NFC Notes: Tom Brady, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers QB Tom Brady thinks that his offense still has time to find its stride as the season rolls on. They can’t dink around too much more, though. 

“Yeah, I think there’s always hope, and then there’s reality,” Brady said, via Pro Football Talk. “I think you really focus on what the reality of the situation is, and that’s we haven’t played our best football. We have a lot of quality players and we’ve got to do a better job playing well. You’ve got to take it one week at a time. Every game’s different. Things could change after this game, too, and things could change the week after that and the week after that and the week after that. So, nothing in this game is given to you. You have to go earn everything and I think that’s the competitive nature of it. They’re good on the other side of the ball, too. We’ve just got to go find a way to get a win.”

“I mean, as I said, I hope we go play better and execute well and do our jobs at a high level,” Brady concluded. “That’s obviously the expectation for all of us, that’s what we’re working toward this week.”

• Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles says he expects DL Akiem Hicks to be doubtful for Thursday night and that WR Julio Jones will be a game-time decision. (Greg Auman)
• In addition, the following five players are already ruled out: S Antoine Winfield, CB Carlton Davis, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, G Luke Goedeke and TE Cameron Brate. 

Falcons

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentions the Falcons as a potential landing spot for Browns RB Kareem Hunt. They’re one of the few teams more reliant on the run game than Cleveland.  
• Falcons HC Arthur Smith on the team cutting former second-round DT Marlon Davidson: “Very appreciative of Marlon and working with him. I wish him the best of luck. It’s always what is in the best interests of the team.” (D. Orlando Ledbetter)
• Falcons CB AJ Terrell (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. (Ledbetter)
• Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson could return next week from IR, with Smith adding: “I imagine he’s pretty close. I’ll be excited when he’s back.” (Josh Kendall)
• Smith also noted he was “very close” to putting RB Avery Williams in on defense during the team’s past two games. Williams converted from corner to running back this offseason. (Tori McElhaney)
• The Falcons brought in DB Bryce Cosby for a workout on Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)

Panthers

Plenty of people have written off the Panthers this season, but interim HC Steve Wilks and the players aren’t ready to do that yet. They shocked the division-leading Buccaneers with a 21-3 win in Week 7 and are just a game back in a moribund NFC South. Wilks was in Carolina in 2014 when they won the division with a 7-8-1 record and he sees some parallels this year. 

“I think it gives a great visual when you can reference something in the past and what we were able to do in making our way into the playoffs,” Wilks said via the Athletic’s Joe Person. “I think those guys see that we’re quite even within this division, and we still have a lot of divisional games left, particularly the Falcons twice in three weeks.”

Panthers owner Dave Tepper gave Wilks the game ball after the win, but he still faces long odds to take over as the full-time head coach after this season even if he technically has a chance. He’s not thinking that far ahead though. 

“It was a great team win, and that’s what it was. I was excited about that,” Wilks said. “Again, I don’t really want to put any emphasis and focus on me. It’s about the team. I was happy about it. But most importantly I was happy for the men in that locker room, for all their hard work and dedication and getting that win.”

• Wilks declined to comment on DL Henry Anderson‘s personal situation. He was placed on the non-football illness list. (Person)
• Wilks said QB Baker Mayfield took scout-team reps and will be available on Sunday, yet QB P.J. Walker took all of the first-team reps. (Person)

Saints

• New Orleans Dot Football’s Nick Underhill reports Saints QB Jameis Winston is still not back to full health heading into Week 8 and is dealing with his fractured back. However, he’s healthy enough to play.