NFC South Predictions
June 24, 2008
The NFC South has been a rollercoaster division ever since their re-alignment in 2002. No team has repeat as a champion in this division. In fact, the winning team always seems to drop to the bottom of the division the following year. Although we don’t feel the Buccaneers will drop to the bottom due to the Falcons being in this division, we don’t feel they can repeat as champions this year. We release our 2008 NFC South predictions below to show you how these teams will fare this season.
We love what the Saints did in the offseason. New Orleans’ management realized their defense was the sole reason Saints’ fans couldn’t celebrate a return trip to the playoffs in 2007. Four key additions to this defense in linebackers Jonathan Vilma and Dan Morgan, along with end Bobby McCray and cornerback Randall Gay immediately make the Saints the favorite to win this division in our eyes. Plus, shutdown corner Mike McKenzie has recovered from a knee injury and will help shore up the secondary.
The Saints’ offense, led by QB Drew Brees, makes this team a contender every game they enter. Don’t expect another 0-4 start in New Orleans after last year’s letdown will clearly have this team more focused to start the season. Six of the Saints’ first eight games are at home. Look for New Orleans to build confidence starting with their September 7th season-opening victory over last year’s NFC South winner Tampa Bay and ride this momentum into a division title in 2008.
Despite winning the NFC South last year, the Buccaneers are still a team in transition. The leaders of this team are 38-year-old quarterback Jeff Garcia, 36-year-old receiver Joey Galloway and 33-year-old running back Warrick Dunn. But their offensive lined has been groomed for the future, with potentially all five starters manned by players that have less than six pro seasons of experience. The defense also is led by older players in Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks. There are several keys to the Bucs’ success in 2008.
It starts at quarterback will Jeff Garcia will likely not go wire-to-wire after missing three games last year due to injury. Brian Griese and/or Luke McCown will need to win games when called upon wile John Johnson develops. The Bucs also need to develop a pass rush this season. The Bucs finish No. 1 in pass defense last season, but it wasn’t due to the pass rush, which failed to make opposing quarterbacks nervous in the pocket. Tampa starts out with a tough schedule and Gruden’s teams have not faired particular well when starting slow. New Orleans, Carolina and even Atlanta have all made improvements in the offseason. The Bucs finish No. 2 in this division and have to watch the Saints reclaim their NFC South division title in 2008.
The Panthers will be improved this season following an 8-8 campaign in 2006 and a 7-9 lackluster run in 2007. That is, of course, if QB Jake Delhomme can finally stay healthy. If the Panthers don’t win this year than John Fox will likely be out as head coach in Carolina. Team owner Jerry Richardson is well aware that former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher lives only 150 miles down the road in Raleigh, and that will likely be the first place Richardson will look if Sox has a disastrous 2008 season.
But the Panthers have failed to give Delhomme a No. 2 target to take double-coverage away from star wideout Steve Smith. Rookie running back Jonathan Stewart is Smith’s best hope because he can make teams focus more on the Panthers’ running game is he can step in and be effective right away. Defensive end Julius Peppers became Julius Average last season, and must return to form to anchor a defensive unit that was decent at times in 2007 before wearing down because the offense was so often three-and-out. Carolina will compete with the Bucs for the No. 2 spot in the NFC South, but too many question marks in so many positions leave us with too many doubts about this Panthers’ squad.
4.) Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons won’t be a complete wreck this year on and off the field. They will likely only be a wreck on the field. This is obviously a rebuilding year in Atlanta as the Falcons hope first-round pick Matt Ryan can eventually become the face of their franchise. New head coach Mike Smith will have his hands full just trying to make this team competitive. Adding a franchise-type running back in free agent Michael Turner will only help matters.
Rookies Ryan and left tackle San Baker have the potential to be future stars in this league. But they won’t be getting much help from key veterans that were released by this team in the offseason. 10,000-yard rusher Warrick Dunn is gone as well as shutdown corner DeAngelo Hall. The Falcons also have hired new offensive and defensive coordinators. You can’t expect the Falcons to compete will all new management across the board this season. Atlanta will win a few games, 3 at the most, but the Falcons will finish in last place in the NFC South in 2008.