After winning on Thursday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons only needed one more win to clinch the NFC South or a Buccaneers loss. They got the latter, a 31-23 Buccaneers loss to the Denver Broncos, and the Atlanta Falcons have clinched the NFC South Division title for the second time in the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay .
Under Head Coach Mike Smith, the Falcons have won two division titles and reached the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. Atlanta sits atop the NFC with an 11-1 record, marking the third straight season that the Falcons have posted 10 wins-or-more. This season marks the first time in club history that Atlanta has qualified for the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. The Falcons have now won five division titles in franchise history, including wins in 1980, 1998, 2004 and 2010.