Four games into the season, the New Orleans Saints were left for dead. Poor offensive execution combined with the secondary problems that haunted the team in the playoffs this past season had many wondering when the Saints would begin to prepare for next season. But 122 points and four wins later, the Saints are picking up where they left off in their magical 2006 season. When compared with a miserable NFC South, it’s easy to see why the “Bless You Boys,” are a shoe-in for their second consecutive division title. Here is a look at the rest of the NFC South.
TAMPA BAY BUCANEERS (5-4) The Bucs will likely be the Saints toughest foe, but come on, how many people really think halfback Earnest Graham will hold up for eight more games. What about quarterback Jeff Garcia? Who honestly believes a guy who has not played a full season since 2002 will continue to play at a high level all season in the heat of a divisional race? What will keep the Bucs in the race until the last day of the season will be a favorable schedule that has Tampa Bay playing only two teams with a winning record for the rest of the season – overrated Washington and New Orleans, a team they defeated 31-14 at home during the Saints four-game losing streak. But at the end of the day a lack of youth at every skill position on offense and defense will keep the Bucs from their first division title since 2005.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-4) The Panthers are a lesser threat, taking a 4-4 record into Week 10 of the NFL season. But like the Bucs, the Panthers have several glaring holes that will prevent second-half success, having not won a game in nearly a month. To begin, we are reminded of the famous football adage, “If you have more than one quarterback, then ultimately you have no quarterback.” If the adage is true, then the Panthers have a major problem, having had four different signal callers this season. For the time being the Carolina starter is David Carr, who has won more fumbles in his career (67) than he does touchdown passes (62). Next in line is soon to be 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde. Testaverde was signed a few weeks ago after having been rumored to be on display at a dinosaur museum in Miami for being the oldest living athlete on the planet. Unlike the Bucs, the Panthers have brutal tilts against Green Bay, Jacksonville, Seattle and Dallas left on the schedule, which will have John Fox’s squad on the golf course in mid-December.
ATLANTA FALCONS (2-6) The Falcons have been a mess since August when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Michael Vick after being indicted on federal dog fighting charges. As nasty as the Falcons problems have been off the field, their problems have been just as ugly on the gridiron with the Falcons looking like a heavy contender for the top pick in this coming April’s NFL Draft. Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall was fined $100,000 by coach Bobby Petrino following a slew of late-hit penalties in a September game against the Panthers. Hall’s issues may be the least of Petrino’s worries, as the former Louisville offensive guru has seen the Falcons offense post an anemic 14 points per game while scoring just 10 or less in four of the team’s eight games. The Falcons are only a threat as a spoiler the rest of the way, having two matchups with the Bucs as well as one more contest with Carolina and New Orleans each, so in retrospect the division champion may be the team who plays the best against one of the NFL’s worst teams. So Saints fans who were off the bandwagon take note – the Saints will have a home playoff game this season, because the team will again be NFC South Champions.
—-Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]