Going from worst to first in your division is annual offseason banter. With all hype around Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints coming out of 2025, it’s no surprise that Pro Football Sports Network gives them the second best chance to make that turnaround.Â
The only team that has a better chance to go from last in their division to snatching the crown is the Detroit Lions. You look back over the previous two seasons, the Lions were one of the best teams in the league in 2023 and 2024. After a down season in 2025, it makes sense that a bounce back is on the way. The Saints and Lions are close, and no one else is even close.
One thing that works in the Saints favor is they're in a wide open division. The odds could be just as much a product of the Saints' ascension as it is about the weakness of the NFC South. Residing in a division that hasn't had a dominant force since the days of Drew Brees and Tom Brady dueling it out. Now, the division is being annually won by non-contending teams, most recently the Panthers.
Saints and Panthers could be in an arms race for the NFC South crown
If you point to last season and the offseason, every thing points to the Saints and Panthers as the most likely candidates to represent NFC South in the playoffs. Even with the Saints finishing last, the statement rings true. We could take it from a process of elimination point of view or look at the two contenders themselves.Â
It’s hard to say who has more questions at the moment between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa. One of them will be leading the Atlanta Falcons into battle. Those simply aren't the best quarterbacks to inspire confidence. The Buccaneers have been ol' reliable, but after losing the division for the first time in years, the Bucs need to do more to show they're climbing back to the top.
Forget eliminating the other two teams, the Saints and Panthers are making huge moves to progress. The Panthers won the division for the first time in a decade and stepped on the gas. They spent big on Jaelan Philips and Devin Lloyd to fix their defense. The Phillips contract is a bit rich, but the players are two big additions to their front seven.
The Saints took a similar approach, except they bolstered the offense around the quarterback. The Saints gave Shough better protection with David Edwards. Travis Etienne Jr. should help the Saints improve their run game as well. It also gives you the potential of a two headed monster with Alvin Kamara. Edwards should also help that part of the offense.
New Orleans went out to secure Noah Fant, giving Shough two receiving threats at tight end. Shough did well with Juwan Johnson, and it'll be interesting to see how fast Shough and Fant develop chemistry.
Shough generated excitement towards the end of the season. The belief in him is obvious, and the Saints are doing everything to ensure a strong finish turns into a complete turnaround. Don't be surprised to see the Saints and Panthers going toe to toe for crown in 2026.