The NFC South still looks like the league’s strangest race, and Week 5 only sharpened that feeling.
Tampa Bay finally has something to show for it. The Buccaneers had looked like the worst team in the NFL each week, then turned around and beat the Dallas Cowboys, a team trying to make the playoffs.
It was less a clean Tampa Bay victory than a Dallas giveaway, but the result stands. Rookie QB Jalon Daniels had a decent outing, and Bucky Irving was the real difference-maker, piling up 165 rushing yards.
If the Buccaneers are going to keep moving, Irving is going to have to keep carrying that load. It was also the first time this season he cleared 100 yards.
Carolina spent the week on bye, but the Panthers come back into the picture with a chance to pad their first-place lead. Their next test comes against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the early-season setup has put them in position to widen the gap.
Atlanta had a much tougher assignment after beating the division-rival Saints on Monday Night Football. Baltimore came in looking like one of the best teams in the NFL, even without Lamar Jackson, and the Falcons still had to deal with a Ravens group that is well coached, especially on offense.
Atlanta hung in there and pushed the game to overtime, but the ending turned sour near the close of regulation when Michael Penix was injured. The Ravens then used almost all of the overtime clock before scoring a touchdown.
On Atlanta’s ensuing possession, Tua Tagovailoa threw an interception on the second snap.
New Orleans has dropped into last place. The Saints backed up their embarrassing loss to the Falcons with another bad performance, and the frustration around the team is obvious.
Tyler Shough is playing through injuries, and the Saints are exposing him to even more risk by keeping him on the field. Kellen Moore’s hold on the head coaching job is also starting to look shaky.
The Vikings knew what was coming and kept blitzing, and the Saints still had no answer. That problem keeps showing up, and right now there is no sign this team is about to straighten itself out.
NFC South standings:
In Other News...
Tyler Shoughs Hand Issue Just Became A Real Saints Concern
Tyler Shoughs left hand has quietly become one of the more notable issues hanging over the Saints, and it has shown up in ways that are hard to ignore. He has been seen gripping the hand during games and practices, and the added glove on that side has only sharpened the sense that something is limiting him as he tries to settle into the job. Shough has acknowledged the injury, but he has stopped short of spelling out exactly how serious it is.
For New Orleans, the concern is less about the pain itself than the ripple effect it can have on the offense. The hand issue has affected how Shough handles exchanges and handoffs, which adds another layer of uncertainty for a team already trying to get a clean read on its quarterback situation. Until there is more clarity on the extent of the injury, the Saints are left watching each snap for signs of whether this is a brief inconvenience or something with a much bigger reach. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Had Only A Few Reasons For Hope In That Loss
The Saints spent most of their loss to the Vikings searching for anything to latch onto on a day when the offense never really found a rhythm. Even so, there were a few bright spots worth noting, starting with Jonas Sanker, who delivered the kind of defensive spark this team badly needed, while Carl Granderson kept affecting the pocket and punter Ryan Wright did his part by helping New Orleans manage field position.
Sankers impact stood out because the Saints did not have many ways to flip the game in their favor, and the defense was left carrying much of the load. Granderson also gave New Orleans a steady edge up front, and Wrights strong work gave the Saints a chance to stay within reach longer than the offense probably deserved, leaving the bigger question still hanging over a frustrating afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Erik McCoy Just Put Saints Leadership On Blast
After the loss to the Minnesota Vikings, center and team captain Erik McCoy did not sound interested in soft-pedaling what has gone wrong for the Saints. He pointed to the same issues that have kept showing up in recent weeks: flat play, turnovers and penalties, with the latest home defeat only adding to the frustration around an offense that has too often dug itself into a hole.
McCoys comments also put a spotlight on the leadership question facing the building, especially with the offense sputtering and the team needing more edge after a string of disappointing results. When a captain starts calling out the overall energy and accountability level, it usually signals the problem is bigger than one bad afternoon, and the Saints now have to answer whether the response comes from the locker room, the sideline or both. [Read more 🡒]