The NFC South in 2025? Let’s just say it was one of the strangest division races we've seen in a while.
Three teams - the Falcons, Panthers, and Buccaneers - all finished with identical 8-9 records. And somehow, that was good enough to crown a division champion.
The Saints brought up the rear at 6-11, and not a single team in the division had a positive point differential. It was a race to the middle, and even that might be generous.
For the Falcons, the season was a rollercoaster. After a statement win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 6, Atlanta was sitting at 3-2 and looking like a real threat in the NFC South.
But then the wheels came off. Over their next eight games, the Falcons went 1-7, tumbling out of playoff contention and raising serious questions about the team’s direction.
But in true Falcons fashion, they didn’t go quietly. Over the final month of the season, Atlanta flipped the script, rattling off four straight wins to close out the year.
That late surge didn’t just salvage some pride - it played spoiler, too. Their Week 18 win over the Saints helped hand the division title to Carolina, even though the Panthers couldn’t seal the deal themselves.
Speaking of the Panthers, they may have won the NFC South, but it wasn’t exactly a convincing run. They lost to Tampa Bay in Week 18, missing a chance to clinch the division outright.
Instead, they had to rely on Atlanta’s win over New Orleans to back their way into the playoffs. It was a fitting end to a season where no team in the South really separated itself from the pack.
Looking ahead to 2026, though, the Falcons might be the team best positioned to rise above the chaos. With Kevin Stefanski now at the helm, there’s a sense of stability and direction that’s been missing in Atlanta for a while.
The defense is already solid, and there are legitimate weapons on offense. If Stefanski can get the most out of this roster - especially rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. - the Falcons could very well be the team to beat in the NFC South.
There’s pressure, no doubt, especially on Penix. He’ll be expected to step in and elevate this offense right away. But if he delivers, Atlanta’s late-season momentum from 2025 might just carry over - and this time, it could take them all the way to the top of the division.
Recent power rankings seem to agree. In a post-playoff breakdown, the Panthers were ranked at the bottom among eliminated teams, with questions still swirling around Bryce Young’s ceiling and Carolina’s long-term outlook.
Yes, Young played some of his best football in 2025, but it wasn’t enough to shake the label of “average.” Until Carolina upgrades at quarterback or gets more consistent play out of Young, it’s hard to see them making a deeper run.
Credit where it’s due - the Panthers gave the Rams a real fight in the Wild Card Round. But the larger picture remains: this was a losing team that needed help just to reach the postseason.
Meanwhile, Atlanta is trending upward. With a new coaching staff, a promising young quarterback, and a defense that can keep them in games, the Falcons have a real shot to take control of a division that’s still very much up for grabs. If Penix hits his stride, don’t be surprised if the road to the NFC South crown runs straight through Atlanta.