The NFC South’s top team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, lost at home to the surging New England Patriots. But the Falcons and Panthers were unable to close the gap, each losing disappointingly. The Saints must be thrilled with their road victory over Carolina, which was certainly not the expected result. Here are my report card grades for each team in the division this week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Sep 21, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) receives a pass against the New York Jets in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Overall Grade: C
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Tampa’s bye week helped their offense heal up, with receiver Emeka Egbuka and offensive tackle Luke Goedeke making positive impacts. However, they could never get their running game going, and the defense struggled against talented youngsters Drake Maye and TreVeyon Henderson. It’s back to the drawing board for the Buccaneers after the loss.
Offense Grade: B
Egbuka reestablished himself as one of the NFL’s best rookies this week, snagging six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns, but the team was unable to establish the run after going down 21-10 in the third quarter. This led to an overreliance on the pass, which helped the New England defense adjust and end the game.
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Defense Grade: D
The Tampa Bay defense struggled against the run and the pass at times in the game. Drake Maye threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, but was slowed in the second half and threw an end-zone interception in the second half. However, when the Pats turned to the ground game, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson punished Tampa Bay with two touchdowns of over 50 yards.
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Carolina Panthers:
Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws the ball in the third quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Overall Grade: F
This was the last thing this team needed. At 5-4, the Panthers were playoff hopefuls with an easy game at home to continue building momentum. However, the team completely collapsed on Sunday, allowing the Saints to walk out of their stadium with a two-score victory that never should have happened. Carolina was horrendous on both sides of the ball, especially on offense.
Offense Grade: F-
Bryce Young still hasn’t found his rhythm in Year 3, and it’s fair to ask if he ever will. He threw for just 124 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. The running game also had problems, with running back Rico Dowdle gaining just 53 yards on 18 carries. This was the week the Panthers should have figured out their offensive woes, but they were unable to do so.
Defense Grade: D
The Panthers only allowed 17 points, but they still deserve this grade for how easy they made Tyler Shough’s job. The Saints’ rookie threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns, taking just two sacks and avoiding turnovers entirely. This defense was able to dominate on the road at Lambeau Field last week, yet couldn’t stop New Orleans at home this week? It makes no sense.
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
Overall Grade: C
The Falcons gave the Colts a hell of a fight in Berlin, but were still unable to pull out a win. The offense was good but lacked consistency, and the defense made and allowed a ton of big plays. If the 3-6 Falcons want to revive their playoff hopes, they have to figure out how to play a complete game and how to perform better in the fourth quarter.
Offense Grade: C
QB Michael Penix Jr. continues to struggle with accuracy. He completed just 12 of his 28 passing attempts on Sunday for 177 yards and a touchdown. WR Drake London (104 yards, one touchdown) and RBs Bijan Robinson (84 yards) and Tyler Allegier (57 yards, two TDs) all played well, but it was not enough to outscore the explosive Colts.
Defense Grade: C
A C grade is more than fair for Atlanta’s incredibly volatile defensive performance on Sunday. The unit racked up seven sacks and forced two turnovers, consistently bringing the pain to Colts QB Daniel Jones. However, the unit was powerless to stop Indy’s supercharged running game. Jonathan Taylor ran for a jaw-dropping 244 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning score in overtime.
New Orleans Saints:
Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Overall Grade: A
Maybe the Saints got lucky due to a poor Carolina performance. But make no mistake, they did a great job in taking advantage on both sides of the ball. The offense looked solid with Tyler Shough under center, and the defense was incredibly stiff, allowing zero points in the game’s last three quarters. The question is if New Orleans can build on this impressive win.
Offense Grade: A
If you told the Saints last week that Tyler Shough would throw for 282 yards and two touchdowns in a double-digit win, I doubt they would have believed it. But the rookie did exactly that, showing great poise and accuracy. He also began to gel with star wideout Chris Olave, who caught five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Defense Grade: A
The Saints’ defense didn’t allow any freebies to the Panthers’ offense on Sunday, surrendering just 175 total yards and no points after the first quarter. The highlight of the day was an interception by cornerback Alontae Taylor, which set up a game-sealing touchdown by Juwan Johnson. It was a strong performance from a unit that has been up and down at best this season.
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