The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Are Still the Best Team In The NFC South

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Are Still the Best Team In The NFC South

These are fascinating occasions within the NFC South. The Bucs appeared listless (once more) in a Thursday evening loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The New Orleans Saints appeared superior on Sunday in a 24-0 house shutout of the Las Vegas Raiders. And the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers additionally performed. Truly, they performed one another in certainly one of the day’s cringiest games.

The variety of issues the Panthers needed to do to lose this sport was beautiful. Veteran extensive receiver DJ Moore took his helmet off after the game-tying landing, incurring a penalty that moved the extra-point try again to 48 yards. Eddy Pineiro missed the kick that might’ve given the Panthers a one-point win, and the sport went to additional time, the place an interception arrange Carolina deep in Atlanta territory for a 33-yard game-winning discipline aim that Pineiro additionally missed.

Then, lastly, the Falcons put the Panthers out of their distress, kicking their very own sport winner in additional time to maneuver to 4-4 and in sole possession of the first place in this depressing division. Had the Panthers gained and oh boy, they may have all 4 of the division’s groups would have been 3-5, which might have felt acceptable. As a substitute, Arthur Smith’s Fightin’ Falcons are the one crew within the NFC South that does not have a shedding report. Sure, together with Tom Brady’s Bucs.

Judgment: NOT AN OVERREACTION

I am not attempting to gloss over the Bucs’ issues. They’ve loads of them. They’re working one of many worst offenses within the league proper now, and whether or not it is Brady’s off-field points or Bruce Arians’ transfer to the entrance workplace or the mess they’ve on the inside of their offensive line or all the above they must get some issues found out or else they are going to be on this slog all 12 months lengthy.

However, regardless of all of it, they nonetheless seem like probably the most gifted crew within the division. Their latest historical past we will level to of recovering from a not-so-great first half of the season and ending super-hot. And whereas they’re behind the Falcons and tied with the Saints, nobody is working away with their division the best way, say, the Minnesota Vikings are working away from the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the NFC North.

The Bucs have time to determine their points. They’re 2-1 in opposition to the opposite groups within the division, beating the Falcons and Saints, and shedding to Carolina. Every little thing they need continues to be out there to them, and the expertise on their roster is plain. On paper, they’re nonetheless the very best crew in a division the place nobody’s taking part in very far over their heads.