NFC South Report, 2021 Week 7

As we all still celebrate the Atlanta Falcons and their come-from-behind win over the Miami Dolphins (win’s a win!), there are other storylines going on within the NFC South.

The dumpster fire in Carolina continues to grow, the Tampa Bay team looks real good and the New Orleans team we don’t like is weird.

What are the status updates on the NFC South rivals after Week 7?

Carolina Panthers

Things are not looking good for the Panthers. After a startling 3-0 start, Carolina has crashed back down to Earth in flames. Losing elite running back Christian McCaffrey isn’t helping matters, but the lackluster last four starts for quarterback Sam Darnold are a big reason why this team has lost its edge. Some even question the effectiveness of offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who the Falcons interviewed for their head coaching position in January.

Second-year head coach Matt Rhule has a lot to figure out after his team got spanked by a very lackluster New York Giants team 25-3, giving old Carolina GM Dave Gettleman his revenge. The Panthers face the Falcons Sunday in Atlanta in what could be a fifth-straight loss or a massive course corrective in the division. Carolina’s season is slipping away fast, and changes could come to the coaching staff if that happens.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs decimated the Chicago Bears 38-3, moving to 6-1 on the season. It’s probably shaping up to where Tom Brady and the Bucs will take the division with ease and will be contending for a top seed in the playoffs, at least if these results continue.

It stinks that Father Time seems to have lost Brady’s address and that he’s the first quarterback ever to throw for 600 touchdowns. Though, at least you’re not that poor fellow who gave back a windfall of Brady’s 600th touchdown ball only to get a couple thousand bucks worth of Bucs merch. I’d never go to another live sporting event if that happened to me.

New Orleans Saints

The deeply weird 2021 Saints edged past a flailing Seattle Seahawks team 13-10 Monday night, with N.O.’s defense looking sharp and its offense looking like Alvin Kamara and not much else.

Jameis Winston continues to provide middling results for the Saints in the post-Drew Brees era, but they will still win games if Dennis Allen’s defense continues clamping down opponents. They’re a fringe playoff team right now, and Falcons/Saints this year is going to get as messy and entertaining as it’s been in years with neither of these teams world dominators at the moment.

We’ll see how this all continues to progress as the 2021 season wheel keeps on turning.