NFL Power Rankings: Division rankings after Week 4

6) NFC South

Just one week ago, it looked as if the NFC South was picking up steam, as the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints were both coming off double-digit victories. Now, both teams are reeling after incredibly unsatisfying defeats, and that hurts the group as a whole. Atlanta is now decimated by injuries, as they lost three starters to long-term ailments during their double-digit loss to Minnesota, and with a defense that was already struggling, they look to be a mediocre squad from 1 to 53. On the side of New Orleans, the Saints appeared rudderless for most of their blowout defeat against the Dallas Cowboys, and Drew Brees has now fully earned a reputation for a player who can’t succeed away from the Superdome.

In addition to ugly performances put forth by the two teams above, the Carolina Panthers have now lost back-to-back games in lopsided fashion against AFC North opponents. The Panthers likely aren’t pushing the panic button after two weeks, but their vaunted defense has been exposed, and the offense is void of playmakers in the event that Cam Newton is unable and/or unwilling to utilize his power and speed in the running game.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however, are coming off a victory! Tampa Bay somehow upended the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that win likely kept the South from slipping further in the rankings. The Bucs aren’t a good football team right now, but they certainly aren’t as bad as they appeared on Thursday in Atlanta, and the talent level is real.