While college football is my one true love, it’s hard to beat coming home from church on a Sunday afternoon, changing from your best button-up to your favorite player’s jersey, and reclining on your couch to watch this week’s lineup of NFL games. 

To celebrate the most wonderful time of the year coming into view, here are my predictions for season finishes in the NFC South.

Falcons

My beloved and beleaguered Atlanta Falcons, causing me strife for as long as I can remember. But this year, dare I say it, I actually have some pretty high hopes.

Despite an offseason move that left many fans of the Dirty Birds scratching their heads in the early first-round selection of Washington QB Michael Penix Jr., I think Atlanta is primed for a jump in the NFC South standings in the first year with Raheem Morris at the helm.

Don’t get me wrong, as much as I hope and pray, I don't feel like a Super Bowl is coming back to the Benz in the next couple of years, but I do think the Falcons are the best team in a weak division and will secure a spot in the playoffs.

The season starts off tough, with matchups against powerhouses in the Eagles and the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Chiefs. I predict two losses there, but Atlanta will start off the season 1-0 with a victory over former head coach and new offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arthur Smith.

The division schedule is where it gets tricky though, I expect Atlanta to sweep Carolina and make up for one of the messiest losses (and saddest games) I have seen the Falcons play in some time at the end of the 2023 season. As for the Saints, I feel like a split on the series is in the cards. Tampa is likely the next-best team in the South, and though I feel like they’ll give Atlanta tough games in both contests, they’ll only pick up the win in one.

For the remainder of the games, I think the Falcons will take care of business against Kirk Cousins’ former team with a road win over Minnesota, but suffer losses against Dallas, Seattle and the Chargers. They’ll end their season with an NFC South championship and a loss in the divisional round.

Prediction: 10-7

I wish I could predict 0-17 and be done with it, but I'm a realist here. As much as I hate the Saints, they'll pick up a number of wins this season.

New Orleans is a team that hits their stride toward the end of the season. In 2023, they were victorious in four of their last five games, ending the season with a double-digit rout of the Falcons. I predict their success coming at the back stretch this year as well.

I see a sloppy start for the Saints, with them losing five of their first six games, before finding their footing when Sean Payton returns to the Superdome for the first time since his departure to the Broncos. They’ll take a few losses, faltering on the road against Carolina, but pick up wins against Atlanta, Cleveland, Washington, and Las Vegas. The split with the Falcons and Bucs keeps the race tight, but it will ultimately not be enough to take the crown.

Prediction: 9-8

Buccaneers

While I feel like Tampa Bay is a better team than New Orleans, they have a much more difficult schedule than the two teams above them. The Bucs already have their hands full with the NFC East and AFC West slate that everyone in their division has, plus battles against the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions. And if you think that isn’t tough enough, try facing the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Arrowhead before hosting the NFC champion 49ers in back-to-back weeks.

The Bucs definitely have their work cut out for them, and I think it proves too much and affects them in the division as well, splitting the series with the Falcons and Saints. They have much easier bouts toward the end of the season, which is where I believe they will gain some ground in the division race. Late-season wins against Carolina, New Orleans and Las Vegas get their record to just below .500.

Prediction: 8-9

Panthers

Bryce Young’s young squad only saw two wins during his rookie season, and while I wouldn’t expect too many more in 2024, I feel like some progress is in the works for Carolina.

Look for the Young to Xavier Legette connection to keep building as the season progresses, but don't hold out hope for the Panthers to fall into the win column until at least week 5 when Chicago comes to town.

That momentum will stay with them for the next couple of weeks, after faltering on the road against Atlanta, I predict a win over the Commanders in our nation's capital. I also believe Carolina will steal a win from New Orleans and get a W (or would it be a V?) in Germany over the Giants.

After the overseas trip, the Panthers will be hard-pressed to find another win with a pair of games with the Bucs, matchups against the Chiefs, Eagles and Cowboys and a season closer against Atlanta. They won’t head through the final stretch empty handed, though, as they claim a win against the Cardinals in week 16.

Prediction: 5-12

Jet Rawls is a correspondent for The Covington News. He can be reached via news@covnews.com.