stage is now set. The 4-3 Bucs will host the 4-3 Falcons in Week 8, with the winner taking over the top spot in the NFC South. Kickoff for Sunday’s game is set for 1:00 p.m.