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Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers’ 48-16 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.

What it means: The Panthers are 6-9 and won’t finish last in the NFC South. That’s because the Buccaneers (4-11) clinched that. This is a classic late-season case of one team soaring and another falling faster than anyone could have imagined. The Panthers are going to head into the offseason with tons of optimism because they already have a high-powered offense. All they need is to get a few injured players back, tweak their defense a bit and they sure look like playoff contenders for the 2012 season. Tampa Bay lost its ninth straight game. Coach Raheem Morris made a big deal of “the race to 10 (wins)’’ last year. Looks like the Bucs are racing to 10 straight losses to end this season. Nice progress.

Best record: Peyton Manning’s record for passing yards by a rookie (3,739) had stood since 1998. But it’s been broken now. Carolina’s Cam Newton passed it early in the first quarter. Oh, by the way, Newton also had his 14^th rushing touchdown of the season, the most ever by a quarterback.

Best performance by a newcomer: Carolina safety Jonathan Nelson was signed off the practice squad this week due to an injury to Charles Godfrey. Nelson got the start and came up with an interception in the third quarter.

The Morris watch: There’s no question Morris is on the hot seat as his team has fallen apart since starting 4-2. I know there’s a small minority out there who say Morris should keep his job, replace himself as defensive coordinator and make a switch at offensive coordinator. Yeah, that’s brilliant and no doubt would put the Bucs straight into the Super Bowl next season. Actually, it’s ludicrous. It’s like having a refrigerator that hasn’t worked in more than two months and saying, “No need to call a repairman or get a new one because this thing just might kick in at any moment." The Bucs keep taking steps back and the team is in total disarray. There’s also the matter of Morris’ contract, which runs through 2012. If the Bucs somehow were even thinking about keeping Morris, they’d have to extend him because you can’t go into a season with a lame-duck coach (just ask the Panthers how that worked out with John Fox last year). If you do, you run the risk of the players tuning out the coach. Looks like some of that already has happened. It would be awfully tough to give Morris an extension as a reward for the way the Bucs have finished this season. I’m sure the fan base would be thrilled if that happens.

The Rob Chudzinski watch: Chudzinski is the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and his name is getting thrown about as a potential candidate for a job as a head coach. Yeah, maybe the Bucs go out and find a bigger name — and maybe they can’t. But the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, should have been watching this game and saying, “Hmm, this Chudzinski guy is doing a pretty nice job with a rookie quarterback. Maybe we should put him on the list.’’

Blount benched: Running back LeGarrette Blount lost a fumble on Tampa Bay’s first offensive play. He was benched after that and the Bucs went with Kregg Lumpkin and Mossis Madu, before Blount was inserted back into the game in the third quarter. Nice to see Morris using discipline. Then again, it’s probably too little too late.

What’s next: The Panthers finish their season Jan. 1 at New Orleans. The Buccaneers play their final game the same day in Atlanta.

Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 22-17 victory against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at LP Field:

What it means: It wasn’t pretty, but the Saints got a win. At 10-3, they’re atop the NFC South. They also recorded their third straight 10-win season, something that had never happened in franchise history. The Saints also moved to 3-2 in outdoor games this season and it’s been mentioned more than a few times that the Saints are not a good outdoor team. But they beat a good team, although Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was injured and rookie Jake Locker had to step in. You could make a case the Saints showed they can win outdoors. But the fact that they didn’t win impressively probably will continue to fuel speculation the Saints could face trouble if they have to go to Green Bay or San Francisco in the postseason.

What I liked: The play of Marques Colston. He caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Colston sometimes gets overlooked because the Saints have so many great offensive weapons and his statistics aren’t what they could be if he played in an offense that didn’t spread the ball around so much. But this guy deserves more credit than he gets. He might not be the best receiver in the league, but he’s in the top 10.

What I didn’t like: The Saints moved the ball early, but had to settle for field goals. That rarely happens with the Saints and you have to think this was a one-time thing.

Defense rises: I thought the New Orleans defense played well through most of last week’s victory against Detroit. The defense also stepped up in the final minutes against Tennessee. The Saints stopped the Titans on a fourth-and-1 with a little over two minutes left. Linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar also sacked Locker as time expired.

The streak lives: It took a little longer than usual, but Drew Brees ran his streak of consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass to 40. That’s second on the all-time list. Johnny Unitas (47) holds the record.

What’s next: The Saints play the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday at Mall of America Field.

Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers' 38-19 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

What it means: Both teams are 4-8, but that’s about the only thing the teams have in common these days. This was a big step for the Panthers. It marked the first time they’ve put together back-to-back wins since the arrival of coach Ron Rivera. The Panthers seem to be building some positive momentum that might carry over into next season. This was a low point for the Bucs, as they lost their sixth straight game. The previous five came against good teams. The Panthers don’t quite fit that profile. But the Panthers clearly have moved ahead of the Bucs at the bottom of the NFC South.

What I liked: Carolina’s defense. This unit has been having major problems all season. But the Panthers stepped up and played perhaps their best defensive game of the season. The Bucs were forced to settle for four first-half field goals. Carolina’s run defense has struggled all season. But the Panthers did a very nice job keeping LeGarrette Blount under control.

What I didn’t like: Tampa Bay’s offense. Let’s not give all the credit to Carolina’s defense. Tampa Bay’s offense was playing without starting quarterback Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson started in his place. Blount is the kind of physical runner who has given the Panthers fits all season, but he never got on track and wasn’t much of a factor after the Panthers built a big lead.

What’s next: The Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday. The Buccaneers travel to Jacksonville next Sunday.

Thoughts on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 23-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at LP Field.

What it means: The Bucs now are on a five-game losing streak. But this one was particularly painful because Tampa Bay had a shot to win. The Bucs were driving at the end, but that fell apart when quarterback Josh Freeman was stopped on a keeper on fourth down. The Bucs are now 4-7 and have one more loss than they did all last season. Time to face reality. A team that supposedly was on the rise coming into this season has clearly taken a step back and will not make the playoffs. The seat continues to get hotter for coach Raheem Morris.

Johnson runs over defense: Tennessee running back Chris Johnson has been in a slump all season. Well, he found a surefire way to break that slump. Maybe he just needs to play against the Bucs every week. Johnson ran for a season-high 190 yards. Yeah, I know the Bucs lost defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to a season-ending injury and that didn’t help the defense. But even before McCoy got hurt, the Bucs were struggling to stop the run.

Talib’s time: We saw evidence Sunday why the Bucs are willing to put up with cornerback Aqib Talib and his assortment of off-field troubles. In the third quarter, Talib forced a fumble and intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. The guy can cause headaches for ownership, the front office and the coaching staff, but Talib can play.

Mixed bag for Blount: Running back LeGarrette Blount rushed for 103 yards and actually made a contribution in the passing game, catching three passes for 56 yards. But Blount lost two fumbles. In fact, fumbles were a big problem for the Bucs. Receiver Mike Williams and Freeman each lost a fumble as well.

What’s next: The Bucs host the Carolina Panthers next Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

Thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons’ 24-14 victory against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

What it means: The Falcons continue to be a hard team to figure out. They came out and started fast. They looked like they were going to have a very easy time with the Vikings. But Atlanta let Minnesota back in the game in the third quarter and that made things more interesting than they should have been. That’s kind of been the story of Atlanta’s entire season. The Falcons have been maddeningly inconsistent and nothing has come easy for them. But the bottom line is the Falcons are 7-4. They’ve pulled even with the Saints, who play Monday night, and they’re very much a factor in the NFC South race.

Roddy’s on a roll: After starting the season very slowly, receiver Roddy White has come on strong in the past two games. White had his second straight 100-yard receiving game and caught a touchdown pass. Fellow receiver Julio Jones also returned from a hamstring injury. Jones didn’t show up big on the stat sheet, but his presence helped White, Harry Douglas and Tony Gonzalez have big games. That’s a big part of the reason the Falcons traded up in the draft to get Jones.

What I didn’t like: I don’t think it was by design, but middle linebacker Curtis Lofton wound up in deep coverage on Percy Harvin on a fourth-down play in the fourth quarter. Lofton is a solid linebacker, but he shouldn’t ever be put in a situation where he has to cover a speed receiver downfield.

Defense rising: I’ve said several times throughout the season that the NFC South race will come down to defense. I realize the Vikings were playing without Adrian Peterson and were starting rookie quarterback Christian Ponder. But the Atlanta defense shut the Vikings down. Minnesota had only two first downs in the first half. It took some time to get it together, but Atlanta’s defense has played well in recent weeks and seems to be improving. If that continues, it could help the Falcons tremendously down the stretch.

What’s next: The Falcons travel to Houston to play the Texans next Sunday at Reliant Stadium.

Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers' 49-35 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field:

What it means: Remember when the Panthers were scoring moral victories every week early in the season? Well, they’re back at it. But this one had the potential to be so much more. This was a chance for a young team and first-year head coach Ron Rivera to turn a big corner. A victory in Ford Field would have sent a firm message to the rest of the league that the Panthers will be a force to be reckoned with next season and a potential spoiler the rest of this season. The Panthers went toe-to-toe with the Lions much of the day. But they couldn’t quite turn the corner. On the bright side, there were plenty of promising things that emerged, and the Panthers seem to be putting themselves in nice position for next year’s draft.

What I liked: Carolina’s offense. Yeah, Cam Newton was intercepted four times, but he had some great moments. The whole offense did. Even though they’re losing, the Panthers are so much more exciting on offense than they ever were under former head coach John Fox.

What I didn’t like: Carolina’s defense. It’s been a problem all year, and it’s not getting any better. You can’t allow Matthew Stafford to throw for five touchdowns, and you can’t allow 49 points. No matter how good your offense is, it’s pretty tough to match 49 points. Wherever the Panthers end up in the draft order, they'd better use their first pick on a defensive player. They'd better use just about all their picks on defensive players.

Sign of progress: The Panthers have made it clear they’re going to look at their young players a lot down the stretch. One guy who stood out Sunday was rookie return man Kealoha Pilares. He took a kickoff back for a touchdown.

What’s next: The Panthers play at Indianapolis next Sunday.

Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers’ 30-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium:

What it means: A few weeks ago, when the Panthers defeated the Washington Redskins, it looked like this young team had a great opportunity to turn the corner. Home games with the Vikings and Titans were coming up and they looked winnable. Instead, the Panthers lost them both. They’re 2-7 and the early hope that rookie quarterback Cam Newton brought is fading a bit. Earlier in the season, it looked like the Carolina offense could score against anyone. But the Panthers couldn’t even get into the end zone against the Titans.

Slump busters: There will be a lot of stories about how Tennessee running back Chris Johnson snapped out of a season-long funk as he rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown. I wouldn’t go declaring that Johnson’s slump is over. I’d make the case that he was simply going up a defense that can’t stop the run.

Nobody’s coming to the rescue: Perhaps the most discouraging thing about the rest of the Carolina’s season is that it’s highly unlikely the defense is going to show any signs of improvement. Season-ending injuries to linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis and defensive tackle Ron Edwards were beyond devastating. The Panthers simply didn’t have much depth behind him. The defensive problems can’t be fixed until next year, when some of the injured players return and the Panthers have a full offseason to reload their defense.

This is never a good sign: Legedu Naanee led the Panthers with eight catches for 75 yards. Naanee’s not a threat. Steve Smith, who is a huge threat, was held to five catches for 33 yards. He’s been outstanding all season, but Smith didn’t have a catch go for more than 15 yards on Sunday.

What’s next: The Panthers travel to Detroit next Sunday to play the Lions at Ford Field.

Thoughts on Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 37-9 loss to the Houston Texas on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium:

What it means: The Buccaneers have been searching for an identity all season. Looks like they finally found it. They are a mediocre team with problems in a lot of places on offense and defense. They’re 4-5 and have to face the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers next. Coach Raheem Morris has been saying all year that his team’s goal is to win the NFC South. That’s probably not going to happen, unless the Bucs suddenly get dramatically better and the Saints stumble.

Same old story: Tampa Bay’s offense started off the way it has pretty much all season -- very slowly. The Bucs didn’t score their first points until Connor Barth hit a field goal just before halftime. They didn’t score their touchdown until the fourth quarter. Maybe the Bucs should take a lesson from former coach Sam Wyche. Back in the mid-1990s, the Bucs were starting poorly after halftime. So Wyche actually had his team practice its halftime routine. Maybe the current Tampa Bay offense should practice starting a game.

Albert’s Army: The Bucs picked up defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth during the week because injuries had left them thin in the middle of the defensive line. Haynesworth was fairly active, making four tackles. But the problems on Tampa Bay’s defense go way deeper than the middle of the defensive line. Matt Schaub only had to attempt 15 passes, but he threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns and the Texans had no problem running the ball.

Insult to injury: Derrick Ward, the same guy who was a free-agent bust with the Bucs, ran for a touchdown against his former team.

What’s next: The Bucs travel to Green Bay to play the Packers next Sunday.

Thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons’ 31-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Lucas Oil Field:

What it means: The Falcons simply took care of business against a struggling team. They ran their winning streak to three games and the arrow appears to be pointing up in all areas for a team that struggled to be consistent early in the season. That’s a good thing because the 5-3 Falcons play a crucial division game against New Orleans next Sunday.

What I liked: Rookie receiver Julio Jones returned after missing two games with a hamstring injury and gave the Falcons precisely what they expected when they drafted him -- explosive plays. Jones had the first two touchdown receptions of his career. One was for 50 yards and one was for 80. The Falcons made a big deal of how they wanted more plays of more than 20 yards when they drafted Jones. The 50-yarder was a deep throw and the 80-yarder was a short pass on which Jones broke free. The Falcons weren’t forcing deep passes like they were earlier in the season. They established Michael Turner and the running game and the big pass plays flowed naturally from that.

What else I liked: Atlanta's defense. Yeah, I know the Falcons were playing the Colts without Peyton Manning. But Atlanta's defense has been playing much better the past few games. That could come in very handy down the stretch.

What I didn’t like: Other than the big plays, quarterback Matt Ryan wasn’t particularly sharp in the first half. He had an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Ryan completed just 5 of 14 passes in the first half. He came on in the second half and finished with good numbers, but I’m sure the Atlanta coaching staff would like to see a little more steady play from Ryan.

What’s next: The Falcons host the Saints next Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers’ 24-21 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium:

What it means: The hope that the Panthers had turned the corner with last week’s win against the Redskins is gone. Carolina is right back to where it was before last week -- maybe even a couple of steps back. The Panthers played pretty well in some areas, like they did in their previous five losses, but couldn’t pull it out at the end. That’s tolerable against good teams. But nobody is accusing the Vikings of being a good team this season.

Goat of the game: The Panthers had a chance to force overtime. They moved the ball into what should have been easy field goal range for Olindo Mare. It turned out not to be so easy. Mare was wide left on a 31-yard try. Think there might be some Carolina fans longing for the days of John Kasay right about now?

Goats of the game: Just about everyone on Carolina’s defense. The Panthers have struggled defensively much of the season. But they were facing rookie quarterback Christian Ponder. They made him look like a seasoned veteran. Ponder threw for 236 yards and a touchdown and was not intercepted. The Vikings also had 132 net rushing yards.

All for naught: Carolina receiver Steve Smith continues to have a huge season. He had seven catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. But Smith isn’t the kind of guy who is content to put up big stats in losing efforts. He wants to win as much as anybody. This may sound crazy, but I’ve got a suggestion for Carolina coach Ron Rivera: Let Smith play defense. He’ll put everything he has into it.

What’s next: The Panthers have a bye next Sunday. They resume their three-game homestand when Tennessee comes to Bank of America Stadium on Nov. 13. That’s why the loss to Minnesota hurts so badly. The Panthers could be on a two-game winning streak right now, with a chance to extend it to three coming out of the bye. Instead, they’re 2-6.

Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 31-21 loss to the St. Louis Rams on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.

What it means: I’d like to say there’s no shame in losing to a St. Louis team that came into the game winless. But I can’t. I’d like to say there’s even less shame because the Rams were using future Hall of Famer A.J. Feeley at quarterback instead of the injured Sam Bradford. But I can’t. I’d also like to say there’s no shame in not scoring an offensive touchdown until the fourth quarter when you’ve got Drew Brees and a world of offensive talent going against a defense that hadn’t been stopping anybody this season. But I can’t. Quite simply, the Saints can’t afford to lose a game like this if they want to go to the Super Bowl. But they did. They could have been waltzing away with the NFC South race. Now, they’ve opened the door for Atlanta and Tampa Bay. There’s no other word to describe this one besides shameful. Well, unless you want to go with “embarrassing.’’ Take your pick.

Stat of the day: The Saints were held scoreless in the first half. That’s the first time that’s happened to them since a 2007 game against Tampa Bay.

The streak lives on: It didn't come until the final seconds, but Brees extended his streak of games with at least one touchdown pass to 35. That's the third longest streak in NFL history. Brett Favre is No. 2 at 36 games and Jonny Unitas is No. 1 at 47 games.

Prediction time: I’ll just about guarantee you Zach Strief will be back in the starting lineup at right tackle the next time the Saints take to the field. Strief’s been out with a knee injury, but was back at practice last week. The Saints might have been playing it a little cautious on Strief and they continued to start Charles Brown in his place. Brown had been doing pretty well, but not against the Rams. I saw Brown give up at least two sacks.

Mystery of the day: Yeah, I know the Saints fell behind and it’s common to abandon the running game when that happens. But the Saints never really used the running game before things got out of hand. They barely ran the trio of Chris Ivory, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas against a St. Louis defense that had been having lots of problems stopping the run. And the Saints can’t use Mark Ingram’s absence (due to a bruised heel) as an excuse. Ivory was their leading rusher last season and Sproles and Thomas had been running well this season.

What’s next: The Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday at the Mercedez-Benz Superdome. The Bucs beat the Saints in Tampa in early October and I’m sure there is some residual anger among the New Orleans players and coaches. Throw in the natural anger of the embarrassing loss to St. Louis and the Saints should be very motivated for the Bucs. If they’re not, they’ve got real problems.

Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 62-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:

What it means: A week after a disappointing loss to Tampa Bay, the Saints went back out and claimed sole possession of first place in the NFC South. They did it by going out and doing pretty much everything you could ask of a very good team playing against a very bad Indianapolis team (without Peyton Manning). The Saints were precise and controlled the game all the way. Plus, they play another struggling team (the St. Louis Rams) next week. The Saints are 5-2 and they may hold a bigger edge over the 4-3 Falcons and Buccaneers, who each had to play difficult games on Sunday, than it appears. You can pretty much pencil in the Saints for a 6-2 record before their Nov. 6 home game with Tampa Bay and their Nov. 13 game at Atlanta. The Saints get a bye after the Atlanta game. For now, the Saints have a firm grip on the division.

What communication problems? There was some understandable concern that the Saints might encounter some problems with coach Sean Peyton relegated to the press box after suffering major damage to his leg and knee last week. Payton certainly had some input in the overall game plan, specifically the offensive side. But offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael did a masterful job of calling the plays. He and quarterback Brees worked as smoothly as Payton and Brees usually do. That was a very encouraging sign because Payton is probably going to have to supervise from above for most of the rest of the season.

Almost perfect: Brees left the game in the fourth quarter as the Saints gave Chase Daniel some playing time (and showed the Colts some mercy). But Brees was almost flawless while he was playing. He completed 31 of 35 passes for 325 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.

Absolutely perfect: The Saints scored on their first nine possessions. They added a defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter when Leigh Torrence intercepted a pass and took it in for a touchdown. The Saints finally punted on their 10^th possession.

Stat of the night: The last time an NFL team scored 62 points in a game, it was Jacksonville in a 1999 playoff game against Miami. The 62 points were also a franchise record for the Saints.

What I liked: The running game. The Saints got Darren Sproles more involved and gave him 10 carries. He gave them 82 yards and a touchdown. Rookie Mark Ingram carried 14 times for 91 yards.

What I didn’t like: Ingram limped off the field with an apparent leg injury in the fourth quarter. We don’t know the severity of the injury, but the Saints have been doing a nice job of mixing Sproles, Ingram and Pierre Thomas. If Ingram’s injury is serious, the good news is the Saints have Chris Ivory, who says he’s healthy, waiting to come off the physically-unable-to-perform list.

Interesting twist: New Orleans center Olin Kreutz walked away from the team during the week with his agent saying he had lost his passion for the game. On a Westwood One Radio broadcast of the game, it was reported that Kreutz made his decision after learning he was going to be benched this week.

What’s next: The Saints play at St. Louis next Sunday.

Thoughts on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 24-18 loss against the Chicago Bears at Wembley Stadium:

What it means: This game was typical of what we’ve seen from the young Buccaneers this season. One week after playing the best game since Raheem Morris has been the coach (a victory against the New Orleans Saints), the Bucs were flat against the Bears. The offense didn’t really show up until the fourth quarter and the run defense, which played so well against the Saints, was horrible. If the Bucs are going to challenge for the NFC South title, they have to start showing more consistency.

Time to worry? Just like the rest of the team, quarterback Josh Freeman has been up and down this season. He was down against the Bears, after playing his best game of the season against the Saints. Freeman was intercepted four times. That gives him 10 interceptions for the season. Freeman threw just six interceptions in the entire 2010 season.

On the positive side: There’s not much to work with here, but cornerback Ronde Barber recorded the first safety of his career when he tackle Chicago’s Matt Forte in the end zone. It was only the 10^th safety in franchise history. Barber already had the NFL record for sacks by a cornerback. He extended it to 27.

Stat of the week: 0-2. That’s Tampa Bay’s record in regular-season home games in London. There have been indications the Bucs may want to volunteer a home game a season in the future to be played in London. Considering coaches, players and sometimes even owners are a superstitious lot, the Bucs might not want to be so eager to go back.

What’s next: The Buccaneers have a bye next week. They return to action Nov. 6 against the Saints in New Orleans.

Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints’ 30-27 victory against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium:

What it means: The gap in competitive balance between the top and bottom of the NFC South has narrowed. The gap in the standings has not. As they’ve been doing most of the season, the Panthers kept things very close. They played a New Orleans team that’s been to the playoffs the past two seasons very tightly. But, ultimately, Drew Brees and the Saints rallied to score (on a touchdown pass to Pierre Thomas) with 50 seconds remaining. That puts the Saints at 4-1 and, depending on how Tampa Bay does in its later game at San Francisco, no worse than a share of first place in the division. The Panthers are much improved and there’s little doubt they’ll pull off some upsets later in the year. But the bottom line is Carolina is 1-4.

Weirdest scene of the day: John Kasay in a Saints uniform. Yes, this was the fifth game Kasay has played for the Saints. But seeing him go against the Panthers in Bank of America Stadium seemed very odd. Kasay joined the Panthers when they were an expansion team in 1995 and was with them until he was released as the lockout came to an end.

Weirdest call of the day: A timeout by the Panthers with two seconds left in the first half as the Saints were scrambling to get on the field to kick a field goal. It appeared the clock would have run out before New Orleans could get a kick off. But the timeout allowed the Saints to get set and Kasay made the field goal to give New Orleans a 20-13 halftime lead.

Unconventional wisdom: Who says the option can’t work in the NFL? It can when Carolina’s Cam Newton is running it. He pitched to DeAngelo Williams out of the option for a 69-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Newton also kept the ball on an option play for a crucial first down early in the fourth quarter.

Keeping his cool: Carolina receiver Steve Smith got into a scuffle after catching a touchdown pass late in the first quarter. That’s not unusual for the feisty Smith. But before you go saying Smith was up to his old tricks, he wasn’t. Smith didn’t start this one. New Orleans safety Roman Harper started it when he hit Smith, after it was clear the receiver already had crossed the goal line.

Rising star: Much like safety Malcolm Jenkins did last year, New Orleans cornerback Patrick Robinson is emerging in his second season. Robinson picked off Newton early and had a nice return to set up a New Orleans touchdown early in the game.

What’s next: The Saints play the Buccaneers next Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. The Panthers play the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' 30-28 victory against the Seattle Seahawks:

What it means: The Falcons still have plenty of problems, but they at least bought some time to fix them. Barely. Seattle missed a 61-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds. Had the Seahawks scored, Atlanta’s season would have been over. That might sound like an exaggeration four games into a season, but it’s not. The Falcons came dangerously close to squandering a 24-7 half-time lead. They almost got embarrassed by … Tarvaris Jackson. Yes, that Tarvaris Jackson. Instead, they’re 2-2 with all sorts of questions and with the defending Super Bowl champions coming to town next week.

What I liked: The way the Falcons played in the first half. It was pretty much the way everyone expected the Falcons to play back at the start of the season when they were being mentioned as Super Bowl contenders. They came out early, mixing the run and the pass (including a few of those elusive “explosive plays’’), protecting Matt Ryan, and moving the ball at will. On defense, they held Seattle to five rushing yards and five first downs.

What I didn’t like: The entire second half. The Falcons did virtually nothing right. The defense suddenly had no answers for Jackson and there is absolutely no excuse for that. There was a touchdown pass to Mike Williams where the Atlanta defense simply didn’t cover the Seattle receiver. Guard Garrett Reynolds had a false-start at a critical time. Roddy White, who has become a drop machine this year, had a crucial drop on a second-and-2 and the Falcons, once again, shied away from Michael Turner and the running game.

The interception helpers: Atlanta did intercept Jackson twice and both of those came on well-thrown balls where a Falcons’ defender made a big hit to knock the ball loose and put it up for grabs. Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon created linebacker Curtis Lofton's first-half interception. Safety James Sanders did the same thing for Thomas DeCoud early in the third quarter before the Seahawks really got rolling. In hindsight, without the play by Sanders and DeCoud, the Falcons probably would have lost.

What’s next: The Falcons host the Green Bay Packers next Sunday night at the Georgia Dome.