FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won the NFC South the last four seasons. Their quest for a fifth-straight division title began with a 23-20 victory against the Falcons.
Atlanta is considered the biggest challenge to Tampa Bay in the division, so the Week 1 outcome is notable. However, as last season showed, these head-to-head matchups aren't everything. The Falcons swept this rivalry series in 2024, but the Bucs still claimed the NFC South.
Throughout the season, this piece will serve as a check-in on the four teams in the division, tracking their performance and noting the standout players from each game. Teams will be listed in the order of the division standing.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0 | 1-0 in division)
- Atlanta Falcons (0-1 | 0-1 in division)
- New Orleans Saints (0-1)
- Carolina Panthers (0-1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last game: Win @ Atlanta Falcons (23-20)
Offensive standout: WR Emeka Egbuka
The Bucs' rookie wide receiver caught four passes on six targets and finished with a team-high 67 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter.
Defensive standout: CB Zyon McCollum
With the ink still fresh on his three-year contract extension, McCollum looked worth the investment in the season opener. The former fifth-round pick was strong in coverage, had 10 combined tackles and played a big role in helping the Bucs slow down Atlanta's run game.
Needs improvement: Run game
Tampa Bay finished with 101 rushing yards on Sunday, but 39 of those yards came on Baker Mayfield scrambles. Removing those yards, the Bucs gained just 64 yards from their skill players. This was an offense that ranked fourth with 149 rushing yards per game under former coordinator Liam Coen.
Telling quote: "We've got a lot of things to work on, but like I've told you guys before, it's always better to learn and correct things from a win." – Bucs QB Baker Mayfield
Vibe check: Good
Atlanta Falcons
Last game: Loss vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (23-20)
Offensive standout: QB Michael Penix Jr.
A good case could be made for Bijan Robinson here, but Penix was the most consistent and reliable offensive player for Atlanta. He completed 27 of his 42 pass attempts for 298 yards with one touchdown. Penix also scored a late go-ahead touchdown from 4 yards out on a fourth-down scramble.
Defensive standout: LB Divine Deablo
Atlanta's free-agent acquisition had an excellent debut. He had a career-best four pressures on Sunday, and he earned a half-sack against Mayfield. Deablo also deflected a pass and tied for the team high with six tackles.
Needs improvement: Kicking game
Although the Falcons' ground game was nothing to write home about, missed kicks are a more serious issue in a league where one-score games are common.
Telling quote: "It definitely creates more of a sense of urgency to be able to have that competitive edge for [Younghoe] Koo, for all of us, and to put ourselves in those positions to do the right thing for our football team at all costs. Now, that's where we're at." – Head coach Raheem Morris on bringing in kicking competition.
Vibe check: Solid
Take a trip up to the top of the nest and get a bird's eye view of our favorite moments from the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Week 1, shot on Sony.
New Orleans Saints
Last game: Loss vs. Arizona Cardinals (20-13)
Offensive standout: TE Juwan Johnson
The former wide receiver was the best offensive weapon for New Orleans in Week 1, catching eight passes for 76 yards. He nearly hauled in a late fourth-quarter touchdown that could have sent the game to overtime.
Defensive standout: DE Carl Granderson
There were a few solid performances from Saints defenders, but Granderson finished with 1.5 sacks, six tackles and a pair of pass defenses to claim this spot. This insane chase-down tackle helped his case as well.
Needs improvement: Penalties
New Orleans was penalized 13 times in its season opener, and many of those infractions were self-inflicted before the snap.
Telling quote: "The pre-snap was simply not good enough. It doesn't meet the standard in any way. We had a bunch of penalties on both sides of the football in the pre-snap world. That's all under our control." — Saints head coach Kellen Moore
Vibe check: Fine
Carolina Panthers
Last game: Loss @ Jacksonville Jaguars (26-10)
Offensive standout: WR Tetairoa McMillan
The rookie had a strong debut for Carolina, catching a team-high five passes for 68 yards. His target share should only continue to increase after his opening performance.
Defensive standout: CB Jaycee Horn
Carolina's star cornerback, who signed an extension this offseason, made one of the defensive plays of opening weekend — a leaping one-handed grab. He was also strong in coverage, allowing just one catch for 7 yards.
Needs improvement: Turnovers
The Panthers turned the ball over three times on Sunday, and that is going to lead to a loss more often than not.
Telling quote: "The turnovers, the explosive plays, I thought our tackling was not great. We let a couple of plays out that we had stopped essentially for nothing. We let them get through to the second level. Any time you have four turnovers in a game, you give an offense with a bunch of weapons more opportunities. This is the outcome."
Vibe check: Fine
