It looks like nobody wants to win the NFC South, but Jesse Bates is helping lift the Falcons to a division title. Bates has been a transcendent talent for Atlanta, currently third in the league with five interceptions. He also has a 92-yard pick six, longest by any player this season. Bates, playing behind A.J. Terrell and Dee Alford, has made Atlanta a formidable pass defense.
Moreover, the departure of the former Bengals safety decimated the Cincinnati secondary. Hours after Bates signed with Atlanta, fellow Bengals safety Vonn Bell inked a deal with the Carolina Panthers. As a result, the Bengals went from seventh in EPA/dropback allowed in 2022 to 23rd in 2023, per RBSDM.
