What a difference a year (or in some cases a week) makes in the NFL. Just a year after the NFC South was an impossibly bad division with no real signs of life, it is quickly developing into one of the more interesting divisions in the league.
The Buccaneers, Falcons and Saints all lost games in Week 3, while the Panthers earned their first win of the season with Andy Dalton as their starter. All four teams are within a game of each other as intra-divisional play begins next week with the Falcons and Saints adding a new chapter to their ill-tempered rivalry.
Week 3 changed the scope of things drastically after it seemed like the Saints and Buccaneers would win the division race early in the season. The Panthers got on track and while the Falcons lost to the Chiefs, they were able to win nearly blow-for-blow against one of the best teams in the NFL and looked like a more formidable team than they appeared in their Week 1 loss to the Steelers. The Saints offense got back on their feet and the Buccaneers were somehow blown out at home by the Broncos, setting the stage for the NFC South to return to its roots as a chaotic, competitive division.
The Panthers have to be the story of the weekend as far as the NFC South is concerned. They simply looked like a completely different team with Dalton in the lineup. He gave them a chance to make plays downfield and was simply better than Bryce Young in every aspect of being a quarterback. That unique start gave the Panthers new hope, although they still have a long way to go and won’t be playing teams like the Raiders every week. What this does show is that the moves Carolina made in the offseason did make them a more credible team, but Young held them back. Next week’s game against the Bengals will provide a lot of information about where this team currently stands.
Atlanta should be upset about the outcome of their game against the Chiefs, considering how close they came to an upset win, but they should feel good about their performance. The pass rush still has a lot of work to do, but the defense has generally been more efficient at running the ball than many would have predicted. That, combined with Kirk Cousins ​​seemingly getting healthier each week, has allowed the Falcons to at least establish a floor as a competent offense while they continue to work together and figure out what works and what doesn’t. They’ve gotten themselves into a bit of a hole with their 1-2 start, but seem to be coming together a little more each week. The upcoming game against the Saints is an early pivotal moment in their season.
Tampa Bay and New Orleans still have the upper hand for now, but they’ve been put on edge a bit. After blowing teams out of control in the first two weeks, the Saints have held to just 12 points at home and looked like the team people thought they would be heading into the season. They’ll have to figure out how to evolve this offense amid injuries to the offensive line, which is easier said than done. Tampa Bay will just have to look in the mirror and say “never again” after making the dangerous Broncos offense look like a true unit, but both teams are 2-1 and all is not lost.
The NFC South is back, maybe! At the very least, there’s reason to be curious about this division all year long after an exciting Week 3. Hey, that’s more than what this division promised pre-season, this could be a back-and-forth battle throughout the season, especially if the Panthers can repeat what they did on Sunday with Dalton under center.
