<img alt="NFL: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xLxbAtxH6iVGguXfmSxy8qZ9hc8=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73578647/usa_today_24189318.0.jpg">
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
The Saints destroyed the Panthers, the Buccaneers beat Dan Quinn, and the Falcons...well. The division opens up at 2-2. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look like they haven't lost a step, the Carolina Panthers have somehow lost one, and the New Orleans Saints played the Panthers (enough said). We don’t have to talk about the Atlanta Falcons here.
Here's this week's NFC South review.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 1 Result: Buccaneers 37 - Commanders 20
Week 2 Opponent: Detroit Lions
People (me) keep picking a new team to win the NFC South, and those same people (me again) are finding out that the rest of the division will have to pry the crown off Tampa Bay’s dead body. Baker Mayfield set the Dan Quinn Commanders on fire with four touchdowns yesterday, and while the Commanders did put up 20 points, the outcome was never really in question. The Buccaneers will have a tough challenge next week against the Detroit Lions, who are coming off a Sunday night thriller.
New Orleans Saints
Week 1 Result: Saints 47 - Panthers 10
Week 2 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
New Orleans starts the season with a division win, which is okay, I guess. It must be nice to open up the season against a smaller version of 2019 Drew Brees, but you don't get to pick who you play. The Saints should've handily beat this Panthers team, and they did. Derrek Carr was efficient, and while 200 passing yards isn't an impressive figure, the Saints picked up over 150 on the ground and scored five total touchdowns on offense.
The secondary looked as good as advertised, preventing any passing touchdowns while only surrendering 161 yards through the air. The Saints are going up against a more formidable opponent next week, and the Dallas Cowboys just made light work of a daunting Browns defense.
Carolina Panthers
Week 1 Result: Panthers 10 - Saints 47
Week 2 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Hey buddy, you alright? You know football isn't for everyone, and that's okay. No one would blame you for taking some time off. In the Panthers most recent debut, with their third coach in the last four years, things looked as bad as they always have. Last Sunday's 37-point loss was a bigger disparity than any game in 2023, which is an impressive feat when comparing rosters.
This team is going to need time; next week, they play a Chargers team that didn't have the prettiest win, but showed a level of toughness one has come to expect from a Jim Harbaugh-coached team.
<img alt="NFL: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xLxbAtxH6iVGguXfmSxy8qZ9hc8=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73578647/usa_today_24189318.0.jpg">
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
The Saints destroyed the Panthers, the Buccaneers beat Dan Quinn, and the Falcons...well. The division opens up at 2-2. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look like they haven't lost a step, the Carolina Panthers have somehow lost one, and the New Orleans Saints played the Panthers (enough said). We don’t have to talk about the Atlanta Falcons here.
Here's this week's NFC South review.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 1 Result: Buccaneers 37 - Commanders 20
Week 2 Opponent: Detroit Lions
People (me) keep picking a new team to win the NFC South, and those same people (me again) are finding out that the rest of the division will have to pry the crown off Tampa Bay’s dead body. Baker Mayfield set the Dan Quinn Commanders on fire with four touchdowns yesterday, and while the Commanders did put up 20 points, the outcome was never really in question. The Buccaneers will have a tough challenge next week against the Detroit Lions, who are coming off a Sunday night thriller.
New Orleans Saints
Week 1 Result: Saints 47 - Panthers 10
Week 2 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
New Orleans starts the season with a division win, which is okay, I guess. It must be nice to open up the season against a smaller version of 2019 Drew Brees, but you don't get to pick who you play. The Saints should've handily beat this Panthers team, and they did. Derrek Carr was efficient, and while 200 passing yards isn't an impressive figure, the Saints picked up over 150 on the ground and scored five total touchdowns on offense.
The secondary looked as good as advertised, preventing any passing touchdowns while only surrendering 161 yards through the air. The Saints are going up against a more formidable opponent next week, and the Dallas Cowboys just made light work of a daunting Browns defense.
Carolina Panthers
Week 1 Result: Panthers 10 - Saints 47
Week 2 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Hey buddy, you alright? You know football isn't for everyone, and that's okay. No one would blame you for taking some time off. In the Panthers most recent debut, with their third coach in the last four years, things looked as bad as they always have. Last Sunday's 37-point loss was a bigger disparity than any game in 2023, which is an impressive feat when comparing rosters.
This team is going to need time; next week, they play a Chargers team that didn't have the prettiest win, but showed a level of toughness one has come to expect from a Jim Harbaugh-coached team.
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