A new face sits on top of the NFC South after Week 4, and the division took on a very different look as the weekend played out.
The Carolina Panthers delivered the most eye-opening result of the week on Sunday Night Football, handling the Detroit Lions with an offense that stayed steady all night. Tetairoa McMillan turned in a career night, and Carolina’s ground defense did a strong job against Jahmyr Gibbs.
It wasn’t a spotless performance, though, because that same defense also let Jared Goff throw for more than 400 yards. Even with that flaw, it was still an impressive showing.
In Week 5, Carolina gets another game it can win, but the defense will need to hold up better against the Jalen Hurts-led offense.
The Atlanta Falcons also came out of Week 4 in good shape, and their NFC South matchup with the New Orleans Saints pushed them into the conversation at the top of the division. Atlanta’s offense faced almost no resistance, whether it was on the ground or through the air, and the defense never had to deal with the Saints’ rushing attack. The Falcons have gone two straight weeks without much of a test, and that may finally change in Week 5 when they meet the Baltimore Ravens.
New Orleans, meanwhile, walked away from that matchup with a rough result in a game that carried plenty of emotion. The Saints are now 1-3, and the loss hit hard enough to feel like a jolt to the fan base.
Tyler Shough, Chris Olave, Chase Young, and Juwan Johnson remain the clear top names on the roster, but beyond that group, things have been shaky. Next up is the Minnesota Vikings.
At the other end of the division, Tampa Bay is sinking fast. The Buccaneers are 0-4 heading into Week 5 after another game they could have taken slipped away.
Baker Mayfield is injured, the coaching has been poor, the roster has issues across the board, and the run game has been absent. Green Bay also looked like it wanted to lose the game, and the thought is that Tampa Bay might have pulled it out if Mayfield had been available.
As it stands, the outlook is bleak, and Thursday night’s matchup with the Dallas Cowboys points toward 0-5.
In Other News...
Justin Reid Just Gave Saints Fans Another Reason To Be Furious
Before the Saints even kicked off against Atlanta, Justin Reid was trying to stir up the kind of noise that can make the Superdome feel like a different place altogether. It was the sort of pregame push players often make when they want the crowd locked in, and in a season where every little edge matters, the message was simple enough: bring the energy and make it loud.
After the loss, though, Reids message landed very differently. Fans who questioned his play got a sharp response on social media, and the line he chose did little to calm anyone down after a game in which he had some visible struggles. For a locker room already trying to steady itself and a fan base looking for accountability, the exchange only added another layer of frustration. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moore Sends Clear Message As Saints Face Early Gut Check
The Saints 45-24 loss to Atlanta in Week 4 only deepened an early-season slide that has already put plenty of pressure on a team trying to find its footing. At 1-3, New Orleans has no choice but to treat the first month as a gut check, and Kellen Moore made it clear after the game that disappointment alone will not be enough to move things forward.
Moore said the response has to come from everyone in the building, with players and staff pulling in the same direction after a result like this. The loss also gave Atlanta a boost to 2-2, leaving the Saints with a familiar kind of urgency in the NFC South and a growing need to show their next performance looks nothing like this one. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Finally Have A Real Jordyn Tyson Return Timeline
The Saints still do not have a practice return in sight for Jordyn Tyson, but Kellen Moore at least put a clearer frame around the timeline this week. Tyson is not expected back on the field before Week 5, and the reality for New Orleans is that his first live action still appears to be some distance away after he has not practiced at all this season.
ESPNs Adam Schefter added another layer to the picture, reporting that Week 7 is the earliest Tyson could realistically return, with Week 9 looking like the likeliest target. The Saints trip to Paris in Week 7 and the bye that follows only complicate the path, especially since Tyson would still need at least a week of practice before he could actually suit up in a game. [Read more 🡒]