NFL Roundup - NFC South/West

Part two will round off the NFC with a look at the South and West divisions, maybe the strongest and weakest in football;

NFC South 

Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons ended the 2010 regular season with the best record in the NFC but were blown out of the playoffs by the Packers. Matt Ryan did not have a good game and the Falcons defence couldn’t handle the four wide receiver sets or generate enough pass rush to trouble the Aaron Rodgers. They have added pieces to both sides of the ball, first round draft pick Julio Jones will add a second big target to complement Roddy White and an aging but still workable Tony Gonzalez. A solid line and a power run game with Michael Turner should give Ryan the tools to run a successful offense. On the other side of the ball Ray Edwards has been added to help John Abraham generate a consistent pass rush that was severely lacking and the addition of Kelvin Hayden could give a complimentary corner back to pair with Dunta Robinson, the pass defense will be key but Atlanta will be looking for a return to the playoffs.

Carolina Panthers - The Panthers were rewarded for a terrible 2010 season with the #1 overall pick which they turned into Cam Newton. This is a team that with consistent QB play could turn around a league worst performance very quickly. Two good running backs and a good offensive line should take the brunt of the work load and the addition of Greg Olsen from Chicago will provide a security blanket for Newton. Charles Johnson stepped into Julius Peppers shoes admirably but will need help across the line as teams will double him and if the offense improves he may not be able to pad stats with some meaningless sacks. A decent line backing core and secondary can keep a team in the game but everything will depend on Newton, he doesn’t have to be an All Pro from day one just don’t lose the games, give the others a chance and things could turn around quickly. 

 New Orleans Saints - As mentioned in the previous post New Orleans were stunningly beaten in the playoffs by the Seattle Seahawks and a miraculous run by Marshawn Lynch. Providing that the Saints can overcome this they should still be the cream of the NFC crop. Drew Brees is in the upper echelon of NFL QB’s and a dynamic receiving core provides him with a multitude of options. They improved on both sides of the ball in the draft adding pass rusher Cameron Jordan and then trading back into the first round to pick up power running back Mark Ingram, the change in emphasis at running back lead to Reggie Bush leaving for Miami but Darren Sproles should fill that void. The Saints are stacked and Brees should be able to return them to the playoffs. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa Bay made huge strides in 2010 behind second year QB Josh Freeman, just six interceptions in the season allowed the Bucs to play a controlled style of football that leaned heavily on undrafted rookie running back LeGarrette Blount and revelling in the play of rookie receiver Mike Williams. They added DE Adam Clayborn in the first round of the draft and in the second round took Da'Quan Bowers who had #1 overall talent but medical issues dropped him down the board. This year will be tougher as the 2010 schedule was one of the easiest in the league and now they will be getting everyone’s best effort but this is a young team that are building for the future.

NFC West   

   

Arizona Cardinals – The biggest moves in the offseason by NFC West teams came out of the desert, and the biggest of these wasn’t a new player but securing Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to a long term contract. Fitzgerald will have a new QB tossing him the ball as Kevin Kolb was brought in from Philadelphia, Beanie Wells is now the man at RB although Chester Taylor was brought in to help after second round pick Ryan Williams was lost for the season and Todd Heap will hope to put his injury riddled 2010 behind him. First round draft pick Patrick Peterson should add real play making abilities to a secondary that already boast Adrian Wilson. The Cardinals will go as well as Kolb can settle in but in a weak division you may only need to beat the teams around you to get to the playoffs as Seattle did last year anything is possible in what could be a wild west. 

St. Louis Rams – Like the Lions in the North, St. Louis are everyone’s darlings and tip to make the step into playoff contention. Sam Bradford looked every bit the #1 overall pick and with Steven Jackson in the backfield he has a security blanket all QB are looking for. The O Line will need to step up to give Bradford chance to make plays, two young tackles in Jason Smith and Rodger Saffold continue to improve and 2011 so the Rams look to the defense with Robert Quinn taken with the  14^th pick to improve the pass rush. The Rams are yet another team for the future but with no dominant team in the division a playoff place is there for the taking, remember they were only one game away from doing so last year but lost the winner takes all game in Seattle. Steve Spagnuolo has this team going in the right direction and Bradford is good enough to revive the ‘greatest show on turf’ a premier receiver would help and Mike Sims-Walker could be that man and Lance Kendricks out of Wisconsin should develop well but it’s difficult for a rookie Tight End but the future is looking bright.

San Francisco 49ers – Alex Smith is still the starting QB but this surely must be the last chance for the former #1 pick. The 49ers offense is loaded with talent with Frank Gore leading the rushing attack and a group of receivers including three top ten picks in Braylon Edwards, Michael Crabtree and Ted Ginn Jr to go along with Tight End Vernon Davis who was also a top ten pick. The offensive line is a serviceable group with two first round picks at the tackle position and a first round pick at guard so it’s a group that although young has talent. The 2011 draft saw Aldon Smith come in to replace outgoing Manny Lawson and joins a group led by Patrick Willis regarded by most as the best young linebacker in the league. The secondary will need to step up as Nate Clemons and his big contract was released with another former first round pick in Carlos Rodgers coming in to fill his shoes. The 49ers should be the class of the division but Alex Smith is yet to deliver, the recent release of David Gerrard may interest as with St Louis and Arizona improving the window for playoffs may be closing.

  

Seattle Seahawks – Somehow the Seahawks won the NFC West and even more amazing than that they won a playoff game after Marshawn Lynch went all ‘beast mode’ on the Saints. The Seahawks look to have taken a step back after releasing veteran QB Matthew Hasselbeck and look to have replaced him with Tarvaris Jackson with Charlie Whitehurst waiting in the wings. Jackson struggled in pre season as he did with the Vikings and seems unable to find a decent receiving core that added Sidney Rice to a resurgent Mike Williams and 2010 draft pick Golden Tate. They addressed the Offensive line this off season drafting James Carpenter and signing Robert Gallery to go along with Russell Okung and Max Unger from previous drafts. The bigger problem maybe the defense as the doesn’t appear to be much in the way of a pass rush or quality in the secondary besides 2010 draft choice Earl Thomas, Marcus Trufant has never lived up to the hype and Atari Bigby may not be the upgrade the need. Once again the team will only be as good as the QB and on pre season showing that doesn’t bode well, but at least Andrew Luck will be available to the #1 draft choice in 2012.