NFC South: Carolina can
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Cris Carter's division previews:
• AFC: East | North | South | West
• NFC: East | North | South | West
The Panthers ran away with this division last season after an injury to Michael Vick ended the hopes of the Falcons. Vick now is healthy, and I think the NFC South will be a much more closely contested division.
The Panthers remain the team to beat, but this is going to be a very competitive division up and down. It's so tough that it may be hard for the second-place team to get a wild card because the teams are so tightly bunched and the talent is so even. No team will dominate the home-and-home series, and 9-7 or 10-6 should be considered a great record.
Carolina Panthers (Last season: 11-5, 1st)
Player to watch: DeShaun Foster
After a successful playoff run last season, the Panthers have figured out what it takes for them to win – a dominant front four on defense and an effective running game. With that in mind, backup running back Foster may play a key role.
Stephen Davis is the Panthers' No. 1, but he proved last season that he isn't going to stay healthy all year. Foster again will get his chance, and he needs to continue looking like a starter. If he can, quarterback Jake Delhomme will avoid added pressure, and the Panthers will stay in their proven system.
Burning question: Were the playoffs a fluke for Delhomme?
Can the Panthers rely on Delhomme to pull out games like he did last season down the stretch and in the playoffs? In my opinion, he is not a one-hit wonder. Delhomme is here to stay, and we should get used to him leading the Panthers.
Bottom line:
It's easy to duplicate success in the NFL when you run the football and play good defense. The Panthers have that formula. But Carolina won't sneak up on any teams this year after its run to the Super Bowl last season.
I see the Panthers maintaining the same position atop the NFC South. But the division might not look the same because their competition is much improved. The Buccaneers have rid themselves of off-the-field problems, and the Falcons have a healthy Vick.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last season: 7-9, 3rd)
Player to watch: Charlie Garner Coach Jon Gruden always likes his guys, and he acquired Garner this offseason to duplicate his production from a couple of seasons ago in Oakland. Now that Garner is healthy again, can he live up to Gruden's expectations?
He has an advantage because he knows the offense and it is suited for his style. Also, Gruden will put Garner in situations that suit his ability, and he could be the perfect running back to ignite the Bucs' offense.
Burning question: Can the Bucs recover in the locker room?
Tampa Bay lost veterans Warren Sapp and John Lynch over the offseason. While the team may make up for the losses on the field, it is in the locker room where they will be missed most. Now players that aren't used to that role are going to have to step up. Guys like Simeon Rice and Brad Johnson are going to have to take more of an active, daily role in the team.
Bottom line:
The Buccaneers should challenge the Panthers. Their addition of Joey Galloway will round out the West Coast offense. He is the deep threat that coach Gruden has been looking for to stretch out the field. As a quarterback, you need a receiver who can make the big play. Tampa Bay didn't have that player last season.
Atlanta Falcons (Last season: 5-11, 4th)
Player to watch: Michael Vick
This season we have a new edition of Vick and the Falcons. Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp has installed a version of the West Coast offense that relies on timing, motion and play-action. Can Vick adapt to it? He is a scrambler who makes things happen while living on the edge.
When Vick runs too often, he makes his own coordinators almost as nervous as those who try to stop him. Is he now suited to sit in the pocket, deliver the ball on 1-2-3 step drops and get the ball out of the pocket the way great quarterbacks have done in this system for years?
Burning question: How much will new cornerbacks help?
New arrivals at cornerback – Jason Webster and Aaron Beasley – are in a position to solidify a defense that has really struggled defending the pass. Also, the league should get ready for rookie corner DeAngelo Hall from Virginia Tech. He claims to be a mix between Champ Bailey and Deion Sanders. It will be exciting for the people in Atlanta to have another Deion out there in coverage.
Bottom line:
Any time a team loses its starting quarterback, especially a star, it will struggle. The Falcons really felt the loss of Vick last season. But it's a new year and Vick could have the Falcons challenging the Panthers and Buccaneers. The first three teams in the South could flip flop.
New Orleans Saints (Last season: 8-8, 2nd)
Player to watch: Coach Jim Haslett
Even though he will never take the field, the focus in New Orleans is on the coach. Can Haslett finally put a competent defense on the field to keep the fans and owners off his back? Since he has been the head coach, the Saints have never had a defense ranked in the top 10.
Regardless of how good their offense is – with Aaron Brooks throwing the ball to receivers Joe Horn and Donte' Stallworth and Deuce McAllister racking up the yards on the ground – the Saints won't be successful if they continue to let teams run all over them week in and week out.
Burning question: Best of the worst?
Are the Saints the best team bound for last place in its division? They won eight games last season and should come close to that number again, but they still haven't fixed their secondary to get more cover guys. I think New Orleans will struggle again based on the passing attacks in this division.
Bottom line:
The Saints are in a tough spot. They haven't improved and each other team in the division is better. New Orleans is tough to figure out. Haslett is a very good coach but defensively the Saints can't stop anyone, and people's patience is wearing out. His time is now.
