Will it Happen Again in the Woeful NFC South?

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Author Jason Green | Published at November 9, 2026
Will another losing team win the Woeful NFC South? The 8-9 Panthers won it last season this season every team in the division only has three wins.
Oct 25, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks on before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

It does not happen often, but it happened last season when the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South with a losing record. With this season shaping up the way it has, will it happen again in the woeful NFC South?

Wide Open in a Bad Way 

The NFC South is wide open, but not in a good way. Every team in the division has three wins, and the Panthers and New Orleans Saints are tied for the division lead over the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers simply because they have had a bye.

In their last games, the Panthers lost their third straight, the Falcons lost their second in a row, the Saints won, and the Bucs had their two-game winning streak snapped.

No Southern Home Cooking 

Not only does every team in the NFC South have only three wins, but all four teams only have one home win. The Saints picked up their first home win of the season in a 23-22 win over the Cleveland Browns in their last game, and they are the “hottest” team in the division with two wins in their last three games.

Carolina 

The Panthers have lost three in a row, and while they were solid on offense to start the season, they've averaged only 17.7 ppg in their current 3-game skid. No wonder the defending division champions have only three wins, especially with a scoring defense that ranks tied for 28th.

Tampa Bay 

The Bucs had won three four games before their last one losing a tough one, 27-24, despite forcing five turnovers. While the team ranks first in the NFL in rushing yards per game and a legit seventh in scoring defense, they rank dead last in passing yards per game.

New Orleans 

The Saints have won two of three games, and in their last one, they beat the Cleveland Browns 23-22. While QB Tyler Shough has been decent and the team ranks in the middle of the pack in points per game, they only rank 27th in scoring defense and 26th in rushing yards per game.

Atlanta 

The Falcons have lost two in a row and three of their last four games and were drubbed in their last game in a 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The team has lost badly in their last two games, and how does this 3-6 team beat the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers, who have a combined record of 13-4?

Bad Division, Yet Again 

In NFL history, only five teams have won their divisions with losing records. Three of those teams came from the NFC South, and at the halfway point, it looks as if another team from the woeful division will win it with a sub .500 record.

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