We're a quarter of the way through the season and the NFC South has far exceeded expectations. Last season not a single team in the division finished the year with a winning record. It's been quite different this season as both the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers currently sit at 4-0.

But, who is the better team?

One could easily make the case for the Panthers. They did, of course, win the division last season, even if it was only with a 7-8-1 record. The Panthers have won the NFC South the last two seasons and have their eyes set on a third consecutive division title. The Panthers also have the best defense in the division. At the moment the Panthers defensive unit ranks 10th overall in yards against and third in points allowed. The Falcons defense ranks 28th in yards allowed.

Despite not having Kelvin Benjamin, Cam Newton is managing games well. Tight end Greg Olsen is easily Newton's favorite and most reliable target. The Panthers take on the Seattle Seahawks in their next game and have to face the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers in November.

Speaking of schedule, in a rather bizarre set of dates, the Panthers and Falcons won't play each other until December. The two will face off in Weeks 14 and 16, so we have a lot of time to go until the two best NFC South teams collide.

Now to the Falcons. The Falcons looked to be left for dead last season. After another losing season, Mike Smith was fired as the head coach, and Dan Quinn is proving his doubters wrong. The Falcons, like the Panthers, are 4-0 and their offense is flying high. Consistency isn't something that runs deep in the Falcons franchise as they have never won the division back to back years.

The Falcons are the complete opposite of the Panthers; a dominant high scoring offense with a below average defense. The Falcons offense has been almost unstoppable this season with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones leading the way. Jones has 38 catches and 478 receiving yards through the first four games. The Falcons offense ranks third overall in scoring.

The Panthers and Falcons are a combined 8-0 so far this season, and an easy schedule has heavily benefited both squads. Neither the Falcons or Panthers have defeated (or even played) a team with a winning record yet. Of the 12 remaining games on the Falcons schedule, only the Panthers and Colts pose a real threat.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints are still a huge mess. The Buccaneers and Saints have a combined record of 2-6 with terrible defenses. Drew Brees showed why he is a future Hall of Fame quarterback last week against the Dallas Cowboys, but the Saints are in rebuilding mode. As for the Buccaneers, there's a reason they went 2-14 last year. It's going to take some time for them to win this division.

The Falcons and Panthers are easily the two best teams in the division, but only one can win it in the end and possibly grab home-field advantage.

 Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter @DamonSalvadore1