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2005 NFL Preview - NFC South

NFC South

Carolina (13-3): Ah, the schedule makers must be wearing Carolina Blue this year… In their first six games, they play only one quality opponent (New England). After the bye, they do have to face some playoff-possible teams in Atlanta, Minnesota, and the Jets. But the only thing that kept Carolina out of the playoffs last year was a horrific string of injuries to the majority of the offense and parts of the defense… They need to settle on a running back, and soon. They need to find a way to replace Muhsin Muhammed (think: Keary Colbert), and they need to hope Steve Smith comes back strong. On defense, well, I think their defense will be just fine…

Atlanta (11-5): I was all ready to put Atlanta atop this division in a cakewalk until I looked at the Panthers’ schedule. Then I remembered that Atlanta really has no one for Michael Vick to pass to outside of Alge Crumpler. Peerless Price has been a complete bust since they traded for him from Buffalo a couple of years back. Michael Jenkins, the new guy, might make for a nice downfield target. Unfortunately, Vick never spends enough time in the pocket to find those downfield targets, instead choosing to scramble and pick up 5-10 yards with his legs. Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett will continue to quietly rack up the big yards as long as Alex Gibbs is still working with the O-Line to open up the holes. The defense is still solid, and will probably end up being the biggest strength of this team.

New Orleans (6-10): It seems that the schedule makers are not without a sense of humor as well... The Saints are renowned in recent years for their ability to look terrible in the early season, make a very nice run to get back in the playoff hunt during mid-season, and then collapse late in the year to fall just short… This year it looks as though they’ll start out about 1-5 before making a little run through the weakest part of their schedule late in October and into November (@StL, home for MIA & CHI), before having to travel to New England and beginning their downward spiral... All this team needs is one or two breaks during the year to be a real force in the NFC. But if you’re relying on catching a break or two, then you’re probably not a very good team…

Tampa Bay (3-13): I don’t think that 3-13 record is really fair. The Bucs got better through the draft, most noticeably by drafting RB Cadillac Williams to complement fellow youngin’ Michael Clayton at WR. But relying on Brian Griese just isn’t a winning formula, and especially not for a team whose defense just keeps getting older, and older, and older… I wouldn’t be shocked if they got a couple of breaks, too, and were able to duplicate or maybe even improve on last season’s record. But they got a tough draw for games and don’t have a good team right now. Two more years with top 15 draft picks, and they’ll be right back in the hunt…

posted by Big D @ 9:47 PM