NFL: Why is there a lack of respect for the NFC South?

[AUTiger7222]

This thought finally came to me tonight. I was thinking. Why does the NFC South always get overlooked? Why has our division never gotten the respect it deserves? Then it finally hit me. Think back to when the NFC South was formed before the start of the 2002 season. Then about the 4 teams in the division and where they were as franchises at that point in time, the Falcons, Panthers, Buccaneers and Saints.

Falcons - Never had even posted back-to-back winning seasons let alone did anything much of note outside of a couple meaningful seasons here or there.

Panthers - 1995 expansion team that had only had 1 good year in 1996.

Buccaneers - Lost their first 26 games they ever played and after making the playoffs in 1982 didn't see the playoffs again until 1997.

Saints - Took them 26 years just to have a winning season.

None of those teams had a cult following and none of them drew large media attention. So when the division was created the division pretty much became an after though. Even after having been one of the most successful divisions in football we still get overlooked as a whole.