Week 6 brought the NFC South the kind of chaos that always seems to travel well in this division: blown leads, late swings, and just enough wins to keep the top end of the standings from getting too comfortable.
The Carolina Panthers are still sitting alone at the top, and they took advantage of a favorable setup with Jalen Hurts out for the Eagles. Bryce Young and Chuba Hubbard both turned in really strong performances, and Carolina got the result it needed even if the game was tighter than it probably wanted.
The offense keeps flashing as one of the more interesting units in the NFC, but the pass defense remains a real concern. Still, the Panthers now head into next week’s matchup with the Bucs in good position and, as the source notes, likely to add another win.
Tampa Bay’s season, on the other hand, took another hit. The Buccaneers carried a 16-3 home lead into the fourth quarter with rookie QB Jalon Daniels in control, only to watch Pittsburgh storm back with 16 points in the final period.
Aaron Rodgers was impossible to stop, and the Bucs didn’t help themselves by giving the ball away. The game went to overtime, and the Steelers finished the comeback.
With Tampa Bay now back at the bottom of the division, Todd Bowles’ situation is only getting more tense.
Atlanta had its own nearly-completed rally, and that one came after digging a huge hole. The Bears had a 31-7 lead in the fourth quarter before the Falcons pushed it to 31-23 with five minutes left.
Even with Bijan Robinson under 70 rushing yards, there was a path there. But after Atlanta got the ball back again, Penix was sacked, the play turned into a fumble, and Chicago shut the door.
The Falcons’ fourth-quarter surge hinted at what might have been possible if they had played that way from the start, but instead they move on to a matchup with the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.
New Orleans also spent the week dealing with a game that changed shape fast. The Saints dominated the third quarter and looked in control, but Kellen Moore pulled starters early in the fourth, and that decision quickly came back around on them.
Once CJ Donaldson fumbled, the momentum flipped, the starters had to return, and the defense was suddenly dealing with a completely different quarterback. The source suggests that if New Orleans had kept its big lead and maybe extended it, the conversation around Moore would look different.
Instead, the doubts are still there after the Giants’ near comeback.
And then there’s the strange wrinkle hanging over all of it: if the game even happens in Paris, a blowout loss to the Steelers may end Moore’s time in New Orleans.
NFC South standings after Week 6: Carolina Panthers (3-2)
Atlanta Falcons (2-4) New Orleans Saints (2-4)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5)
In Other News...
Saints Get A Massive Test In Paris At The Perfect Time
The Saints head into their trip to France coming off a win over the Giants, but the finish offered a reminder that there is still plenty to clean up before the schedule stiffens again. Now they are shifting from one kind of challenge to another, with a meeting against the Steelers set to take place in Paris and a very different backdrop waiting off the field.
For Kellen Moore, the trip looks like more than just a novelty stop on the schedule. He sees it as a chance for the team to reset and spend more time together, which matters for a group still trying to sharpen its identity. New Orleans also held a security briefing before traveling, a reminder that the football part of the week is unfolding against a tense international backdrop even as the Saints try to keep their focus on the game itself. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Win Came With One Standout And One Brutal PFF Grade
A close win over the Giants gave the Saints another reminder that not every victory looks clean on the grades sheet, even when the result holds up. Pro Football Focus liked what it saw from right tackle Taliese Fuaga and cornerback Martin Emerson, Jr., two players who stood out in different ways as New Orleans navigated a game that demanded steady play on both sides of the ball.
Emersons work in coverage helped anchor the defensive side of the evaluation, while the offensive review told a far less flattering story for one familiar target. Juwan Johnson came away with the harshest mark among Saints offensive players, a rough reflection of how much the team still needs from him in both protection and the passing game if the offense is going to make these narrow wins feel more repeatable. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Paris Game Draws Security Backlash As NFL Pushes Ahead
Frances weekend of large protests and riots, which led to numerous arrests and injuries, has put an uneasy backdrop around the NFLs decision to go forward with the Saints-Steelers Week 7 game in Paris. Even with the unrest, the league has kept the trip on schedule, and New Orleans has continued preparing for the international stage as planned.
League officials and Saints executives have said security measures are already in place, and the team has not reported any disruption at its sites. Still, the choice to press ahead has drawn criticism from some fans and public figures, leaving the game framed by more than just the usual overseas buzz as the Saints try to keep their focus on football. [Read more 🡒]