State of the NFC South: Standings going into Week 2
Week 1 is in the books, and the New Orleans Saints a re on top of the NFC South standings. But what did we learn about them this week -- as well as their rivals around the division? How did each team fare in their season opener, and who is dealing with injuries? All four teams have questions to answer in the days and weeks ahead.
Here's a quick look at the state of the NFC South and what's in store for the Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Week 2 coming up fast:
1. New Orleans Saints
Record: 1-0
Point differential: +37
Turnover differential: +2
Next opponent: at Dallas Cowboys (Sept. 15)
The Saints outperformed even the most diehard homers' highest expectations, but their next test is going to tell us more about this team than their rout of Carolina. We know Dennis Allen's squad can beat opponents that are less talented than themselves. The question all along has been whether or not they can rise to the challenge of competing with Super Bowl contenders like the Cowboys.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record: 1-0
Point differential: +17
Turnover differential: 0
Next opponent: at Detroit Lions (Sept. 15)
The Bucs let Jayden Daniels and the upstart Commanders hang around for longer than they should (Tampa Bay held a 17-7 lead at halftime and didn't really pull away until the fourth quarter), and they came out of that game with a couple of high-profile injuries. All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. will miss a couple of weeks with a sprained ankle. Three cornerbacks also exited the win with injuries including Zyon McCollum, a starter, and his backup Bryce Hall.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Record: 0-1
Point differential: -8
Turnover differential: 3
Next opponent: at Philadelphia Eagles (Sept. 16)
The Falcons couldn't get the job done against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but losing to an AFC opponent rather than a division rival gives them an edge over Carolina in the division standings. Kirk Cousins clearly isn't still healthy after last year's Achilles injury and his limitations are holding back their offense in a big way. Atlanta was one of the few offenses to not try a single pass off of play action in Week 1.
4. Carolina Panthers
Record: 0-1
Point differential: -37
Turnover differential: -2
Next opponent: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Sept. 15)
This was as bad a debut as Panthers fans could have feared for. Bryce Young looked just as overwhelmed as he did a year ago and their defense had few answers for the new-look Saints offense. Carolina has the NFL's weakest roster and it showed on Sunday. They're only going to get worse after losing star defensive tackle Derrick Brown to meniscus surgery.
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This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: State of the NFC South: Standings going into Week 2
