The Carolina Panthers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 21-20 Sunday in the Georgia Dome to win the NFC South and wrap up the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Panthers (12-4) earned a first-round bye and will host a divisional round game at Bank of America Stadium.
The New Orleans Saints (10-5) need to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11) Sunday to secure a wild-card spot. The Saints also will make the playoffs if the San Francisco 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals (10-5) Sunday afternoon.