Biggest Remaining Question For Each NFC South Team

Keep in mind that the reigning NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers were humbled in the first round of the NFL playoffs this past season by the Dallas Cowboys. That means all four clubs in the division lost exactly 10 games in 2022.

The Bucs wound up winning the division with an 8-9 record and didn’t come close to resembling the team that two years earlier won Super Bowl LV as a wild card entry.

As for the rest of the division, the Panthers, Saints, and Falcons all finished with 7-10 records. It should be noted that Carolina and Atlanta have not been to the playoffs since 2017. New Orleans has missed the postseason two straight years after winning four consecutive NFC South titles.

All four clubs were extremely proactive during the offseason. So which issues or questions do the Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints, and Falcons still have after the last few months?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Will QB Baker Mayfield have a career year with the Buccaneers?

He wound up being a bit of a spark for the Rams late in 2022. Former first-overall pick Baker Mayfield is now on his fourth team. He hopes to make a good impression on a club that spent the past three seasons with legendary quarterback Tom Brady at the controls. Mayfield’s best year came in 2020 when he led the Browns to the playoffs. He threw for 3,563 yards and 26 scores compared to only eight interceptions.

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Carolina Panthers

Has the team finally found a dependable quarterback?

Can new head coach Frank Reich get this team untracked? A good start would be consistent quarterback play. More specifically, the Panthers are no doubt hoping that whoever winds up behind center will be a fixture there. The team did trade up for the first overall pick and selected 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. The last quarterback to start the entire season for Carolina was Cam Newton back in 2017.

New Orleans Saints

Will the Saints defense rebound from a very disappointing showing?

Only the Colts (34), Texans (28), and playoff-bound Bills (27) turned over the football more than Dennis Allen’s team (25) a season ago. Meanwhile, a team that came up with 25 takeaways in 2021 forced only 14 turnovers in 22. That was tied for the second-fewest in the league and it was despite the fact that the club came up with 48 sacks. The Saints’ defense was also a disappointing 24th in the NFL against the run.

Atlanta Falcons

Can the franchise finally end its recent playoff drought?

It has been a rough five-year stretch for a team that reached the Super Bowl in 2016 and the playoffs one year later. This offseason, GM Terry Fontenot has been very proactive. The club has added some proven veterans and playoff-tested performers such as defensive lineman Calais Campbell, safety Jessie Bates and tight end Jonnu Smith. For the first time in a few years, expectations are high, and understandably so.