Here are my Week 7 report cards for each team in the NFC South.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) warms up before a game against the New York Jets at Raymond James Stadium.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) warms up before a game against the New York Jets at Raymond James Stadium – Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Overall Grade: C
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This was disappointing on many levels for the Bucs. Mike Evans suffered a broken collarbone, and Tampa was beaten up on both sides of the ball in a 24-9 loss. However, the Lions are one of the NFC’s premier teams, and beating them in their stadium is a tall task. That is why this grade is a C and not lower.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offense Grade: C-
For the first time this season, Baker Mayfield struggled mightily to make throws. The ferocious Lions’ defensive front pressured him consistently, and their banged-up secondary made enough plays as a result. A silver lining was the play of rookie WR Tez Johnson: in the absence of Evans, he snagged four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense Grade: C+
The Bucs’ defense was utterly dominated for the majority of the night. However, they made some huge plays in key moments to keep the team in the game. Tampa made a huge fourth-down stop early in the game, cornerback Jamel Dean intercepted Jared Goff, and the unit sacked him four times. Todd Bowles’ aggressive blitz packages continue to succeed even against the league’s best offenses.
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Atlanta Falcons
Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Atlanta Falcons Overall Grade: D
Sunday Night Football was a game that either team could have won. Unfortunately, the Falcons struggled mightily to swing things into their favor on either side of the ball. The offense was bogged down, scoring just 10 points, and the defense was stiff in the first half but surrendered a key touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta Falcons Offense Grade: F
Following great offensive performances against the Commanders and Bills, the Falcons saw their wings clipped by a strong 49ers defense. However, Atlanta was not without fault in this game. QB Michael Penix Jr. struggled with accuracy, completing just 21 of 38 pass attempts, and RB Bijan Robinson was unable to get going, averaging less than three yards per carry.
Atlanta Falcons Defense Grade: C
The offense was terrible, sure, but the Falcons’ defense also struggled in key moments. In the two most important quarters of the game – the second and the fourth – Atlanta surrendered touchdowns that put the game out of reach. While LB Kaden Elliss intercepted QB Mac Jones, Atlanta could not stop RB Christian McCaffrey, who racked up 199 yards from scrimmage.
Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young walks off the field against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium
Young was benched after the Panthers’ Week 2 loss | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Carolina Panthers Overall Grade: B
This game should have been a blowout, but an injury to QB Bryce Young and a struggling run game caused the Jets to keep things close. However, the Panthers’ defense took care of business, allowing just six points and keeping New York out of the end zone. Carolina has done well to bounce back from a poor start to the season.
Carolina Panthers Offense Grade: C
After running wild for two straight weeks, RB Rico Dowdle came back to earth, although he still gained 79 yards on a very good 4.6 yards per carry. RB Chuba Hubbard was much worse, averaging just 2.2 YPC on 14 carries. Without Young and a strong running game to lean on, Carolina scored just three points in the second half and none in the fourth quarter.
Carolina Panthers Defense Grade: A
The Jets’ offense might be terrible, but holding an opposing team to six points on the road is still worthy of an A grade in my book. The Panthers got QB Justin Fields benched after sacking him three times and then terrorized backup Tyrod Taylor. Carolina sacked Taylor three times and intercepted him twice.
New Orleans Saints
Sep 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) throws downfield during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
New Orleans Saints Overall Grade: C-
The Saints fell into a 20-0 deficit in the first half and fought back hard, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an improved Bears team. Although New Orleans got to within six points early in the second half, the offense turned the ball over four times, and the defense was unable to get off the field due to Chicago’s strong running game.
New Orleans Saints Offense Grade: C-
After an awful start to the game, the Saints quickly put up 14 points by scoring right before and after halftime. WR Chris Olave scored both touchdowns and has developed solid chemistry with Rattler. However, four Rattler turnovers (three interceptions and one fumble) kept New Orleans from completing the comeback, which stings, since Rattler was protecting the football well before this game.
New Orleans Defense Grade: C-
After being thoroughly dominated in the first half, the Saints’ defense allowed just six points in the second half. However, this was mainly due to the Bears running the ball frequently to avoid the risk of a back-breaking turnover. New Orleans allowed a whopping 222 rushing yards and was unable to stop the RB combination of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
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