NFC South Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians stressed the importance of keeping their defensive unit together. 

“If we can keep this defense together, we can be really really good defensively for a long time,” Arians said, via the Tampa Bay Times. “It’s a very young group, and the older guys are young. They’re guys who don’t age. It will be huge for us to keep them together and build off the way we’re finishing the last six, seven weeks, the growth in the secondary especially.”

Falcons

Falcons QB Matt Ryan believes the positive strides they’ve shown in the second half of the season should carry over into next season. 

“The biggest thing is, especially with a young football team, is that it creates belief,” Ryan said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Knowing that you can go into these tough places against really good teams and get the job done. . . . I think that belief is very powerful. Having the mindset that you know you are capable of getting the job done is big. I think that more so than anything, that is what carries over.”

Saints

Saints HC Sean Payton made it clear that they won’t be resting any starters for Week 17’s game against the Panthers with higher seeds still on the line. 

“No, no, no, no, no, no. Absolutely no,” Payton said, via ESPN.com. “We’re still playing for the 1-, 2- or 3-seed.”

• Saints placed WR Krishawn Hogan on injured reserve. (NFLTR)
• Saints signed DB DeShawn Shead. (NFLTR)
• Saints signed C Casey Dunn to their practice squad.