NFC South power rankings: Carolina Panthers at the bottom after preseason dud

The Carolina Panthers blew their first chance to improve upon the vibes from last year. Dave Canales and a team that consisted primarily of fringe roster players lost to the New England Patriots 17-3 in their preseason debut.

It's safe to say that Canales was unable to install his primary brand of offense. It's also worth noting that more than 30 players weren't risked.

The one silver lining Panthers fans can take home from this ordeal is the fact that their NFC South foes didn't exactly cover themselves in glory during their warmup debuts. The Atlanta Falcons lost, and the New Orleans Saints pulled off one of the most pyrrhic victories in recent preseason history. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked in control.

The outlook for the entire division may not have changed too much after taking a look at players who will likely not play huge roles in the regular season. However, the first preseason slate did give Panthers fans some very acute awareness of just how far along these teams are in terms of building deep rosters.

NFC South Power Rankings: Carolina Panthers at the bottom

4. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers not only lost against the Patriots, but they did so with their offense failing to sustain any touchdown drives. While Canales was playing with a third-string quarterback who struggled in Jack Plummer, other offensive coaches across the league were able to look better on that end. The offensive line depth remains in question after multiple tough showings.

The one silver lining is the defense. Even the backups, this unit was flying around the field and making big plays with regularity. Carolina may once again be a defense-first team with future head coach Ejiro Evero leading the charge in 2024.

3. New Orleans Saints

The Saints dropped a bit because of how bad some of their starters looked. Derek Carr was just 2-6 passing for 12 yards. Offensive tackle bust Trevor Penning continued to struggle mightily. New Orleans had to fight and claw just to beat one of the worst teams in the league, the Arizona Cardinals.

New Orleans may be in the last year of being a serious playoff contender. The amount of money coming off the books next year could sink their ship despite the front office's proven capabilities with salary-cap manipulation.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay had the best overall performance of any NFC South team in the preseason, beating up the Cincinnati Bengals in a hard-fought win. While there are some doubts about former Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield's ability to replicate his comeback season without Canales, they look like a robust playoff contender with designs on a bigger prize.

If their rookie class keeps up their hot start, things could even more difficult for Carolina.

1. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons didn't throw Kirk Cousins out there in their preseason opener, and they did lose rookie Bralen Trice to an ACL injury, but that will not do much to challenge their status as the best team in the division. The upgrade from Desmond Ridder to the four-time Pro Bowler alone will do wonders.

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