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The NFC South is a division that should feature
at least two playoff teams. Having said that,
predicting exactly which two teams – or
possibly three – will qualify - may be next
to impossible. Here’s the skinny on the
NFC South for 2006.
2006 NFC south Preview - Carolina
Panthers
I genuinely believe that
the Panthers have to be considered as one of the
favorites to, not only win this division, but
win the entire NFC.
Head coach John Fox is as
good of a defensive coach as there is in all of
football and has assembled this team for the long
haul.
The Panthers signings of,
wide receiver, Keyshawn Johnson and running back
Deangelo Williams will add depth to an offense
that seems to lose at least one key starter every
year and should pay huge dividends for the Panthers
this season.
The Panthers also added defensive
tackles Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis and will
get tackle Kris Jenkins back from his injury-shortened
2005, adding even more depth to an already excellent
defensive line.
I like the Panthers to win
at least three division games this season and
more likely, four, on their way to a deep playoff
run come playoff time.
2006 NFC south Preview - Tampa
Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs should be even better
than they were last season if quarterback Chris
Sims continues the maturation he showed after
taking over as the starter last season.
The Bucs’ Cadillac
Williams, the best rookie running back in the
league last year should also be even better in
2006 than he was last season, which, by the way,
was pretty good. If wide receiver Joe Galloway
can come close to approaching his career best
number from last season, and Michael Clayton can
continue his growth on the other side, Tampa Bay
could surprise this season.
Yes the Bucs have some questions
that still need to be answered, but overall, I
think the Bucs are a team that is on the way up.
However, they will only go as far as Sims takes
them. Tampa Bay should win at least three division
games this season and find themselves in the thick
of the NFC playoff hunt.
2006 NFC south Preview - Atlanta
Falcons
The Falcons are a team that
could literally go either 6-10 or 10-6 this season
– depending on the health and maturation
of quarterback Michael Vick who can look absolutely
amazing one second and totally perplexing the
next.
The Falcons, who have never
had back-to-back winning seasons in the 40-year
history of their franchise, suffered a major collapse
last season after getting off to a 7-4 start.
Atlanta lost four of their final five and failed
to make the playoffs.
However, this is a new season
and the Falcons did add defensive end, John Abraham
to a defensive line that could be outstanding
this year.
If the Falcons can get some
decent play out of their secondary this season
– a big if – then they could be a
lot closer to 10-6 than 6-10.
Personally, I think the Falcons
still need some help at wideout and Vick, as athletic
as he may be, still needs to get better at passing
out of the pocket an making the right reads. Until
those two things happen, I think Atlanta will
continue to be a good team that continues to fall
just a wee bit short. I think the Falcons will
win two, possibly three, division games this season
and possibly contend for an NFC wild card playoff
selection.
2006 NFC south Preview - New
Orleans Saints
The Saints had the worst
record in the NFC last season, but with everything
they suffered through with the Hurricane Katrina
related uprooting, they have absolutely nothing
to be ashamed of. Besides, this team is going
to be immensely different from the team that closed
out last season.
The Saints have a new head
coach in Sean Payton and the electrifying talents
of former Heisman Trophy winning running back,
Reggie Bush, not to mention a Pro Bowl caliber
quarterback in former San Diego Chargers signal
caller, Drew Brees.
It will obviously take Payton
some time to get things turned around in New Orleans,
but the Saints have absolutely nowhere to go but
up. I think it is entirely possible that New Orleans
will win two division games next season. Anything
beyond that, and the Saints should be given replica
Vince Lombardi trophies.
Eric Williams is a sports columnist
for the Philadelphia Sunday Sun and syndicated
freelance writer who can be heard every Wednesday
at 3:15pm EST on www.BetUSradio.com. Contact Eric
at [email protected].
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