Three out of four teams fell in the Week 1 opener. The NFC South is special. Every season, these teams leave analysts and fans with heartburn and nausea. Any given Sunday isn’t just a mantra; it’s reality with these teams. Tampa Bay takes the lead (for now). Here’s the Week 1 NFC South Review:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)
Week 1 Result: Buccaneers 23 – Falcons 20
Week 2 Opponent: Houston Texans
Baker Mayfield led the Bucs to their first win over the Atlanta Falcons since 12/10/2023. Mayfield was the 5th highest pressured QB of
Week 1, but he did not let that get in his way. Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka had a sensational debut, hauling in 2 touchdown receptions, including the game-winner.
Todd Bowles’ defense can still be classified as organized chaos, but it is not an impenetrable fortress. Mayfield and the offense will likely carry this team again, and they got off to a great start by taking the lead in the NFC South. That offense has a big test on Monday Night Football against the Texans.
New Orleans Saints (0-1)
Week 1 Result: Saints 13 – Cardinals 20
Week 2 Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
The Saints had one of the most criticized offseasons we’ve seen in recent history. Their Week 1 game came down to the wire, but it was a sloppy performance from the Saints, who had 13 total penalties. The team also had the benefit of facing a very ill Kyler Murray, who gutted it out and put on a nice performance.
Spencer Rattler threw the ball 46 times and completed less than 60% of his passes, yet he was unable to produce any points. The Saints have a challenging game ahead against the 49ers, but Brock Purdy is dealing with multiple injuries, so the team from the swamp might catch a break.
Carolina Panthers (0-1)
Week 1 Result: Panthers 10 – Jaguars 26
Week 2 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
The hype train has come to a complete stop. Bryce Young added another disappointing Week 1 game to his resume; it is his calling card at this point. The QB struggled to operate the offense, barely threw over 150 yards, and looked like the Bryce Young we have come to know in the NFL, and not the one who had a few good moments in 2024.
One would think that based on the score, Jacksonville dominated, but that wasn’t the case; Carolina just fell flat on their face out of the gate. The team has the opportunity to add a W to the win column against the Cardinals, who went down to the wire with the Saints.
Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
Week 1 Result: Falcons 20 – Buccaneers 23
Week 2 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
Starting the season off with a division loss isn’t ideal. The Falcons are now in the hole, but that doesn’t mean they are out of the race. Tampa Bay is the team to beat, and while the Falcons did so twice last year, that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed the division title. Michael Penix Jr. showed off more late-game heroics and looked like a more polished version of the QB we saw last year.
Zac Robinson’s offense struggled to run the ball, and the coordinator is going to have to get more creative in short-yardage situations to avoid being one-dimensional. The Falcons’ defense generated a 40% pressure rate, but that only resulted in one sack. They have a big test on the road this week against the Vikings on Sunday Night Football.
The NFC South is the premier division for chaos and entertainment. It will be exciting (and painful) to see how the season plays out.
