The Atlanta Falcons caught a major break in the form of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss on Sunday night football. That loss propelled the Falcons to first place in the NFC South due to holding the tiebreaker over the Bucs.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the NFC playoff picture is beginning to take shape, but much remains unsettled. Only two teams, the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles, have clinched playoff spots,

The 49ers, Cowboys and Cardinals are out of the playoff race. The 49ers, Cowboys and Cardinals are out of the playoff race. The Falcons took control of their hopes with help, and the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals kept slim chances alive. The NFL ’s playoff picture became clearer Sunday.

The Buccaneers face three sub-.500 teams to finish out the season, with their toughest test perhaps the Week 16 "Sunday Night Football" battle with the Cowboys. Dallas is nearly eliminated, but the team has shown some signs of life in recent weeks with three wins in four games.

The Dallas Cowboys won a wild "Sunday Night Football" game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were dealt a setback in their playoff hopes.

With the Falcons owning the tiebreaker in the NFC South race, it feels like the Bucs are playing a playoff game week in and week out these days. Because