NFC South Preview

Andy: I largely yawn at the prospects of writing much up on this division. Carolina won it last year at 7-8-1 and I don’t see enough improvement from any team to truly make a dent in the playoffs. I think it’s possible that the Panthers, minus Kevin Benjamin, and the Saints, minus Jimmy Graham, Kenny Stills, Junior Gallette and others might be worse than they were in 2014. The Bucs are probably better than they were, but that’s hard not to do coming off a 2-14 season and the number one overall pick. Atlanta … who the hell knows.

Tony: Let’s try to look at the positive for once—this was one of the most competitive divisions in football in 2015, with three of the four teams fighting for that coveted playoff spot heading into the final weeks of the season. What more could you ask for?

Oh, you want at least one of them to finish above .500? Well, aren’t you asking a lot.

OK, so the division was putrid. Some of it should have been expected—I mean, when was the last time that someone thinking Josh McCown was the answer heading into the season actually worked? Yes, I am looking in your general direction, Cleveland…

So the Bucs lived up to expectations, but the rest of the division…Drew Brees in New Orleans may be losing some swagger, but his swagger was amongst the best in the league. Matt Ryan is still one of the best relatively young quarterbacks in the league (he’s only 30), and Cam Newton…well, the Panthers have one of the best young defenders in the league in Luke Kuechly. This division shouldn’t have been as bad as it was in 2014, and an infusion of talent from trades (Max Unger, anyone?), free agency (hello Tony Moeaki, Ted Ginn, Jarrett Boykin and CJ Spiller) and the draft (is everyone else as excited for the Andrus Peat era as I am) mean that the division can’t be any worse in 2015. Right?

Andy: Actually, I think expectations for the Bucs were relatively high – I think one of us picked them to go to the playoffs last year (hint, not me). But yeah, they sucked. And they probably will again, though at least Winston gives them some reason to grasp hope for the future.

I just don’t know where to start with this division. Brees is probably still the best QB in the division, but he’s aging. And that defense is going to be putrid. One of the bottom five in the league, possibly.

I give Newton a bit more credit than you do, and the defense is better than New Orleans’ is, but with Benjamin out and Jonathan Stewart likely to follow sometime soon, that’s a severely flawed team.

And the Falcons, well, Matt Ryan is nearing Brees and the offense will be explosive as long as the offensive line can keep him upright, but same as the Saints, the Falcons’ defense is likely to be gross.

Can all four teams tie at 8-8?

Tony: The more I read about the points we’re trying to make, the more I agree with your initial sentiment. This division isn’t worth writing anything more about, until one of their teams is above .500—something that hasn’t happened since roughly week 7 of last season.

Predictions: