1. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have been contenders for the past few seasons,
but have always been viewed as the second best team in the NFC South. Well,
this is the year that’s going to end. This team rides on the right arm of Matt
Ryan, who has always been good but not great and falls short in the playoffs.
With running back Michael Turner still good but declining, the Falcons have
made it clear that they will be a passing team now. Ryan has the talent to lead
a strong aerial attack, but the wide receivers will be the ones behind the
offense’s success. Roddy White has been an elite receiver for the past few
seasons, and the electrifying Julio Jones should join him this year. Tony
Gonzalez is still solid at tight end, and the offensive line is a good unit as
well. The defense still isn’t great, but it has improved. They lost star middle
linebacker Curtis Lofton, but they brought in Asante Samuel at cornerback to
make up for it. This defense also has some other good players like John
Abraham, Sean Weatherspoon, and Brent Grimes, so they should do well enough to
allow the offense to carry the team to a division title.
Projected Record:
11-5
2. New Orleans Saints
The Saints have been the most talked about team this
offseason, and it was never for a good reason. Head coach Sean Payton and
middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma are suspended for the season for their roles
in the bounty program, and Drew Brees missed some time due to his contract
holdout. Still, they will be very good and will absolutely compete for the
division title. Brees is still a phenomenal quarterback and will throw for a
ton of yards and touchdowns again. He also has a plethora of weapons, with
Darren Sproles in the backfield, Marques Colston in the slot, and Jimmy Graham
at tight end. The defense is an interesting unit, with some great players but
also some holes. Acquiring Curtis Lofton was a great move, as he might be the
best run-stuffing linebacker in the NFL. However, this defense will really
struggle getting pressure on the quarterback. The secondary is pretty good, but
they will really be tested this season. Even with that and the suspensions,
Drew Brees and Co. are so good to the point where they will still make the
playoffs.
Projected Record:
10-6
3. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have been miserable the past few seasons, but I
see this season as the beginning of the climb back into contention. Cam Newton
is the most entertaining quarterback in the NFL, and he should only improve as
a passer this season. They have Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams, and Mike
Tolbert at running back, so as a unit that group should do well. Steve Smith is
still great at receiver, as are Jordan Gross and Ryan Kalil on the offensive
line. The defense was among the worst in the NFL last season, but I think they
will greatly improve this year. Jon Beason is a stud at middle linebacker, and
he is back this year after missing last season due to injury. They also used a
high draft pick on Luke Kuechly, who has the potential to be a star. Most of
the other defensive starters are subpar, but the unit as a whole shouldn’t be
too bad. I think the Panthers will be the most improved team in the NFL, but
they just so happen to play in the ridiculously tough NFC South. I’d love to
project them into the playoffs, but I don’t think that this is the year it will
happen.
Projected Record:
9-7
4. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
I predicted that the other three teams in this division will
have winning records, but I can’t say the same about the Bucs. Even with new
head coach Greg Schiano, wide receiver Vincent Jackson, and left guard Carl
Nicks, I still think this team will be pretty bad. Josh Freeman is good at
quarterback, but really took a step back last season. Rookie Doug Martin should
have a nice year, but not good enough to make this a winning team. I actually
think Jackson is very overrated, and Mike Williams had an extremely
disappointing year last season. While the offense has the potential to be good,
the same can’t be said about the defense. The secondary is actually above average,
as they brought in Eric Wright and drafted Mark Barron. Unfortunately for the
Bucs though, the front 7 is so awful to the point where the skill of the
secondary might not even matter. Last season was a long one for Tampa Bay fans,
and I think this season will end similarly.
Projected Record:
5-11
Chris’s Picks:
1. Atlanta Falcons
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
-PJ Moran
No comments:
Post a Comment