An entire NFL division went winless in Week 1

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

An entire NFL division went winless in Week 1

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Sep 14, 2026 11:03 AM ET

An NFL division has become the perfect embodiment of the saying “misery loves company” in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.

No team from the NFC South will enter the second week of the campaign with a W after the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons all flunked their tests on Sunday.

The whole NFC South went winless in Week 1 pic.twitter.com/tjN88lPXQA
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 14, 2026

The Panthers lost to the Chicago Bears, 59-37, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., while the Buccaneers got trounced by the Cincinnati Bengals, 33-27, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Just as unlucky in Week 1 were the Falcons, who fell prey to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-13, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Of all the NFC South teams, the Saints came closest to winning their first game, suffering a 31-30 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., after a bold decision to go for a two-point conversion in overtime failed.

The good news for the NFC South is that the winless streak for the division shouldn’t last beyond Week 2. The Panthers and the Falcons are set to face off next Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., so barring a rare tie, one of those teams will get its first win of the season.

More must-reads: