NFC South Notebook: Bowles Focused on Wins, Falcons Rookies Bonding, Panthers Building Something Special
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles isn’t losing sleep over job security. The Buccaneers head coach made it clear this week that his focus is singular: winning football games.
“I don’t think I worry about it at all,” Bowles said when asked about his future. “It doesn’t creep into the locker room.
Players play and coaches coach. I got more years behind me than I do ahead of me.
I think we’re in a situation where we’re right back in it and our only focus is on winning a ball game.”
That’s the kind of mindset you expect from a veteran coach who’s been around the league long enough to understand the highs and lows of an NFL season. Bowles is leaning on experience and perspective as Tampa Bay continues to battle in a wide-open NFC South. The message to his locker room is clear: block out the noise, stay focused on the task at hand, and let the results speak for themselves.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons used their two first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to bolster the edge, selecting Jalon Walker at No. 15 and James Pearce Jr. at No. 26. And if early chemistry counts for anything, Atlanta may have struck gold.
“Knew this was home for us,” Pearce said. “He got drafted a few spots ahead of me in the draft, but ever since we loaded up the jet and landed in Atlanta, that’s been my guy.”
That bond is already translating into a strong on-field partnership. Both rookies are being groomed to be foundational pieces of Raheem Morris’ defense, and the head coach isn’t hiding how he feels about their development.
“I love both of those guys,” Morris said. “I don’t ever want to call these grown men my kids, but I love these guys like my children.
These guys are awesome. They’re growing, they’re learning together.
They’re giving us everything they have.”
For Pearce, there were some pre-draft whispers about maturity concerns, but Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said the team did its homework - and then some.
“We were fortunate that we had some real inside information regarding his character,” Ulbrich said. “We had some people that really had boots on the ground there at the school, and because of that, we felt with great confidence that we were getting the right person, not just the right football player.”
So far, that confidence looks well-placed. Walker and Pearce aren’t just two young pass rushers - they’re becoming tone-setters for a defense that’s trying to establish a new identity under Morris and Ulbrich.
Carolina Panthers
Seven wins into the season and tied atop the NFC South, the Panthers are starting to look like a team that’s finally turning the corner - and owner David Tepper likes what he sees.
“Listen, it’s pretty good,” Tepper said. “It’s all building process.
Look, we’ll see where we go. We’ll see what happens.
But we do think, as I said, Canales, Morgan, Tilis, and everybody here in the whole organization, I think we’re building something special in Carolina.”
Tepper’s confidence isn’t just in the record - it’s in the leadership group he’s assembled. Head coach Dave Canales, general manager Dan Morgan, and executive VP Brandt Tilis have worked to reshape the culture both on and off the field.
“And we’ve been building it outside in the community. We’re building it on the field,” Tepper added.
“This is the total picture. And hopefully we can go on and we have that for many years here.
And that’s what we hope for.”
It’s a long road ahead, but for the first time in a while, the pieces in Carolina seem to be aligning. A competitive roster, a unified front office, and a coach with a clear vision - it’s the kind of foundation that can turn a promising season into a sustainable future.
Bottom Line
The NFC South remains one of the most unpredictable divisions in football - and that’s what makes it so compelling. The Buccaneers are leaning on veteran leadership, the Falcons are betting on youth and chemistry, and the Panthers are building something that feels bigger than just one season. December football is here, and in this division, it’s anyone’s race to win.