The Mock: NFC South

A couple seasons back, even last season, Carolina might have been on the top of the preseason standings for the division. It's a new era in the NFC south and times have definitely changed. Matt Ryan is the future of young quarterbacks and is expected to lead a loaded Falcons lineup. The Buccaneers are just kind of in the middle of the mix as they are looking to make a run this season with a "below the radar" roster.



















Atlanta

The Falcons quickly prepared for the upcoming campaign as soon as they faced defeat to the Arizona Cardinals in the 2009 post season. The defeat was bitter and the taste wasn't expected to leave them until they could go beyond expectation for the next year. Tony Gonzalez was the solution to the mess as the veteran pro bowl tight end came to terms with the Falcons.
















Tony is the real deal. Mr. Ryan might have just
found a new favorite target. Sorry Roddy.

Matt Ryan is the golden boy that the Falcons snagged last season in the very early portion of the draft. The second year man played well above the rookie standard in his first season and will be considered a top quarterback this season. Not only does he have his two favorite targets returning in Roddy White and Michael Jenkins but he might have a new favorite receiver in tight end Tony Gonzalez who will not only pull down every pass but block with consistency and effectiveness. The Falcons display a strong offensive line that will protect the pocket and give time and space for the running backs to make their decisions and see the openings. Michael Turner was overshadowed by LaDanian Tomlinson throughout his early career but has finally found his home as he has exploded with the Falcons. Turner is an elite back and will amplify Matt Ryan's passing game and the entire offense overall. Jerious Norwood will always be included in the factor as the backup running back will relieve Turner at times and prevent any chance of wear and tear. With Todd McClure and Justin Blalock leading a sturdy offensive front, this team is built to be one of the most successful offenses in the NFL.

Michael Turner won't be alone as he
and Jerious Norwood will be the most
dynamic running duo in the league.

The Falcons have a young defense that could be one of the best defenses in the entire league withing two years of development. The scary thing is, even with the inexperience, this defense is dangerous with the likes of Jonathan Babineaux and veteran pro bowler, John Abraham. The defense brought in some help as Mike Peterson was brought in from Jacksonville. Jamaal Anderson (not the running back), Curtis Lofton, Stephen Nicholas, Brent Grimes, Thomas DeCoud, and Chris Houston are all starters that have less than three years of NFL experience and will all be a big part of this defense. Am I stating the obvious? Well they could be a big part in a negative way but this group of young men is bound to ignite this season. They may struggle for a little while on the way to the goal but this defense is built quite well. The older guys, Abraham and Peterson will lead the front seven while Erik Coleman protects the secondary. This defense could get very nasty. In a good way.

The Falcons have a strong outlook on this season and have the potential to win 14 games but who relies on potential? Potential leads people to fail and this team doesn't want to be in the same category. Troubles will come along the way and the overdose of inexperience will lead to a couple losses throughout the season. 11 wins will be a good season as the Falcons seek a division championship and a definite berth into the playoffs.

Carolina

Okay so the Panthers aren't so bad on paper. But have they ever looked bad on paper? There's been countless seasons where these Cats were preseason favorites to win it all. Can anyone tell me the last time that the Panthers won the Super Bowl without looking it up on Wikipedia or AskJeeves.com (Does that browser still exist?). You can stop looking now. As it stands, the CAROLINA PANTHERS have zero Super Bowl championships and one appearance in 2003 which I might like to say was one of the most exciting games. Regardless, they lost. Let's look into their history. For a team that is dubbed one of the best teams in the NFC in the past half decade, their regular season results sure don't defend a case. 2004: 7-9, 2005: 11-5, 2006: 8-8, 2007: 7-9, 2008: 12-4. So they didn't exactly fail expectations every season but during the seasons that they were expected to be the most successful were the worst seasons. So this year? No ones really talking about them. The attention is all on the Falcons in the south division and their roster doesn't look too bad on paper. So maybe my logic is all out of order and they will actually do well this season. Well, let's see.

While a lot of the focus will be on DeAngelo
Williams, Jonathon Stewart will do
some silent damage that will
slowly begin to rack up.

Jake Delhomme was a stud in 2003 as he led the less than famous Panthers all the way to the championship game. He had his moments and shined in his #17 uniform but as of late, the guy's just not the same. He doesn't have many excuses. Maybe his offensive line isn't as good as before but with a guy like Jordan Gross in front of him, he can't complain too much. His receiving corp? Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith are pretty good and Dwayne Jarrett isn't too shabby as a young receiver ready to shine. The running back duo with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewarts is pretty steady and can do damage with versatility. So on paper, this offense is hot and if Jake Delhomme can produce like he used to, these guys could put some numbers on the board. What could possibly hold me back from stating the Panthers as a team to beat in the NFC?

Jon Beason is a force at linebacker
and he will make sure every
offensive player is aware of that.

Julius Peppers is a Panther for life for now and he is going to continue to lead this defense like Ray leads the Ravens. He's not alone as he stands on the front four with veteran Damione Lewis who has won a Super Bowl with the Rams. Young Thomas Davis and Jon Beason are linebackers that you don't want to go near as they are explosive and can hit you from all sides and make you want to stay on the ground. Nai'l Diggs, yeah he's part of that defense too. No need to go into description on the strong side linebacker. Chris Gamble will be a key component in a secondary that is in a structure process and doesn't have much of a reputation. So overall, we can give this defense a pretty solid rating.

The division is loaded with future star
talent and Dwayne Jarrett is one of them.

What's the problem? Bad coaching? Bad managing? Are they just prone to injuries? Are they hurt by turnovers? Yes? No? Maybe... There's really no way of expecting how the Panthers will do. You can give them a scrappy lineup and see them produce ten wins and crawl their way into the playoffs or you can give them a stacked roster that pulls out just six or seven wins. Or maybe it's the other way around. I'm sounding like a cuckoo right about now but that's my look on the Panthers. Maybe they finally win it all this year. The team will struggle and will win just one game above .500. Don't count on it but don't be surprised either.

New Orleans

This was America's team a few year's back as they gained the support of many outsiders during the time of Hurricane Katrina. The team showed unity and came together as the comeback story of the year as they made a run to the playoffs. These last two seasons just haven't been what they wanted. Finishing with 8-8 and 7-9 records in the past two seasons meant no playoffs and concerns arose as necessary changes were in discussion. The reality is, this team is pretty darn good. The division is just getting better. The NFC East? You heard about the NFC South? It's time to recognize the ugly truth.

Drew Brees is in the early MVP candidate running and he will need to stamp it early on as he looks for perfect aerial assault with guys like Devery Henderson, Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, and even Reggie Bush. Jonathan Stinchcomb will lead the offensive line as they look to protect their quarterback's "robot arm" and valuable presence in the offense. Drew Brees has a pretty talented running back to line up behind him as Reggie Bush is a man that can do things other athletes only dream of doing. The athletic and versatile Reggie Bush makes plays out of nothing. While he still is far from being considered a quality back like a Marshall Faulk or Terrell Davis, but if he can figure out all the kinks he will be right up there with the greats. Am I getting too ahead of myself. Yeah, but why not expect the unexpected?

Jonathan Stinchcomb will have plenty of the workload
on his shoulders as he is the center of Drew Brees' protection.

Charles Grant has been a Saint for a while and he now gets to team up with a more experienced Sedrick Ellis in their second year together. Jonathan Vilma will stand in the middle of the defense as the linebacker in the center. The big hitting monster will let his presence be known as he has some help from veteran Scott Fujita. Randall Gay and Darren Sharper strengthen a secondary that will now cause quarterbacks some issues when it comes to the air game. So this defense is looking to support an overall top team. It just seems like this division continues to offer up quality line ups.














Like Beason, Vilma is one of those special Miami bred
linebackers that turn out to be monsters on the field.

Like I said before, just because you look good on paper doesn't give you a ticket to the playoffs or a winning season. The division will be full of match-ups don't will be more than meaningful. Each divisional rivalry will affect the team's record by more than just one game. Make sense? The Saints will make a run for a wild card berth but it will not be easy. They will have to seek plenty of wins outside of their divisional games for some security. Nine wins will be their peak this season as they enter a very tough schedule. Eight wins will be the case as they fall shy of the playoffs.

Tampa Bay

The Buccaneers have their fair share of history as a former Super Bowl Champion team as well as having some of the most dominant defensive players including the likes of Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, John Lynch, and Rhonde Barber who is still standing strong for the Bucs. Now, the team is just trying to do whatever they can to make it out of a tough division that is continuously on the rise. The past three seasons haven't been impressive as the Bucs went 4-12, 9-7, and 9-7 respectively and made one playoff appearance. What's going to be their outcome this year? Seeing that this is the most unpredictable division, I'm going to have to go with the most logical choice. 16 win season with an early exit in the playoffs. Okay, let's look into the roster now.



















To think that Cadillac is the third running back
on any depth chart is unheard of. A healthy
Cadillac is a productive Cadillac. Take care
of yourself out there, Carnell.

The offense doesn't seem like much of a threat with doubts at the quarterback position and a weak offensive line. Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow are going to be McCown's favorite targets and if they can get a connection going on, we may see some sparks. One thing that is for sure is that they won't be lacking in the running game. Earnest Graham will see the majority of the hand offs but Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams will be sure to come in and take some time off of Graham's hands. A healthy Cadillac could mean opportunities for the Bucs. In many different ways... Trade?

The Bucs have always counted on Rhonde Barber to be there
for them. A few more years until they'll have to move on
without the irreplaceable corner.

This isn't the same defense that once dominated even the greatest offenses and there may never be another Bucs defense that will be as good as the one that took them all the way to the hoisting of the Lombardi trophy. Instead this team will be led by veterans and surrounded by developing defenders that will all be apart of this sort of reconstructing process. Chris Hovan, Jermaine Phillips, Rhonde Barber, and Aqib Talib make this defense a decent one, but it won't be overwhelming for offenses. We will see multiple outings of 20-25+ point games.

The Buccaneers could be in for a huge reality check as they may face a bumpy road in their franchise. We could go as low as predicting this team to do as poorly as the Lions did last season. Too harsh? Maybe. Possible? Definitely. I have more respect for this Bucs team than what they look like. Five wins this season for a team that will have to look into future.

Falcons 11-5
Panthers 9-7
Saints 8-8
Buccaneers 5-11



















The teams will beat each other up in their own divisional match-ups and have to deal with facing tough non divisional opponents from the NFC East as well as the AFC East. The division is capable of bringing out three teams into the playoffs but this season looks to be a one team deal as the wear and tear will be in big effect throughout the season.

-Jason C