Ranking the Most Optimistic Fanbases from the NFC South

It's safe to say all four NFC South fanbases were licking their wounds last season when the division failed to produce a single team with a winning record. The Carolina Panthers managed to claim the automatic playoff spot with a 7-8-1 record, but on the whole NFL fans in the Southeast wanted to hide.

The NFC South hasn't exactly experienced a full-blown revival over the first two weeks of the 2015 season, but they're well on their way toward absolution. Both the Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons have opened up the season with a 2-0 record, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, owners of the league's worst record in 2014, are showing signs of life at 1-1.

Only the New Orleans Saints have failed to claim a victory thus far, but they were due for a rough spell after battling for the division title for the better part of the last decade. 

So, which fanbase is the most optimistic through two weeks? Click ahead to find out. 

1. Carolina Panthers

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Life is good for football fans in Charlotte and the surrounding areas. The Carolina Panthers are 2-0, and the New Orleans Saints are 0-2. In fact, it's hard to tell which of those two things makes Panthers fans happier.

How content are Panthers fans? In James Dator's Monday Morning Optimist post on CatScratchReader.com following Carolina's Week 2 victory, there was only one thing to be pessimistic about: Discipline—the team committed 10 penalties against Houston. 

Carolina are the reigning NFC South champions, they have a nasty defense and a superhero playing quarterback. They may not be making travel plans for Super Bowl 50, but this is a confident and content fanbase. 

2. Atlanta Falcons

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

A new coaching regime opening the season with consecutive wins over conference rivals is generally a recipe for unbridled optimism, but that hasn't been the case for the Falcons. The problem is the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants helped Atlanta win both of those games.

The Falcons haven't looked like world-beaters through two weeks, but they have managed to win both games, a point that hasn't yet settled in with Atlanta's fanbase. Dave Choate of TheFalcoholic.com explains it best:

"

Because it's a new era in Falcons football, I think we all hoped and/or assumed that Atlanta wouldn't fall into some of its bad habits, despite the fact that you cannot remake a football team entirely in one offseason. Instead, these Falcons stumbled and bumbled amid four drops, poor second and third quarter performances, and based on the last couple of years I began to feel quite dour. Then came the reminder that this is a different Falcons team.

"

Despite being 2-0 and having Matt Ryan at quarterback, the Atlanta fanbase isn't quite convinced of this group of Falcons. The outlook is improved, but they're not ready to buy in just yet.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

It would be easy to forgive the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fanbase if they were a little too jubilant following their Week 2 win over New Orleans. Not only did it mark the first victory of Jameis Winston's career, it was also the first time the Bucs have beaten the Saints since 2011.

As it happens, Tampa's fanbase has been remarkably level-headed through two games.

Make no mistake, they're happily walking into the sunlight, but they're just a bit unsteady about it. They've spent a long time in the dark.

Redditor JPartridge had to ask his fellow Bucs fans if anyone else mistakenly thought they had merely dreamed the team's 26-19 win in New Orleans.

Tampa fans are happy that things are finally looking up, but they're content to let the ship coast into port before jumping overboard with optimism. 

4. New Orleans Saints

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

The subheadline on Dave Cariello's postgame thread at CanalStreetChronicles.com following the Saints' Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay sums up the current state of affairs in New Orleans:

"There doesn't appear to be much hope for the 2015 Saints season..."

The comment section isn't much brighter, with some fans even wondering when the 0-2 Saints will manage to pick up their first win.

Following an offseason in which head coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis overhauled the roster, this was always going to be a difficult season for New Orleans. Payton and quarterback Drew Brees have done wonderful things for the Saints organization and the city of New Orleans as a whole, but it appears the final chapter of that story is now being written.

For the first time in a decade, there's not much dancing to be done Sunday afternoon on Poydras Street.