NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Buccaneers RB Leonard Fournette is likely to be ready to play against the Browns after the bye week, despite suffering a hip pointer against the Seahawks in Germany. 

Falcons

• Falcons HC Arthur Smith was asked about the quarterback situation: “There’s no situation. Everybody wants to panic on the outside. We are right where we want to be even after losing two games in five days.” (Tori McElhaney)
• Smith added CB AJ Terrell will hopefully return to practice this week but the team would know more on Wednesday: “He’s been in here working. Hopefully, getting better.” (McElhaney)

Panthers

• The Athletic’s Joe Person points out Panthers interim HC Steve Wilks has a strong connection with CB Josh Norman and Carolina is in need of some help at the position with the season-ending Achilles injury to Donte Jackson.
• However, Person says Norman is holding out to potentially land on a Super Bowl contender late in the season. He’s spent time with the Bills and 49ers in recent seasons. 
• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Panthers are interested in playing QB Sam Darnold in OC Ben McAdoo’s offense at some point but are committed to starting QB Baker Mayfield this week.
• Panthers QB P.J. Walker said his left ankle is at about 50-55 percent but expects he will return next week. (Person)

Saints

Saints HC Dennis Allen still isn’t ready to bench QB Andy Dalton in favor of original starter QB Jameis Winston.

“I know we’re all looking for answers there, but I’m not going to go there right now,” Allen said after the game, via NFL.com. “We’ll evaluate where we’re at, and we’ll have a plan for this coming-up week.”

“Performance wasn’t good enough, really in all phases,” Allen added. “We didn’t play well enough. We didn’t coach well enough. We have to do a better job. We fought ourselves back, got back into the game at halftime, felt like we were in a good position, and we really just didn’t do anything in the second half. So we have to be better.”

“At the end of the day, we didn’t make enough plays,” Dalton said. “That’s what it came down to. We weren’t able to sustain drives and that led to us not scoring enough points.”