Early Look At The NFC South

The real test begins for the New Orleans Saints as they enter Sean Payton’s second season.  They should remain productive at putting points on the board.  Drew Brees has an instinctive command of the offense.  They have a solid offensive line.  And Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush complement each other very well in the backfield.  They have a nice collection of young receivers, but either Devery Henderson or rookie Robert Meachem must step up as a consistent downfield target to complement Marques Colston.  The biggest question again is on the defensive side of the ball.  They can get to the quarterback with Charles Grant and Will Smith coming off the perimeter.  Now they must prove they can stop the run and create more turnovers if they want to get deep into the playoffs again.  They didn’t bring in any high impact players this spring, but added a host of steady contributors.  Kendrick Clancy provides quality depth upfront to spell Hollis Thomas at times.  Brian Simmons will be a steady veteran presence at linebacker.  Jason David and Kevin Kaesviharn add numbers to a suspect secondary.  Kaesviharn has a knack for creating turnovers. 

If anyone challenges the Saints, it will be the Carolina Panthers.  John Fox still has a respectable defense to remain competitive.  Ken Lucas should rebound at cornerback after injuries slowed him considerably last season.  Richard Marshall proved to be a strong cover guy as a rookie.  They still have Julius Peppers rushing the passer.  They’ve always been strong along the front four, but Mike Rucker is aging and coming off a knee injury.  Kris Jenkins faces an uncertain future after trade talks surfaced this spring.  Jenkins is the key to their run defense.  They can’t afford bitter feelings affecting his play on the field and trading him leaves a major hole upfront.  The offensive side of the ball is a concern.  Jake Delhomme remains respected in the huddle, but must protect the ball better.  David Carr is waiting in the wings if Delhomme struggles again.  Unfortunately, Steve Smith is the only proven target in the passing game.  Dwayne Jarrett could become a solid pass catcher to complement Smith, but will have growing pains as a rookie.  The run game is concern until proven otherwise.   DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams are solid fits in Jeff Davidson’s new zone blocking scheme, but one of them must step forward as a feature back.  Williams has the feet and quickness to break a lot of plays if he stays healthy.  There should be more stability across the offensive line this season if everyone stays healthy.  This is a team at a crossroads after several competitive years under Fox.  They have always bounced back from down seasons, but face a lot of personnel questions entering training camp. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain in transition after losing a number of their cornerstone players the past few years.  But Jon Gruden is going for a quick fix at quarterback to save his job.  Jeff Garcia is the perfect fit to run Gruden’s offense, but I have doubts whether Garcia can remain effective for 16 games.  That’s why Gruden is pleading for Jake Plummer to put off retirement.  Carnell Williams must prove his durability at running back.  Joey Galloway is the only playmaker in the passing game.  They jury remains out on Michael Clayton and tight end Alex Smith.  They are building solid numbers across the offensive line.  You have to give Monte Kiffin a lot of credit for keeping their defense from not falling apart.  They’ve lost a lot of key players the past few years.  They aren’t creating the same pressure from the front four or generating as many turnovers these days.  Gaines Adams was a nice addition as Simeon Rice nears the end.  Kevin Carter is a solid stop gap upfront.  A healthy Brian Kelly helps the secondary if contract concerns stay off the field. 

The Atlanta Falcons are making a paradigm shift under Bobby Petrino.  There is more pressure on Michael Vick than ever following an eventful off-season.  Vick could be a solid fit to push the ball downfield in Petrino’s offense, but must also become a lot more efficient in the passing game and protect the ball better.  Joe Horn brings a strong veteran presence if he can avoid nagging injuries, but Roddy White and Michael Jenkins must become more consistent if the passing game is to take shape.  Despite having the top ranked run game last season, questions exist with Petrino going to a power based attack.  Warrick Dunn showed signs of wearing down late last season.  Jerious Norwood might not be durable enough in this scheme.  On defense, they’ll miss the leadership of Patrick Kearney.  John Abraham has trouble staying on the field.  And they have questions inside as Grady Jackson is at odds with the club over his contract and Rod Coleman is rehabbing a quadriceps injury.  DeAngelo Hall is their lone certainty in the secondary.  The rest of this group is a concern against the pass.  Chris Houston could have inconsistencies as a rookie.  Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker are vulnerable against the pass inside. 

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