NFC South power rankings, Week 2: Carolina Panthers hit rock bottom (again)

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Overreaction: Push the chips in.

The grumbles of Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans about being overlooked may ring true yet again. After all, they are three-peat division winners, yet many pundits chose the Atlanta Falcons over them to take the NFC South.

It wasn’t completely unfair to expect regression after losing offensive coordinator Dave Canales to the Carolina Panthers and watching the rest of the NFC South (supposedly) get better over the summer. We can safely call that a load of hogwash after Week 1.

The Falcons aren’t there yet. The New Orleans Saints lack the roster talent. As for the Panthers? They couldn't be further away from challenging.

Baker Mayfield picked up right where he left off last season, thrashing the Washington Commanders for 289 passing yards, four touchdowns, and a passer rating just shy of perfect.

It is time for Tampa Bay to fully put their foot on the gas pedal. They have talent at all skill positions, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are still among the best receiver tandems in the league, and an aging yet feisty defense holds its own. They also are tied for the fifth easiest 2024 schedule based on 2023 win totals.

The Buccaneers need to figure out how much time cornerbacks Zyon McCollum, Josh Hayes, and Bryce Hall are expected to miss and get aggressive in finding a stopgap. Christian Izien played well in spot minutes to close the game, or maybe a free-agent veteran like Xavien Howard or J.C. Jackson could rediscover enough of their old selves to hold down the fort. General manager Jason Licht should be on the phone listening to any and every offer from sellers as some teams fall out of contention this year.

Is it reasonable for the Buccaneers to go all in against a loaded top of the NFC?

Games against the Detroit Lions next week and then the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers in November will be more telling. But for another year, they can at least look ahead without worrying about someone coming for the division crown.

However, it's not a window that will be open for too many more seasons.

More Carolina Panthers news and analysis