What a difference a year (or in some cases a week) makes in the NFL. Just a year after being an incredibly bad division with no real signs of life, the NFC South is quickly becoming one of the more interesting divisions in the league.

The Buccaneers, Falcons and Saints all lost games in Week 3, while the Panthers, with Andy Dalton as the starter, picked up their first win of the season. All four teams are just one game apart when intra-division play begins next week, with the Falcons and Saints adding a new chapter to their ill-tempered rivalry.

Week 3 changed things dramatically after it looked like the Saints and Buccaneers would lock horns in the division race early in the season. The Panthers got back on track, and although the Falcons lost to the Chiefs, they were able to match one of the NFL’s best teams almost blow-for-blow and appeared to be an even stronger team than they appeared in their Week 1 loss to the Steelers. The Saints’ offense came back down to earth, and the Buccaneers somehow got beaten by the Broncos at home, setting the stage for the NFC South to return to its roots as a chaotic, competitive division.

The Panthers have to be the highlight of the weekend for the NFC South. With Dalton in the lineup, they just looked like a completely different team. He gave them a chance to play further up front and was a better quarterback in every way than Bryce Young. This one-off start gave the Panthers new hope, although they still have a long way to go and won’t be playing teams like the Raiders every week. What this shows is that maybe the moves Carolina made in the offseason did make it a more credible team, but Young has held them back. Next week’s game against the Bengals will provide a lot of information on where this team currently stands.

Atlanta should be disappointed with the outcome of the game against the Chiefs considering how close they were to pulling off an upset win, but they should be pleased with their performance. The pass rush still needs a lot of improvement, but the defense has been able to play more efficient football overall than many people predicted. That, along with Kirk Cousins ​​seemingly getting healthier each week, has allowed the Falcons to at least build a foundation for a competent offense while they continue to play together and figure out what works and what doesn’t. They put themselves in a bit of a tough spot with their 1-2 start, but seem to be coming together a little better each week. The upcoming game against the Saints is an early defining moment in their season.

Tampa Bay and New Orleans still have the edge right now, but they’ve been warned a bit. After crushing teams in the first two weeks, the Saints managed just 12 points at home and resembled the team people expected at the start of the season. They need to figure out how to continue to develop their offense despite the injuries on the offensive line, which is easier said than done. Tampa Bay just needs to look in the mirror and say “never again” after making the Broncos’ dangerous offense look like a real unit, but both teams are 2-1 and all is not lost.

The NFC South may be back! At least there’s reason to be excited about following this division all year long after a thrilling third week. Hey, that’s more than this division promised before the season. This could be a back-and-forth all season long, especially if the Panthers can repeat what they did on Sunday with Dalton at quarterback.