Saints may have destroyed their future with a Week 18 win to keep playoff hopes alive

The NFC South was a craptastic division this year, but someone had to win it. Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended up three-peating after their 9-0 field-goal fest over the lifeless Carolina Panthers, it was the New Orleans Saints who almost certainly ended the Arthur Smith era of the Atlanta Falcons. Their 48-17 bludgeoning of the Dirty Birds also kept their slim playoff hopes alive.

Entering the late-afternoon window in Week 18, the 9-8 Saints occuiped the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoff picture. Of course, they need the Chicago Bears to beat the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals to beat the Seattle Seahawks to lock up the final playoff spot. Even if the Saints were to get into the postseason, they are probably going one-and-done during Wild Card Weekend.

Conversely, Atlanta's latest huge embarrassing failure should make it painfully obvious to owner Arthur Blank that Arthur Smith needs to go. All reports are a loss should push the Falcons that way. Atlanta would be looking to hire its second head coach in four years, joining the likes of the Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers who are also looking for a new man to lead them into battle. One name tied to Atlanta has been Bill Belichick...

Not to say The Hoodie is leaving Foxborough for the Dirty South, but Smith is well on his way out.

New Orleans Saints may have screwed themselves with Week 18 win

Even if the Falcons don't hire Belichick (why would he even want to come to Atlanta anyway?), they are addressing a problem that the Saints organization seems to be in denial of. Dennis Allen may be a better head coach than Smith, but it is not by much. The best head coach in the division right now is Todd Bowles. We are not even sure if he is all that good to begin with either. Therein lies the problem.

By joining the likes of the Chargers, Panthers and Raiders, the Falcons will have another opportunity to reset and finally get a head coach who is worth a damn. With a winning record, it is highly unlikely that the Saints will fire Allen this offseason, especially after a blowout win over his arch rival's team. Ask yourself this. Is Allen getting to a Super Bowl leading New Orleans? It is why the Saints are toast.

Should the Belichick to Atlanta rumors be nothing more than that, the Falcons could conceivably hire someone like Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Buffalo Bills interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady or even Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh this offseason. Not saying they have any hope of landing anyone of them, but they could. New Orleans is stuck with Allen.

The other big factor you have to consider is that the Falcons will have the best draft pick of any team in the division this offseason. Carolina finished in last place, but their No. 1 overall pick belongs to the Chicago Bears because of the Panthers' decision to move up to get Bryce Young last spring. With hopefully a new head coach and quarterback, Atlanta could be a forced to be reckoned with for years.

Although the Saints could still move on from Allen this offseason, they still have to pay Derek Carr...