CHARLOTTE — We've only made it through three weeks of the NFL season, and there is still a lot to learn. Teams are shaking off the offseason, developing identities, and laying early-season groundwork to build on as we move toward the second quadrant of games. But one thing will always remain the same: the NFC South will be as entertaining as possible in the most convoluted ways.

Only one team in the division noticed a win in Week 3, and the two top teams fell in close ones. Three teams now share the same record, and more questions than answers persist around the division heading into Week 4.

Despite a 21-18 loss to the Browns in Week 3, the Panthers still lead the division thanks to the only division win so far. The Saints and Buccaneers have not yet played a division game.

NFC South standings after Week 3:

1. Carolina Panthers: 1-2, 1-0
2. Atlanta Falcons: 1-2, 0-1
3. New Orleans Saints: 1-2, 0-0
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 0-3, 0-0

From Thursday night thrillers to major quarterback news, catch up with the rest of the division.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3, 0-0): Mayfield news hits as Bucs look for answers

The Minnesota Vikings have established a quick identity on defense through three weeks: they are going to pressure the opposing quarterback all day long, and never let up. In fact, their 56.5 blitz rate against the Bucs was their lowest of the season thus far. It turns out, they didn't need it, getting home with four rushers the majority of the time.

In total, Minnesota pressured Mayfield on 41.3 percent of the quarterback's dropbacks, and it affected the game plan. Mayfield was sacked six times, and Minnesota forced 12 quarterback hurries. It came to a head with 1:54 remaining in the game. Mayfield and the offense were driving, down by four points, and looking for a go-ahead score, but facing fourth-and-13.

The Vikings collapsed the pocket, and Mayfield escaped, scrambling back 25 yards before finally finding a window to pass. It was a triple-whammy of a play for the Bucs, though. The pass was intercepted, which effectively ended the game (the Vikings added a field goal to be safe), but Mayfield was also hit as he threw, injuring his hand on linebacker Blake Cashman.

Coach Todd Bowles confirmed on Monday that the quarterback suffered a dislocated thumb on his right hand. He added that while X-rays didn't show a fracture, Mayfield underwent an MRI that showed a dislocation.

"It's consistent with everything we thought it was, a dislocation," said Bowles. "Right now we're probably talking a minimum of three weeks."

Mayfield had started 57 straight games for the Bucs. In his absence, Tampa Bay will turn to rookie Jalon Daniels. The Kansas product was a UDFA signing for the Bucs this offseason. He played six years in college. In his final college season, he threw for 2,531 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. He also rushed for an additional 404 yards and four scores on the ground.

Daniels went 0-for-3 and had an interception on the final drive Sunday in relief of Mayfield.

"The same confidence that he made the team with," said Bowles of what gives him hope in his rookie. "Just going out there, performing, doing his job and being him, going through his reads and making throws and playing football. His performance speaks for itself when he's out there. His confidence speaks for itself, and they rally around him.

"It's going to be like every other rookie. But he played well in the preseason. He's very bright. He's not going to be out there by himself. We just expect him to do his job and play at a high level, as he expects of himself."

The Bucs defense, facing Kyler Murray, found more production than in the first two weeks. The group registered three sacks, and former Panther A'Shawn Robinson grabbed the second interception of his career off a Vita Vea deflected pass.

Now, the group looks to move forward and find its first win, but without its franchise quarterback as it faces the Packers, Cowboys, and Steelers.

"We're 0-3, and we're a game out of first place, so we have to get our stuff together," said Bowles, pointing to the NFC South standings. "We [have to] reach down and do more, to a coach, to a person, to a player. We [have to] do more and figure out what [more] we can do. How can we be better and come back tomorrow and get ready to go?"

Receiver Jalen McMillan, fresh off returning to action in Week 2 from a knee injury in camp, went down with an injury to the same left knee during the first possession of Sunday's game. According to ESPN, McMillan also underwent an MRI on Monday for further evaluation. Bowles will provide an injury update Wednesday afternoon.

Next Game: vs. Green Bay Packers (1-2) in Tampa

Atlanta Falcons (1-2, 0-1): Falcons dominate Packers in primetime

Football is weird. A week after the Panthers gave up 59 points to the Bears, they hold the Falcons to 3 points and 157 yards on the ground. The week after that, the Falcons put up 35 points on the Packers and racked up 242 yards on the ground, en route to 498 total yards (they didn't punt after the first drive of the second quarter) and a huge win on Thursday night that came on a short week with some interesting inspiration.

Atlanta's defense held the Packers to a mere 17 yards on the ground, and pressured Jordan Love on 41.8 percent of his drop-backs.

"Had to be resilient on a short week," said coach Kevin Stefanski. "I thought we were. And then very, very proud of the complementary ball that was out there. It starts with our special teams. I thought we covered kicks really well, and then just feeding off of each other. Our defense gets a huge stop there in the second half, in the third quarter, and our offense goes 90 (yards).

"It didn't put the game away by any stretch of the imagination, but it just showed that's something we can do, take the ball, whether it's by turnover on downs or otherwise, and go score a touchdown. I'm proud overall of the effort. It counts as one, and we've got to get back at it next week."

There are a lot of reasons the Falcons were able to put together a fantastic, dominating performance, but every conversation is going to start with Michael Penix Jr.'s return. The quarterback made his first appearance since suffering a partial ACL tear in Week 11 last season, and went 18-of-25 for 256 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He is the fastest quarterback in Falcons franchise history to reach 3,000-plus passing yards (did so in 13 starts).

His favorite target was Drake London, who caught nine passes on 10 targets for 194 yards. That was more receptions and yards than he had in the first two games combined.

Penix went 1-of-5 and threw an interception on the first two drives, something he later attributed to "knocking the rust off." But after that, he was near perfect.

"He's a gamer," said London of Penix, "so when that happened he was like, 'Well, it can't get no worse than this.' He just goes out there and plays. That's what he does."

The star, as usual, was Bijan Robinson. He ran the ball 29 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He averaged 6.7 yards per touch and ran all over the Packers with huge chunk plays, including a 55-yard scamper that displayed his balance and breakaway speed. Two plays later, he punched in one of his two touchdowns.

Robinson and London have now posted three games as a duo in which the former rushed for 150-plus yards and the latter finished with 150-plus receiving yards. That is the most such games by any duo in NFL history.

"It can be considered the standard, but I still think there is another notch, another two notches that we can go as a team," London said. "That is what we are soul searching for right now. Stefanski does a great job of not letting us be complacent and holds us accountable to a higher standard."

Next Game: at New Orleans Saints (1-2) (Monday Night Football)

New Orleans Saints (1-2, 0-0): Late lead slips away as Saints with three turnovers

For three straight weeks, the Saints have found themselves in close games late. The first two weeks, it was because New Orleans made a ferocious second-half comeback (mainly in the fourth quarter). In Week 3, they were once again in a close game, but under very different circumstances.

Midway through the third quarter, the Saints held a two-possession, 27-16 lead and needed to protect it. Then, the Raiders kept chipping away. An explosive rushing touchdown in the third and two Las Vegas drives in the fourth off Saints' turnovers gave the Raiders a 35-27 lead (there were a pair of two-point conversions that failed).

In total, New Orleans had four fumbles, losing three, and lost the overall turnover battle 4 to 1. They had four straight possessions end in a turnover in the fourth quarter.

"Ultimately, we just have to focus on our side of this thing," said coach Kellen Moore. "Every opponent is going to put an emphasis on creating turnovers, and we've got to do a better job protecting the football. That's every aspect of the offense – tactically, schematically, fundamentally. We've just got to do a better job."

Tyler Shough struggled to move the ball in the first half but was able to break off a long quarterback scramble to further the Saints' first touchdown drive. As he has the first two weeks, he really began to find his stride in the fourth quarter. That quarter alone, Shough threw 19 of his 29 completions and 164 of his 255 yards. But all four of his touchdown passes came in the first three quarters; there were no Saints scores in the fourth.

"We had opportunities all the way towards the end, and we feel very comfortable in those moments, and we're just a couple plays away," said Shough. "Whether it's a miscommunication or a good job by them, but we can clean that up for sure."

The Saints also found themselves once again in the middle of a controversial call on the QB.

In Week 1, Saints edge Chase Young sacked Jared Goff, causing a fumble, which Young picked up and ran in for a touchdown. But the play was called back; it was ruled an incomplete pass, with officials citing a part of the rule that stated: "Any intentional movement of the quarterback's hand starts a forward pass, even if the ball goes backward."

This past Sunday, New Orleans once again found itself on the wrong end of such a call, but for a completely different reason. In the fourth quarter, Shough was hit in the arm and sacked by Raiders linebacker Malcolm Koonce. The football came out, and Maxx Crosby picked it up.

It appeared Shough had already begun his forward throwing motion when the hit happened. But this time, the play was ruled a fumble. The Raiders scored a go-ahead touchdown six plays later.

"Personally, I thought my arm was going forward," offered Shough. "I'm not exactly sure on the rule, but it doesn't really matter to me. I've got to get it out sooner regardless. I thought I was going to get it off in time. Sometimes it happens like that. So keep learning from it, and we'll get it done."

In a pool report, vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth said, "On that play, we were able to confirm that the defender's right hand hit the ball and the hand. The quarterback clearly lost control of the ball before his hand was coming forward. We were able to confirm the ruling on the field."

Another play featured two turnovers (a Shough interception, a Vegas fumble on the return, and an eventual Vegas recovery) that set up another short touchdown drive for Kirk Cousins. Then, another sack fumble on Shough and an additional fumble from Juwan Johnson, who also had two touchdowns, with just over a minute left, snuffed out any hope of a Saints comeback.

"You've got to recognize the good and the bad in every game," said Moore. "It's the NFL; every game is going to be tight. We're 1-2; that's just where we're at right now. There's opportunities ahead of ourselves; we've got a lot of big-time moments moving forward."

Moore confirmed on Monday running back Travis Etienne Jr. will miss time with a hamstring injury, but was unable to provide a timeline for now. The Saints also await an update on edge rushers Carl Granderson (ankle) and Anfernee Jennings (knee), as well as linebacker Pete Werner (stinger).

Next Game: vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-2) in New Orleans (MNF)