By Kate Arhar // @ClvlndK8
It’s that time of year… the NFL season is winding down and we writers are trying to find new and interesting ways to recap the past week and look forward to the week ahead. Plus, the holidays are right around the corner.
And so, I present to you: The 12 Days of Christmas – NFC South Style!
On the 12th Day of Christmas, the NFC South gave to me… TOM BRADY winning 8 games
Who else would we start with but “TB12” himself! There are more wins on the horizon for the Buccaneers but last’s weeks beat-down of the Minnesota Viking was just classic Brady. 15/23 for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns. They are sitting at 8-5 with the Detroit Lions and two chances to beat the Atlanta Falcons. Should finish the season 10-6!
On the 11th Day of Christmas, the NFC South gave to me…. ELEVEN BROKEN RIBS!
Well, maybe some were just cracked, but these were enough to side-line quarterback Drew Brees for the New Orleans Saints. He returned this week and it was like he hadn’t missed a game. An explosive 29/40 for 349 yards and FIVE touchdowns! And they needed every one of those stats in the offensive race against the San Francisco 49ers. Hopefully, now that they’ve clinched the playoffs at 10-3, they’ll make sure Brees stays healthy and maybe let Taysum Hill take a few more snaps. Or not.
Former NFL QB @SageRosenfels18 reacts to Drew Brees’ 11 fractured ribs. pic.twitter.com/uRvXW2TTq4
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 22, 2020
On the 10th Day of Christmas, the NFC South gave to me…. 10 Panther Interceptions
I was one of those people who worried about the Panthers when Cam Newton left in the offseason. Now, while Teddy Bridgewater and P.J. Walker have only combined for 4 wins, they’ve also only thrown 10 interceptions. Just 13 teams/quarterbacks with less so at least they’ve got that going for them.
On the 9th Day of Christmas, the NFC South gave to me…. 9 Falcon Interceptions
So after being excited to see the Panthers’ low INT numbers, the Atlanta Falcons having a lower one is even more puzzling. Yes, both teams have just four wins to this point but to lead the league with a low number of giveaways and the 4th highest passing rate of 285 yards per game and not be able to win? Yeah, we say it’s all about the quarterback but clearly, there are other factors at play here!
On the 8th Day of Christmas, the NFC South gave to me…. 8 SACKS for Burns
Panther defensive end Brian Burns has six sacks through 14 weeks. Looking at their upcoming opponents, while getting wins may be hard he should easily be able to get two more sacks to finish the season with a respectable eight. The Packers, Saints, and the Washington Football team all have really good quarterbacks but their offensive lines have given up sacks this year.
RT to vote ?️#ProBowlVote + Brian Burns pic.twitter.com/35aY8SLF35
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 16, 2020
On the 7th Day of Christmas, the NFC South gave to me…. 7 scoring options for Brady
One of the things Brady received when he took the field in Tampa Bay was seven different scoring options – and he’s the perfect quarterback to make the most out of this diverse set of players. Wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Scott Miller, tight end Rob Gronkowski, and running backs Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette have all been to the end zone this year.
And here is where I leave you in suspense…. come back next Monday for Days 6-1 of Christmas!
Talk NFC South with Kate on Twitter // @ClvlndK8
#SmartWomen #SmartFootball
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