With nine weeks complete, the league is officially past the half-way point in the NFL season. Teams outlook may still change but the football world already has a pretty good idea of whether or not a team is going to meet it’s expectations.
For the NFC South, a division many considered as the worst in the league entering the season, it has been a struggle for some teams, and others have been finding their groove. Here is a brief summary and grade of how every NFC South team has done mid-way through the year.
New Orleans Saints: F
The only reason that the Saints get an F is because there isn’t a grade lower then it. Outside of the first two weeks, New Orleans has been struggling to stay healthy and have had issues producing on both sides of the ball. Because of this, Gayle Benson had no choice but to embrace the rebuild which started when Dennis Allen got fired.
The commitment to a rebuild was only confirmed when the Saints traded four-time Pro Bowl cornerback, Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders for draft capital. It’s clear that New Orleans Saints no longer consider themselves a contender and are finally accepting the rebuild.
Carolina Panthers: D
This year has been a disaster for the Panthers thus far, and that has been highlighted by the struggle to develop Bryce Young. This is only magnified due to Carolina hiring Dave Canales this offseason, whose primary job was developing the second year player.
If the grades had to be in prior to Week 9, the Panthers would be at an F. However, Bryce Young did play alright and showed some signs of development in their game against New Orleans. This offseason is going to be a tell-tale sign on how the Panthers feel about Young. Will Carolina draft another quarterback with a premium draft pick or give Young one more year of development?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C+
The Buccaneers’ schedule has been grueling to begin the season. Their opponents combined record is a staggering 47-22. Tampa Bay may only be 4-5, but this team is geared up to make a push to win the NFC South. The two things that hurt this team the most are it’s two losses to the Falcons and their injuries at key positions.
Both of their losses against Atlanta have a chance to come back and bite them in any tie-breaker situation. The Buccaneers have suffered multiple injuries including Mike Evans, Chris Godwin (season ending), and Jamel Dean. If Tampa Bay can get healthy, they have a chance to make a run in the NFC this season.
Atlanta Falcons: A
The addition of Kirk Cousins in free agency has turned out to be an amazing decision for the Falcons. He has led the team to a strong 6-3 record and has a firm hold on the NFC South. Cousins has been able to unlock the potential of Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson.
Head coach Raheem Morris has done an excellent job leading this team. The Falcons are also in an amazing position for any tie-breakers with their 6-1 record in the NFC and 4-0 in the South. We may only be mid-way through the regular season, but it’s clear that the Falcons will be a contender in the NFC.