Nfc South Will Be Competitive And Good This Year

[Sandy5prings]

Carolina was clearly the favorite to do a three-peat coming out of the draft. Then they lost two key starters.

This makes the NFC South a 3 way race IMHO. Here's why:

• The Aints offense actually looks good despite them losing Graham. Stills Cooks looks like Antonio Brown. Their D looks vulnerable but their O will keep them competitive
• The Panthers are the opposite. Their D should keep them in games and their O will have to scrape some wins
• We are going to have more of a balance between O and D but our ZBS run game looks like it will take a few games at least to solidify.
• The Bucs will once again face the prospect of going 0-fer in the division
• AFC South and NFC East are a favorable match up for NFC South. The division should go .500+ overall. Think about it - Jags, Titans, Redskins should be pummeled. On our side, only Bucs will be a favorable match up.

Based on this, we should see possibly 3 NFCS teams over .500 and be down to the wire for playoff spots and the Division crown.

This also means that our likely win loss range is going to be between 6-10 and 10-6, based on how we do against the Colts, Texans, Eagles, Cowboys and Vikes.

In my view, we should win 3 of 6 within the division easily. In other games, we should win against the Jags, Titans, Redskins, Giants, Vikes and 49ers. Given this, I'd say that anything less than 9-7 would be a disappointment for me. The good news is that we have a strong chance to get to that mark or better.

Thoughts?

Edited August 24, 2015 by Sandy5prings

[hjerry]

[Sponge]

I agree. I think the Saints get 9 wins, Carolina and Atl get 10 wins.

[A Dog Named Brian]

IMHO I think the Saints are the only ones that are going to give us any trouble. Carolina's defense is good, but ours is gonna chew their offense up. I honestly don't see 'Crab Legs' doing much of anything if at all either (however, I wouldn't be too surprised if they try and cause some trouble late in the season). Florida State QB's over the past 5 years haven't amounted to anything (unless bench warming isn't a reach too far)

Edited August 23, 2015 by A Dog Named Brian

[shockerfalcon]

You do know that Kenny Stills no longer plays with the Saints right? In my opunion it's a two team race between the Falcons and the Saints. If our defense continues to show what they have in the preseason I give the edge to us.

Unless Cam becomes Arron Rodgers overnight the panthers are not going to be competitive. Last night proved that without KB they will struggle to move the chains on offense. Their run game has not looked any better than ours and that vaunted Defense will be worn out before mid season.

[DonOfThemBirds]

I don't know.

The Saints were an awful defense who lost their best edge rusher.

Brees also lost his monster receiver in Graham. Its true the he won a SB before ever having him as a weapon, but Colston can't stay healthy and is getting old as well. Stills is gone too.

The Saints will need their run game to take over and pray for any life of a defense this season.

[A Dog Named Brian]

I don't know.

The Saints were an awful defense who lost their best edge rusher.

Brees also lost his monster receiver in Graham. Its true the he won a SB before ever having him as a weapon, but Colston can't stay healthy and is getting old as well.

The Saints will need their run game to take over and pray for any life of a defense this season.

I give the stains some credit because they still have Brees (even though he's arguably on the decline) and Cooks looks pretty good. Not to mention Spiller and Ingram are nothing to sneeze at

[mc]

Panthers never had the division. They were just as bad as us last year.

[DonOfThemBirds]

I give the stains some credit because they still have Brees (even though he's arguably on the decline) and Cooks looks pretty good. Not to mention Spiller and Ingram are nothing to sneeze at

Yeah, Cooks will be an impact player. They will miss Graham in the redzone though.

Their defense will probably be a dumpster fire again this year.

[shockerfalcon]

I don't know.

The Saints were an awful defense who lost their best edge rusher.

Brees also lost his monster receiver in Graham. Its true the he won a SB before ever having him as a weapon, but Colston can't stay healthy and is getting old as well. Stills is gone too.

The Saints will need their run game to take over and pray for any life of a defense this season.

Watching them against the Patriots last night that offense looks formidable. Cooks is the real deal and Payton is getting him open alot

[DonOfThemBirds]

Watching them against the Patriots last night that offense looks formidable. Cooks is the real deal and Payton is getting him open alot

The Saints should not have much to worry about their offense because they have Payton and an aging Brees(but still really good). I think their redzone offense will take a significant hit though without Graham though.

Their defense is what they should be worried about, it has the makings to be really awful. Their pass rush will be very dependent on the guy from Washington, who I will not try to spell his name. I would say that they have Anthony Spencer, but I'm not sure where he is at during this particular point in his career.

[UnrealfalcoN]

You DO realize it's the same saints team plus unger right?

Edit: the same saints that got swept up by a Mike Smith team.. Minus the good players like Graham, stills, Evans (who's been gone for a couple seasons now), lofton, and their most intimidating *** beater Galette

[shockerfalcon]

The Saints should not have much to worry about their offense because they have Payton and an aging Brees(but still really good). I think their redzone offense will take a significant hit though without Graham though.

Their defense is what they should be worried about, it has the makings to be really awful. Their pass rush will be very dependent on the guy from Washington, who I will not try to spell his name. I would say that they have Anthony Spencer, but I'm not sure where he is at during this particular point in his career.

I'm reserving judgement on their defense as they have been playing without a lot of their projected defensive starters. I will say it's gotta be discouraging that through 2 preseason games they have yet to record a sack and have only forced 1 TO.

[Dirtybird#11]

Nope.... Nope.... Nope

[GATXBOI]

Good post.

I agree it is a three way race and we are running away with it.

Wait I take that back.

It all depends on the health of browner byrd and spiller.

And how the saints defense mesh together.

I see the Panthers battling for second or third. Don't believe cam can carry that offense. Everything will rest on Luke kuchely.

Once our run game gets going I firmly believe we are untouchable.

The division is ours to win/lose.

We improved across the board more than any team in the division.

Edited August 23, 2015 by GATXBOI

[MAD597]

Panties and Bucs look like trash, Panties are being hit with the injury bug. Would hot be surprised if the Bucs got 2-14 and Panties go 5-11. Saints have not really improved at all and they had a fire sale on talent this off season 6-10 to 8-8 is my predication for them.

It would not Surprise me if we are the only over .500 team this year.

[Beast-N-Da-Sheetz]

Kikaha looks like the monster I thought he would be. Starting to hate the Saints even more for the Kikaha and Anthony picks. We'll be dealing with them for quite a few years.

[Mr.11]

I would just like to repeat that we were 5-1 in the division last year. Don't know why the Panthers are being given the edge (even if Benjamin was still healthy) when we led the division for much of the season last year until literally the last game.

[RYNE]

I must be in the minority here but I think the saints suck. Literally don't think they are good at all anymore

[mtldirtybird]

....no. WE will be good, the rest suck

[UnrealfalcoN]

Kikaha looks like the monster I thought he would be. Starting to hate the Saints even more for the Kikaha and Anthony picks. We'll be dealing with them for quite a few years.

Good news is that as rookies they won't be any more impactful than lofton and Gallette. In the next couple years we SHOULD solidify our oline

[PHALCONABERNATHY]

From what I've heard, the Saints look good. Ingram has proven he can carry the load, and they have some WR's that are real weapons, plus Brees. We are a different team and they don't know our tendencies yet. Because of that, I honestly think we have the upper hand, even though they appear to be the most formidable team in the division. The Panthers I don't believe are a threat because they've lost key pieces on both sides of the ball, the Bucs? Well, I watched one of their preseason games and Winston looks like a bust. I know it's preseason, but he looks bad. I don't think we dominate the division, but there isn't a reason why we shouldn't win it, IF we can execute what we want to do on both sides of the ball.

[STILL I RISE UP!]

This is how I see it...

The Panthers was the only team that played to their potential last season. I didn't expect more from than what they showed. While their front 7 on D is good, their secondary is suspect. Poor O line, average run game only because of Cam. Without him as a scrambling threat run game will be well below average. Passing will be difficult but will be kind of to us who seem to forget about Olsen at TE. For that I say we split against them and they go 5-11.

The bucs played below their potential last year mainly because of no identity on O and worn out or injured defense. They played too desperate, mainly cause of a weak o-line and sub-par running game. They will improve mentally knowing they have a Franchise QB to protect as he is now their dependent factor on how far they will go. Their defense was at times the best in our division when healthy. With Lovie Smith considered a great defensive mmind, i dont see them falling off. Still we sweep them and they finish 5-11.

Saints had a off year. I dont understand all these Brees haters, saying his play is declining sounds more like wishful thinking to me. 4900yds 33tds 17ints would have been a great season had they won the division even with a losing record. I thimk their offense we be somewhat unstoppable at times but the lost of graham will hurt them in close battles. Maybe even in redzone but i think their rungame will bridge the gap in that area. Im starting to get a reminder of those Deuce days. Defensively though, different story. The past couple of years they have drastic changes on D and just as last year it wont come out right. They will create pressure a lot but also get beat a lot. I think we sweep them and they go 9-7

My Falcons was disappointment last season. Ask whats the worst that could happen and last season would be a multiple choice answer. I wont get into what I hated about our last staff so to say the, I'm glad that their gone. That move alone did wonders for the team. And bringing in Quinn was enough to say we had the best off-season. I dont expect us to have defense like Seattle. I think front seven will produce sacks and pressure on rungame. Im worried about our corners, but not as much as the coverage of S and LBs over the middle and the flats. TE and catches out of the backfield killed us last year. Offensively only one word DOMINANT. I can see us going #1 in PPG. That said we go 11-5 and its on from there.

Bold predictions...

Beasley DROY

Tru PROBOWL

Ryan wins MVP

Julio becomes the highest paid WR next off-season

[Sauce Castieaux]

I must be in the minority here but I think the saints suck. Literally don't think they are good at all anymore

For what its worth us saints fans had that attitude about yall last year. Didnt really have a high opinion of yall and yall swept us. Its a pretty dangerous mindset to overlook a division opponent and it crushed us last year. I think we are an 8-8 team maybe but dont fall into the same trap we did.

[Atlantafan21]

Panthers have a decent QB, decent RB if he can stay healthy, a now TERRIBLE WR group with Benjamin out, that seems like it'll be lead(once again) by a rookie in Funchess. They do have Olsen at TE though, but that's it. That o-line is still looking very bad as well. That front 7 is still arguably the best in the league, the back 4 solid with Norman and Benwikerie. I don't think Benwikerie will play nearly as well as he did last year though, and there are no real safeties to be scared of unless Tre Boston has become something good.

Saints have a good but aging QB in Brees, what would seem to be a decent run game with Unger at center now and Ingram possibly finding a groove. Receiving corps is still lacking IMO with Colston not looking too good, with Cooks looking like the award winning receiver that they expected him to be. Front 7 honestly looks weak to me IMO. They're really relying on their 3 rookies that they picked in the first few rounds with Anthony, Kikaha, and PJ Williams. Only front 7 player that is currently listed as good by me would be Cam Jordan. Their secondary looks pretty good. I don't think either Keenan Lewis or Brandon Browner are that great, but they're solid, neither have the lockdown ability that you'd usually want as a #1 corner though. Byrd could have a good year, but we'll have to see him play. Vacarro is trash right now, simple as that.

So for QB, saints have that over the Panthers. RB, I would have to go with Saints as well. Receivers(including TEs), I'd have to say it's even. O-line would go to saints. D-line goes to Panthers along with the LB corps. Secondary goes to Saints slightly just because Byrd could help that group a lot.

For me, right now it seems like it'll be between the Falcons and Saints. Had Benjamin not gotten hurt, I'd definitely say a three team race, but losing Benjamin just hurts the Panthers too much.