The Saints needed a win over the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay in Week 17 to keep their NFC South title hopes alive, and they made it happen.
Derek Carr threw for 197 yards and two TDs, and New Orleans' tenacious defense forced four turnovers to help get the job done. Now, they'll need another victory in Week 18 and some help from a division foe, too.
The Saints will host the Falcons at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, while the Buccaneers will travel to take on the Panthers in Charlotte. Both games could have an impact on who wins the NFC South, but a division crown isn't the Saints' only path to the playoffs.
The Sporting News breaks down New Orleans' playoff-clinching scenarios below.
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Saints playoff picture for Week 18
How Saints can win NFC South
Update: Buccaneers clinched the NFC South by beating the Panthers, 9-0.
The Buccaneers still control their destiny and will win the NFC South if they can defeat the last-place Panthers in Week 18. They own the tiebreaker over the Saints even if both teams pick up their ninth wins of the season on Sunday.
If Tampa Bay loses, that's when things get interesting.
If Carolina upsets the Buccaneers, the winner of the Saints vs. Falcons will clinch the NFC South division title and a home game in the first round of the playoffs during wild-card weekend.
New Orleans cannot make the playoffs with a loss, but it could still claim a wild-card spot with a win even if it doesn't win the NFC South.
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How Saints can claim NFC wild-card spot
Update: Saints remain alive for a wild-card spot after beating the Falcons, 48-17. New Orleans now needs both the Packers and Seahawks to lose in order to make the playoffs.
If the Buccaneers and Saints both win, Tampa Bay would take the division, but New Orleans would still be in the running for the final NFC wild-card spot.
The Saints would then need the Seahawks to lose or tie in Arizona AND the Packers to lose or tie the Bears in Green Bay.
Each needed result is unlikely for New Orleans. The Cardinals are tied for the second-worst record in the NFL (4-12). The Bears are 7-9, going into Lambeau Field with the Packers facing a win-and-in playoff scenario.
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However, both Arizona and Chicago are coming off wins in Week 17, so anything can happen.
Since both the Seahawks-Cardinals and Bears-Packers games are in the later window (4:25 p.m. ET), the Saints will be laser-focused on the locker room television hoping for just one loss to sneak into the playoffs.
Saints playoff-clinching scenarios
Below is a clearer look at New Orleans' clinching scenarios in Week 18 of the 2023 NFL season:
New Orleans clinches NFC South division title with:
- Saints win and Buccaneers loss or tie OR
- Saints tie and Buccaneers loss
New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:
- Saints win, Seahawks loss or tie and Packers loss or tie OR
- Saints tie, Seahawks loss and Packers loss
