30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last week: 29th
It’s been a forgettable start to the season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many were expecting the Bucs to bounce back this season after an absolutely putrid second half last season, but they have simply picked up where they left off.
Since their Week 9 bye last season, the Buccaneers have a record of 2-10, including an 0-3 record now to start the 2026 season. Head coach Todd Bowles is not only on the hot seat, but his seat might be scalding after two losses at home to the Browns and Vikings.
It’s not going to get any easier, either. Baker Mayfield exited the loss against the Vikings on a 4th-down play in which his hand hit a Vikings player as he was following through on a throw. He was audibly screaming in pain after the play and immediately went into the locker room.
As bad as the Buccaneers have played this season, the last thing they needed was for Mayfield to suffer an injury. His backup is rookie undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels, a preseason star who might soon be pressed into action.
29. Atlanta Falcons
Last week: 32nd
How about the Atlanta Falcons?
They were pretty much dead last in every rankings list we have made over the first two weeks of the season, and then Michael Penix Jr. comes in and gets the operation back on the right track.
He might as well have been wearing a cape after their game on Thursday night against the Packers, even though that game was all about Bijan Robinson’s dominance. And how about Brian Robinson Jr. providing that complement?
Still, you can’t deny that the presence of Penix in the lineup, and simply competent play at the quarterback position, didn’t impact all phases of the game for the Falcons. They looked like a real operation against the Packers, going on the road, playing on a short week. It was about as good a bounce-back as you could have hoped for if you’re a Falcons fan.
On top of that, it didn’t feel like just an isolated win. With some decent quarterback play, that NFC South looks wide open, and why not the Falcons? We’re obviously only giving them a slight bump up the list so we don’t overreact to just one game, but the arrow is pointing up.
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