The NFC South Division is unlike any other place in the NFL.
It’s the division, for example, that was won in 2025 by a Carolina Panthers team that went just 8-9.
But that’s nothing compared to the amusement provided by this division after Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
The Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are all tied for first place.
A four-way tie? That’s a fun start.
And they’re all 0-1.
That’s right. The four NFC South teams played out-of-division opponents in Week 1, and they all lost.
Defending Champ Panthers Set Record
The Panthers wanted to get their division title defense off to a good start, but it was a tough task against the defending NFC North champion Chicago Bears.
And then they played a wild game that the Bears won, 59-37.
It set a record for most combined points in a Week 1 NFL game ever.
.@DilworthNG supplying some context to the Week 1 results. pic.twitter.com/wahcE7Q9Mk
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 14, 2026
Saints’ Hearts Broken
New Orleans started poorly against the Lions, but the Saints rallied.
They scored late in regulation to force overtime in Detroit, and then they answered the Lions’ OT touchdown with one of their own.
The Saints decided to go for a two-point conversion and the win, though, and that didn’t pan out.
It was Lions 31, Saints 30 — in a game the Saints had a defensive touchdown overturned earlier for a tricky ruling, too.
Falcons’ Felt Rushed
The Falcons were in a tough spot to open the season with a win, playing in Pittsburgh against an imposing defense with two quarterbacks out.
They didn’t have Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. to call upon, and so that meant QB3 Cooper Rush had to play.
Rush peppered RB Bijan Robinson in the passing game, but that was about it. Drake London had two catches, and Kyle Pitts had none. Nick Folk missed two field goals for good measure in a 20-13 loss to the Steelers.
Burrow, Bengals Beat Buccaneers
This was a fun matchup to start the season, but it was less fun for the Bucs when Joe Burrow beat Baker Mayfield, 33-27.
The Bengals improved their defense in the offseason, and a couple big defensive plays helped Cincinnati outplay Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers entered the season as the favorite in the NFC South, and they’ll need to bounce back in a hurry.
NFC South Standings
And just because it’s pretty entertaining, this is how the NFC South looks at the end of Week 1 — only 17 weeks to go:
- Atlanta Falcons 0-1
- Carolina Panthers 0-1
- New Orleans Saints 0-1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-1
Now that’s a division.
NFC South Standings in Amusing 4-Way Tie for 1st Place