Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) gets sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) in the second qarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Panthers, NFC South rivals make up NFL's worst division, insider claims

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 10:00 AM ET

In 2024, the NFC South was a pretty bad division once again. It's been one of the NFL's worst for the last few years, even putting a division champion into the playoffs with a record below .500, a dubious mark that so few divisions have ever earned.

Unfortunately, despite some improvements for teams like the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, the division is still not very good. In fact, Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon ranked it as the worst division in football heading into 2025.

Panthers division gets unholy mark

Last year, the NFC South went a combined 28-40, thanks in no small part to the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints combining for 10 wins. They were outscored collectively by 170 points and only had one playoff team that lost in the Wild Card Round.

Gagnon did note that there were some potential improvements. "Atlanta could take a leap if Michael Penix Jr. can take off, as could Carolina if Bryce Young finally puts it all together. Both are big 'ifs,' though," he said.

But some teams have gotten worse. "The Buccaneers are old and have probably peaked as a slightly-better-than-average team in recent years, and age could get the better of them soon," Gagnon added. "The Saints are officially in a rebuild with a void at quarterback following a five-win campaign. "

The bottom line is that the Falcons have the highest ceiling, Gagnon argued, but they're still very flawed, and potential isn't enough to save the division from this dismal ranking. And even if the Falcons and Panthers do improve, it's possible that the Saints are bad enough that the division remains the NFL's worst.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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