The New Orleans Saints were a prime candidate to go from worst to first in the NFC South this year. The division is so bad that they were able to go from worst to first in just one week while still being just 3-5 as a team. Unfortunately, that's a larger indication of the division than the team.
The Saints had the easiest matchup, so it was no surprise that they were the only team in the NFC South to win a game this week. That put everyone as a three win team, with the Panthers and Saints at the top of the division by a half game.
For all the complaining we've done, the Saints somehow find themselves firmly in range for a playoff spot.
NFC South is a gift and a curse for the Saints
Winning the division is a big deal, but that wouldn’t immediately answer the biggest question around the team: is Kellen Moore the guy?
The Buccaneers won multiple NFC South titles, and they still don't know if Todd Bowles is the right man for the job. Sneaking by in a bad division can murky the view of who a team truly is or how much grace they should be given.
Success can be quantified by accolades/accomplishments, wins or play on the field. The problem is, in the NFC south, you can have accolades and accomplishments without having a high level of winds or a high level of performance on the field. That is already affected the Saints in a couple of different ways.
The NFC South being as bad as it is allows for patience because a division title is still on the table. It allows for acceptance of flaws because a playoff berth is still on the table. What could be viewed as patient is eventually becomes complacency of where you are and choosing to not strive for a higher level or withholding a higher standard.
Moore should have to prove himself, and winning a terrible division may or may not do that. What it looks like along the way will be the true determining factor.
In 2026, the state of the division allowed the Saints to go through their stumbles early and still have a real chance at the division title. For many, that'll be frustrating due to its impact on potential changes.
The team has been objectively not good enough, but it's good enough to play for this division, and that's good enough for some. That's the actual issue. The NFC South allows the Saints to keep a low standard while still knowing they could say they're division champs at the end of the year.
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