IN A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT — Raheem Morris coined the phrase "Outrun the South" in the organization's very first team meeting this offseason. It became the rallying cry then, but has become the theme of the Falcons' season since — for better or for worse.

A month ago, the Falcons were pacing well. They were in sole possession of first place in the NFC South with a 4-0 division record. They were 6-3 overall. The end of October saw multiple facets of the team's game trending in the right direction.

Then came November, the leg of the Falcons' race that saw the split time between Atlanta and its division rivals shrink exponentially to the point where the South is catching up.

The Falcons are on a three-game skid, losing to the Saints, Broncos and Chargers since November began.

What once was a significant lead has turned into a neck-in-neck battle between the Falcons and Buccaneers, one that could go all the way to a photo finish — or in this case, a Week 18 decision.

Tampa Bay moved to 6-6 on the season with its overtime win against the Panthers Sunday night. The same record the Falcons have right now, too. The two teams are tied at the top of the division as Week 14 begins. Fortunately for the Falcons, they do hold the tiebreaker over the Bucs thanks to the two October wins they put up against their NFC rival.

So, in essence, the Falcons have to do what they set out to do at the beginning of the year. They have to outrun the South. Literally.

For the Falcons to see the postseason, they have to stay one step ahead of Tampa Bay in wins. If the Falcons can win at least one more game than the Bucs down the stretch, they're in. But honestly? They really don't even have to do that. They can be in lockstep with the Bucs with the help of that tiebreaker and still get into the postseason.

I would argue, though, that's not what this team should want.

They shouldn't want their own postseason hopes decided by someone else. They shouldn't feel like their destiny is not in their own hands. They shouldn't want the fanbases cheering more for a Tampa Bay loss than an Atlanta win. But if this skid they're on continues, that's what will happen because that's what would have to happen for the Falcons' season to continue beyond the end of the regular season.

One could argue that's not the confidence boost you'd want going into a postseason run. You want to get there off your own merit. Your wins. Not someone else's losses.

As head coach Raheem Morris said postgame after the loss to the Chargers, the Falcons still have everything in front of them. And they do. That's true. But they haven't made the race easier on themselves by losing. These losses make the margin for error smaller and smaller with every loss that mounts.

And when looking at what remains of the Falcons' and Bucs' schedules, the Bucs may have an uphill battle to stay one step ahead of the Falcons, but its not an impossible feat.

Hypothetically speaking, if the Bucs beat the Raiders in Week 14 and the Falcons simultaneously lose to the Vikings, the Bucs take over atop the division. That opens the door for the Falcons to play catch up instead of simply staying on pace. Because that's what the Falcons need at minimum, right? They need to keep pace with the Bucs. If the Bucs take the lead this weekend, for every win they acquire thereafter, the Falcons need one in return.

Ultimately? This season could be a sprint to the finish with the margin of error shrinking with every game played. That is, unless the Falcons start stacking wins. That would help their case — by way of morale and, well, keeping their postseason hopes alive and in their control.

"How even-keel can you stay to pull yourself out of the little bit of a slump we're having right now in order to finish this heat, right?" Morris said Monday. "I knew Tampa Bay was coming at some point, so we gotta find a way to run away from them again, and the only people who can do that are the people in this building."