Canal Street Chronicles
Tampa Bay is at the top of the NFC South, and it’s doubtful anyone can come back to take that away from them, but they faced a tough Patriots team and nearly won. The game was extremely close, and Patriots Drake Maye struggled at the beginning due to the elements, but New England was able to squeak by with the win. QB Baker Mayfield had a really great day; the running game performed well despite the lower number of snaps, and the defense forced a turnover. The difference was the big plays made by New England.
Another close game against a great opponent, the Falcons traveled to Germany to face off against the Colts. This was a game Atlanta could have dominated, but instead, the Falcons’ defense gave QB Daniel Jones fits. The issue was that the run defense allowed RB Jonathan Taylor, who looks like a leading candidate to win Offensive Player of the Year, to run for 244 yards and 3 touchdowns. On offense, the Falcons had a good run game, and although the passing attack was effective at times, QB Michael Penix looked inconsistent.
This week, the Panthers and Saints faced off in an NFC South battle, and it was a rough game for Carolina. The run game is vital to the success of the offense, so when the Saints were able to stop it from being dominant, the Panthers’ offense fell apart. Relying on QB Bryce Young to win games is not what the Panthers can do, and this was the first time in weeks that a future without Young at QB could occur. The Panthers’ defense also struggled against both the pass and run, but they did a good job of getting to the quarterback.
In a surprising turn of events, the New Orleans Saints were the only NFC South team to win, and it was one that could go a long way in boosting the team’s morale. At 2-8, the small wins are needed, and QB Tyler Shough looked great. It’s too early to anoint him as the future starter, but now, it looks like there is a real future here. This would allow for as much flexibility as possible in both the offseason and the draft, as well as in free agency. Again, it’s too early to say Shough will be the starter in 2026, but this is the first glimpse of that future coming true.
Current NFC South Standings
