Bell: Falcons get last laugh against big-talking Saints

NEW ORLEANS — Emotions were still running hot as the Atlanta Falcons streamed off the field Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, having lived to play another game that matters.

Matt Ryan entered the locker room and screamed an unprintable word at the top of his lungs.

Osi Umenyiora gave a team staff member a high-five.

Harry Douglas, the gritty slot receiver, offered a quick commentary directed at a particular New Orleans Saints player, cornerback Keenan Lewis.

Last week, Lewis provided the Falcons with banner bulletin-board material by proclaiming, "We're definitely going to give them their funeral."

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Uh-oh.

Lewis missed an extensive portion of Atlanta's 30-14 victory because of dehydration issues that left him in the locker room after halftime, receiving fluids through an IV. The absence was not lost on Douglas.

"I don't understand how (No.) 28 is going to talk (smack) to the media before the game and he didn't even want to be out there," Douglas roared as he came through the tunnel. "He quit in the middle of the game!"

A short time later, as he left the stadium, Douglas reiterated his message, which surely reflects the bad blood that has simmered over time between the Falcons and Saints.

"I'm a firm believer in the idea that if you are going to talk junk, back it up," Douglas told USA TODAY Sports. "Or at least be out there the whole game."

Then, as if speaking to Lewis, Douglas added, "You didn't show up to the funeral.

"To your own funeral, actually."

It is hardly surprising the latest chapter of a bitter feud would be capped off by an in-your-face last word.

Yet it is entirely strange the Falcons left the building with a 6-9 record good enough to set up a showdown for the NFC South crown against the Carolina Panthers at the Georgia Dome on Sunday.

The Panthers, who defeated the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, are 6-8-1.

Deal with it, America.

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While it's possible two teams in the NFL will finish this season with 10 victories and miss the playoffs, the NFC South champion will have a losing record and host a playoff game.

We've run out of time for a team with a winning record to emerge as division champion.

Kind of crazy, huh?

"No!" Falcons wide receiver Roddy White told reporters at his locker, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Man, this is what I expected.

"It's exactly what I expected at the beginning of the year when we put our plans together. We wanted to be in the playoffs and have a home playoff game. We've put ourselves in that position."

It's just this wasn't how anyone would have projected it would go down. Last year, the Panthers won the NFC South title with a 12-4 record.

This year, the Falcons might win the crown despite starting 2-6 and enduring a five-game losing streak.

If they win next weekend, they'll match their longest winning streak of the season — two games.

The Panthers, on the other hand, suffered a six-game losing streak and went 63 days — from Oct. 5 to Dec. 7 — between victories.

Maybe they should call it the "Dirty South Title."

Then again, it's fitting that we're talking about the NFC South in this vein.

Weird stuff — like the Saints losing a fifth consecutive home game in a season for the first time since 1980 — happens in this division.

Since the NFL realigned its divisions in 2002, the NFC South is the only division in the NFL to never have a repeat champion.

Now the division has had its own round-robin mini-playoff, a virtual play-in tournament.

That's why the Falcons figure they have pretty much already been in the playoffs the last couple of weeks.

Sunday's loser at the Dome was to be eliminated, as will be the case for the loser next Sunday in Atlanta.

It's survival of the fittest — or if you're cynical, survival of the unfit.

Follow NFL columnist Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell.