Cincinnatti Bengals’ O-Line Could Be Weakness

Four new starters. Two have never played an NFL down. Another was the fourth best lineman on his college team.

Such is the Bengals’ offensive line situation, which has more question marks than a “Jeopardy!” transcript.

In 2008, the Bengals surrendered 51 sacks, the worst of any AFC team. Behind a porous offensive line, quarterback Carson Palmer broke his nose, sprained his ankle and partially tore a ligament and tendon in his right elbow. The Bengals finished the season 4-11-1 and had the lowest ranked offense in the NFL.

Although the team selected left tackle Andre Smith with the sixth pick in this year’s NFL Draft, the offensive line remains one of the Bengals’ biggest concerns. With blitz-happy Pittsburgh and Baltimore in their division, the inexperienced unit has little room for error.

Yet after the first voluntary workout of the spring, right guard Andrew Whitworth, one  of the team’s only two veteran linemen, said he isn’t worried.

Whitworth, who has made 38 starts in three years, and right guard Bobbie Williams, a 10-year veteran, will anchor the line. Neither has ever made a Pro Bowl.

“A hungry offensive line to me is better than a talented one,” Whitworth said. “A lot of teams have proved they can win with a bunch of guys that haven’t played much and just want to get out there and fight and crawl and scratch.

“Right now we have a lot of guys that have a lot to prove, whatever it is. We have a lot to prove and we’ve got a lot of guys hungry to do it. I’m happy with whom we’ve got. … We’ll see where we go from here.”

Center Ryan Cook and left guard Nate Livings are the unit’s largest unknowns.

Cook has never played a snap in the NFL, and Livings was the fourth best offensive lineman at Louisiana State in 2005, before catching on with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent.

In 2008, Livings got six starts, but struggled with both blitz pickup and creating running lanes for the running backs.

And although top draft pick Smith has Pro-Bowl talent, he must transition from right tackle—where he played at the University of Alabama—to left tackle, where he’ll line up for the Bengals in 2009.

The 6-4, 332-pound All-American admitted it’s a tough transition, but is trying to learn as much as he can from the veterans. Williams said Smith is doing everything necessary to improve.

“I think he’s going to be OK because I think he wants to be good. He wants to show why they drafted him,” Williams said. “He listens. He’s humble. I’m going to help him every day and every way I know how.”

Williams said some of the offensive lines perceived inexperienced is just that: Perceived.

He pointed out that Cook, despite not playing, has been in the team’s offensive system more than two years, since the Bengals signed him his rookie year in 2007 after the Vikings waived him.

Offensive line coach Paul Alexander said the 6-3, 305-pounder was actually on the verge of playing last year until he suffered a season-ending broken toe during warmups before the Dallas game.

Coaches and players described Cook as having a high IQ and great communication skills, and they are confident he can learn quickly.

“He was real verbal; he’s real aggressive,” Williams said after the first voluntary workout last week. “Kyle has been around. He just doesn’t have any experience in games. He was chirping out the calls out there. I like hearing that.”

Still, players and coaches admitted the offensive line is a work in progress and needs to develop chemistry.

“That’s something that happens over time. It’s nothing you rush,” Whitworth said. “Even your good lines that have been together a lot of years are still developing and learning.”

Bengals Hall-of-Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz said the unit’s youth, however, could work in its favor.

“On paper, you’ve got guys who can adapt,” Munoz said. “There are a lot of young guys along with a new tackle. Hopefully with the reps and experience they can develop quickly.”

At least this week, QB Palmer didn’t seem worried about the situation.

“It’s not that inexperienced of a group because you have guys like Bobby and Whitworth to lead. … You can’t ask for more vocal and better leaders to show them the way,” Palmer said. “Experience won’t be something we’re going to be lacking just because of the attitudes of those two guys. … But we’ve got a ton of OTAs, minicamps and the preseason games.”

For the sake of his personal health—and the Bengals’ season—hopefully that’s enough time for the offensive line to gel.

Bucs Offense: Five Issues and Answers

by Jeff Berlinicke

TAMPA—The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have never been a franchise that relied too much on offense. From Day ONe, way back in 1976, it’s been all about defense.

This year, though, that has to change. No longer do the Bucs have the savage defense that shut down opposing offenses and relied on a horizontal passing game and straight-ahead running to win. The perennial Pro Bowlers on defense are all gone now, except for fading veteran Ronde Barber. For the Bucs to make a run at the NFC South title, they will have to rely on at least a little offense.

The trouble with that is that there aren’t a lot of answers. Only a lot of questions. It’s been a long time since the Bucs have been so vulnerable on defense, so it’s up to new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski to come up with some answers. New head coach Raheem Morris, at 33, is the youngest coach in the NFL and has little experience with coaching an offense.

Jagodzinski has experience with talented offenses. He coached Brett Favre in Green Bay for four years, then after two years in Atlanta, he got more of the Favre experience. At Boston College he coached Matt Ryan who moved on to single-handedly turn around the Atlanta Falcons as a rookie last season.

This year he doesn’t have Favre or Ryan. He has Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich. He also inherits a lot of question marks and, if he doesn’t find some answers, this could be a long season on Florida’s west coast.

 

1. What if McCown and Leftwich aren’t the answers?

That’s a good question. McCown is 1-6 as a starter in his career and didn’t complete a pass all of last season. He has had chances as a starter in Cleveland and was so impressive that the Browns traded to draft Brady Quinn in 2007. Leftwich has all the mobility of a doorstop and has physical problems to add.

Leftwich, after an unsteady experience in Jacksonville, had lost all confidence by the end of the 2007 season when he was replaced by untested David Garrard and unceremoniously dumped by the Jaguars.

So do the Bucs look to first-round pick Josh Freeman? Freeman has enough tools that the Bucs traded up two spots to pick him in the first round and he’s expected to be the quarterback of the future, but how about 2009? If the Bucs lose early and often—not a longshot—Freeman may get a shot. Someone has to play quarterback.

 

2. No matter who is throwing the ball, who is going to catch it?

Another good question. The Bucs have no burners and waited until the seventh-round of the draft to take Sammie Stroughter out of Oregon State. Stroughter will make a decent kick returner, especially if Morris lets Pro Bowl returner Clifton Smith concentrate on running back.

The top of the depth chart includes Michael Clayton and Antonio Bryant. Clayton is a possession receiver, who finally showed the promise he expressed during his rookie season towards the end of the 2008 season, but his work habits have been questioned and he fell into former coach Jon Gruden’s always no-vacancy doghouse and never escaped.

Clayton was on the cut line last year during summer training camp and barely held onto his roster spot. He’ll need to show more of a work ethic. Bryant looked good at times but also is questionable with is work ethic. He’s also been prone to trouble off the field. He was a model citizen last year with the Bucs who have never stepped away from taking chances on former problem children.

Morris and Jagodzinski have expressed an interest in going to a vertical passing game rather than the dump-and-run that Gruden used. Somebody has to get open or it will be more of the same.

 

3. Is Kellen Winslow any kind of an answer?

Winslow has talent, no doubt about it. He also has two bad knees and didn’t even bother to show up at Tampa Bay’s first OTA after saying he would. He’s high-maintenance and there has to be a reason the Cleveland Browns dumped him for a second-round pick while Winslow should be entering the prime of his career.

He’ll be a big part of the new offensive package, creating mismatches. He isn’t one to be double-teamed and that should free Clayton and Bryant, Winslow offers lots of options, but if either of his knees gives out, that leaves Jerramy Stevens as the only other viable tight end.

Another factor involving Winslow is that former Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel, one of the most docile men in sports, wasn’t crazy about Winslow and his blocking or his attitude. That Tampa Bay offense hasn’t had a stud tight end since Jimmie Giles who has been retired from the NFL for 20 years. In Tampa, tight ends block first and catch passes later. It will be interesting to see if Winslow and the Bucs make a good fit.

 

4.  OK, the Bucs offensive line is the best unit on the team. What is someone goes down?

The starting five of Donald Penn, Aaron Sears, Jeff Faine, Davin Joseph, and Jeremy Trueblood is the best the Bucs have had maybe in franchise history. But the only backup with any experience at all is Sean Mahan, a center who can back up Faine. The rest of the line depth is almost barren. Penn may be expendable, but his backup on the depth chart is untested Anthony Alabi and fifth-round pick Xavier Fulton who will get a lot of chances during pre-season to win the job.

It’s not a deep line and Joseph and Trueblood both play on the right side of the line. In the perfect world they would be on the left side, guarding McCown’s and Leftwich’s backs.

 

5. Who is going to be the Bucs workhorse running back? Will it be by committee? And is Cadillac ready to run?

First, let’s talk about Williams. He has suffered serious injuries to both knees since his shoes went to Canton after the third week of his rookie season. He says he is fine and ready to run. Morris has said that it would be a stretch to see Anderson make any kind of impact this year.

Anderson has heart, but he runs side to side on a small frame. In the perfect world, he’s a small version of Barry Sanders, but this isn’t the perfect world and Anderson’s running style combined with his size makes him an ACL waiting to happen.

Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward will get most of the carries with Ward starting at the top of the depth chart. Ward rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the New York Giants last season, but 1,000 yards doesn’t mean what it used to. He and Graham are pretty much the same back.

Both can catch the ball out of the backfield, both are slashers, but neither is a franchise running back and the Bucs seem content to rely on them to take the bulk of the carries while hoping Anderson can be ready by early September.

Don’t be surprised to see the Bucs checking the list of players who get cut halfway through the pre-season to pick up another running back. Smith may be an answer, but he’s untested.

LAST SECOND SHOT: Have you noticed that, for the second straight season, every Bucs home game starts at 1 p.m.? They were 9-7 last season and that should at least merit one nationally televised night game, shouldn’t it? The New Orleans Saints, also in the NFC South, won one less game last year and have three prime-time games, including two Monday Nighters.

 

The Bear Den: 2009 Chicago Bears Season Preview (Part II)

This is the second article in a series of four articles that I am writing to preview the 2009 Chicago Bears season.

Training camp is right around the corner, and that means the NFL season is on the way. So enjoy my previews.

The Bears bye week is during week five, so I will skip ahead to the week six match up.

 

Week Six: at Atlanta, Oct. 18, 7:15 CST

The Bears travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons for the second year in a row. This time it will be on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Both teams on paper match up pretty evenly.

Last years game between the two teams was a excellent game, even though the Bears lost a heart breaker.

The Bears scored with eleven seconds left to go ahead, but a quick Matt Ryan pass and then a field goal won it for Atlanta.

Depending on how the first couple weeks of the season goes, this could be a huge match up for playoff seeds for both teams.

Atlanta is led by quarterback Matt Ryan who is looking to avoid the so-called “Sophmore Slump.”

The Bears had trouble stopping Atlanta’s run game last year with Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood leading the way.

The key to the game for the Bears is to play solid defense. Atlanta likes to pound the ball with Turner, and let Matt Ryan do his thing through the air.

If Chicago can play good defense for 60 minutes they should come out victorious.

I see this game being decided again in the final seconds with special teams. This time though, I think the Bears come out on top. This has the potential to be a really great game.

Final Score Prediction: Bears 23, Falcons 20.

 

Week Seven: at Cincinnati, Sunday Oct. 25, 12:00 CST

The Bears travel to Cincinnati to take on a Bengals team who hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006.

This should be a good game for Chicago to get a out of division win, and truly see where their team is at in the season.

The last time these two teams met was way back in 2005 when the Bengals came into Soldier Field and whooped the Bears.

This is a much different Bengals team since the last time the Bears saw them. They lost wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh to free agency, Carson Palmer has not been the same since his injury, and Chad Ochocinco has had all kinds of problems the last few years.

The Bengals are still the Bengals from last season and on paper the Bears are a much more talented team.

The Bears also get to face their former teammate Cedric Benson for the first time since they released him in the Summer of 2008.

I predict the Bears will come out and get a big lead on a poor Bengals defense. Cutler should be able to take advantage of the week defense and play a solid game.

The Bengals offense doesnt look like it can match up with the Bears defense, so advantage Bears in that one.

Final Score Prediction: Bears 30, Bengals 13

 

Week Eight: vs Cleveland, Nov. 1, 12:00 CST

The Bears play their second straight AFC North opponent when the Cleveland Browns come to town on the first day of November.

These two teams met in 2005 with Cleveland winning a real close game at home. This time it’s in Chicago. Where the last time these teams met here something special happend.

You may remember a chilly October afternoon in 2001 when the Browns came into town to take on the Bears.

The Browns built a size able lead before the Bears made their comeback, and led to Mike Browns game winning interception return for a touchdown in over time.

I don’t see the Browns improving much off of last years bad season. They still don’t know who their quarterback is right now, and quite frankly we might not know who we are going to see in week eight.

Brady Quinn? or Derek Anderson?

I see Chicago being way too much for the Browns to handle especially in Chicago.

The Bears should be right a top the NFC North around this time, and the fans will be excited in Chicago.

Chicago’s defense also has the players to shut down Cleveland’s average offense.

This wont be a blowout and the Browns could make it close at the end, but I like Chicago.

Final Score Prediction: Bears 17, Browns 13

 

Week Nine: vs Arizona, Nov. 8, 12:00 CST

The defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals come into Chicago in what could be a huge game in determining playoff seed’s in the NFC.

With all the trade speculation involving Anquan Boldin, this might not be the same Cardinals team that won the NFC a year ago.

This will be a good match up between two teams that originated in Chicago.

The Keys for the Bears will be to stop the Cardinals passing game. Pressure on Kurt Warner is a must. We cant let him have time to fire to his targets.

Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald are two good receivers that can change the game at any time. If the Bears defense fails to play well, it could be a long day for Chicago.

The Bears’ offense gives them a shot to win the game, but it all relies on the defensive play, and especially the corner backs.

Final Score Prediction: Cardinals 17, Bears 13

 

Key Player: Tommie Harris. It’s important for Tommie to get off to a good start, but better yet be healthy for the whole season. The midway point is where we will see if Tommie can stay healthy. If he is able to stay healthy, the Bears can have one of the best defensive lines in football.

Cincinnati Bengals’ Training Camp Postion Battles for 2009

Tight Ends: Veteran Reggie Kelly is a trusted piece of Marvin Lewis’s offense, more of a blocking tight end , but he fits well in the Bengals power run formations. Veteran Ben Utech was signed last year in free agency from the Colts, he didn’t produce very well last year and was injured for most of the season.

Reggie Kelly is entering the final year of his contract and Ben Utech hasn’t proven he is durable enough yet, that could be why the Bengals opted to draft a TE in the 3rd in the form of Rookie Chase Coffman. If Chase shines this year it is likely that Reggie Kelly would be expendable and not brought back for the 2010 season.

Coffman is known more for his circus fingertip catches, and sure hand more than his pass blocking ability, if he wants to see playing time immediately then he better get used to blocking in the AFC North.

A Note to Brett Favre: Please Stay Home

The Brett Favre saga continues as the once storied Green Bay Packer quarterback continues to make daily headlines about a possible return to the NFL. Will he return and quarterback the Minnesota Vikings? That remains to be seen but should he? Absolutely not.

Brett Favre decided to retire, for the first time, in March 2008 as the NFL all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and most wins by a starting quarterback. Favre told the Packers he was mentally tired and would not make a return to the NFL unless he had a legitimate shot at winning another Super Bowl.

Favre-less months went by until June, when Favre admitted he had been guilty of retiring early and made it known he wanted to make a comeback. Under heavy public scrutinity general manager Ted Thompson and the Packers made it known they had moved on with former first-round pick Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback.

Favre acted in a childish and immature manner creating a circus and public standoff with his former employer and forcing his way onto the Packers roster by sending in his letter of reinstatement.

The Packers, rumored to have offered as much as $20 million to Favre to stay retired, did the only thing they could do and traded Favre to the Jets. During his only season with the Jets, Favre showed flashes of his old Packer form during the first few months of the seasons, but a torn bicep and four of five losses to end the season; Favre and the Jets were sent home packing costing head coach Eric Mangini his job.

The rumors continued to fly this offseason as the Jets released Favre from the reserve/retired list. Is Brett Favre really debating another comeback, but this time with the enemy?

It should be out of the question for Favre to want to return to the NFL again, especially with the Minnesota Vikings.

Brett Favre has been the heart and soul of the Green Bay Packers since his fourth game of the 1992 season when he became starting quarterback until he retired in 2008. Favres spectacular career included 10 trips to the Pro Bowl, three first team All-Pro selections, three MVP awards, and a Super Bowl championship while setting countless records all with the Packers.

The fans have given Favre everything since his arrival; doesn’t he owe it to the city of Green Bay to not join the hated rival Vikings? How devastated would the fans of Green Bay be to have Favre return to Lambeau sporting the purple and white?

Brett Favre is synonymous with the Green Bay Packers and it should stay that way. Many times veterans feel they still have it and refuse to hang it up, joining team after team, hurting their legacies. For example, Jerry Rice is arguably the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, but he continued to play team after team until being cut by the Denver Broncos in training camp. Does Favre really want to go down the same road?

As much as NFL fans would love to see Favre back in the league, he needs to keep his legacy in tact and stay home. Fans should be talking about how Favre brought greatness back to a storied Green Bay Franchise, not how Favre let his ego get the best of him and  hurt his legacy by playing injury ridden, sub-par season(s) with the Jets and possibly the Vikings.

Brett Favre will be praised as a Packer-great forever but if he is to walk into Green Bay on November 1 as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, it will be a sad and regretful day for NFL fans everywhere.

 

 

Note: Coming Soon—www.InsidetheGridiron.com will be having a Debate of the Week section during the 2009 NFL season. Check out the opposite side of the spectrum in Long Island Sounds article.

 

A Day to Remember Real Heroes

AFC East Looking Up at Pats….Again

Before the NY Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills take a single snap this season, they are already facing an uphill climb in the AFC East. This is all made possible by one man—Tom Brady. The future Hall of Famer’s return from a season-ending knee injury last September immediately catapults the New England Patriots into the role of division favorite.

While Matt Cassel was terrific in relief of Brady, the reunion of Bill Belichick’s masterful coaching and the NFL’s most prolific quarterback in Brady threatens to leave the Pats’ divisional foes at a huge disadvantage.

In Buffalo, Trent Edwards may have the top receiving tandem with Lee Evans and Terrell Owens. Chad Pennington and the Dolphins hope to build on their “wildcat” success a year ago and new Jets’ head man Rex Ryan will rely on his defense to help insulate rookie QB Mark Sanchez. Promising, yes, but not in the same stratosphere of one Mr. Brady.

The Patriots are by no means a perfect team. An aging linebacking core, revamped secondary, and depth issues on the offensive line bear watching. Still, this team went 11-5 without their best player.

Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and Indy’s Peyton Manning should have plenty to say about who represents the AFC in the Super Bowl next February, but with Brady back at the helm in New England, the rest of the AFC East may have no choice but to think about a wild card berth at best.     

 

Questions for Atlanta Falcons Running Back Jerious Norwood

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When looking at running back Jerious Norwood (5’11″, 202lbs) one quickly ascertains that he is gifted with blazing speed.

Drafted out of Mississippi State University in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft, Norwood has quietly entrenched himself as the second back in an explosive Atlanta Falcons offense.

If not for the impressive play of starter Michael Turner (376 carries for 1,699 yds), there could be a case made that Norwood could easily be the starter. Entering his fourth season, Norwood has 1735 career rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

If I were able to sit down with the Jackson, Miss. native, among many questions I’d ask  is how he is handling his role and what he thinks of the Falcon’s chances in 2009.

The Falcons have a tough schedule in 2009. Providing the team stays healthy, do you think you guys win the NFC South?

The current coaching staff often speaks highly of your abilities. How would you like to be utilized this year?

How long before you get the urge to become a No. 1 back in the NFL?

What separates Matt Ryan from Michael Vick?

After this season, you will be a free agent.  Are you willing to sign another long term deal to back up Michael Turner or will you test the market in hopes of being a feature back with another team?

You’ve had a few small injuries to date.  How are the ribs this year?

We all know how important it is for key players to survive training camp—how nervous did it make you guys when first-round draft pick Peria Jerry went down with a knee injury?

What does pro bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez bring to the Falcon’s offense?

Are you involved with any community activities or foundations?

You come from a great linage of Mississippi greats that includes Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Wilbert Montgomery, Archie Manning, Hugh Green, and L.C. Greenwood. Who inspired you as a high schooler?

The 2009 Denver Broncos Envisioning a Change In the Backfield

For the Denver Broncos of 2009 with the coaching change I envision the backfield of both sides off the ball may see most of the play changes.

Of course after the 2008 season, the Denver Broncos released Mike Shanahan who was the head coach of the Broncos from 1995-2008. Shanahan in his tenure in Denver established the team as a running dominant team.

In that era such running backs such as Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis, Tatum Bell and others all became great running backs in the National Football League.

Now, however, a wave of change has come with the name of Josh McDaniels. Already McDaniels has started his quest to find a new Quarterback after the trade of Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears.

Next, looking at the draft picks that McDaniel’s and crew made it appears that the running game in Denver may not be what it was in years past. McDaniels in his previous job as offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, has shown that he may be more of a pass coordinated coach than run coordinated.

After all as the offensive coordinator for New England, the Patriots of 2007 had an undefeated season, and a record setting 75 touchdowns.

Then as the 2008 season started, and Tom Brady went down, Matt Cassel, who never started an NFL or even college game before took the starting quarterback position. With McDaniels calling the plays Cassel and the Patriots went on to an 11-5.

During his tenure at New England, McDaniels and the Patriots were not known for their running game, suggesting that the ball may fly high this year in the mile high city. Looking at the draft picks however, the Broncos may not be so eager to abandon the running game that they have been known for in the past.

Off season moves and draft picks have shown that Denver could still run the ball in 2009 as the Broncos picked up running backs, J.J. Arrington, Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordon, and drafting running back, Knowshon Moreno.

Developing a quarterback will also be a key point that Denver and McDaniels is going to have to make in the upcoming 2009 season. Luckily for the Denver Broncos McDaniels does have experience in training new quarterbacks, as previously mentioned Matt Cassel was helped along by McDaniels in his transition into a NFL quarterback.

Even though a quarterback for the 2009 Denver Broncos, there are several rookies that have time to grow and may serve that time under McDaniels. In addition to offensive moves the defense of Denver may be on the course for change as well.

Although McDaniels may be known mostly for his offensive past (including playing wide receiver) it may come as a surprise that McDaniels also has a history in defense as well.

From 2002 to 2003 McDaniels was the defensive backs coach for the New England Patriots. And it may be the defensive backs that will change for Denver.

Draft picks indicate that a big change in defensive schemes and it could very well start for the defensive backs. Denver still has corner back Champ Bailey. Notable additions to the Denver Broncos defensive back field include safety Brian Dawkins.

Also in a bold trade for the first round pick of 2010, the Broncos also received CB Alphonso Smith from the Seahawks. Smith might fit right in as he holds the ACC record for most career interceptions, taking the record away from former Broncos corner, Dre Bly.

The Broncos also drafted two more defensive backs a safety and a free safety in the second and fourth round respectively.

As the 2009 season and training camp roll closer, it appears that under the new coach Josh McDaniels that the backfield of both sides of the ball may be where the biggest changes could come from last year to this year.    

Atlanta Falcons Need to Keep an Eye on Division Foes in 2009

There’s an old adage in sports that talks about taking care of your own business so good things will happen. It says that if you worry about what your competition is doing, then it can cause you to lose focus on the task at hand.

 

You’ll have to forgive the Atlanta Falcons, though, if they have trouble not keeping one eye on their competition in the NFC South Division in 2009. After all, despite all of Atlanta’s success last year in making the playoffs and posting 11 wins, the Falcons didn’t even win their division.

 

Last season, the Carolina Panthers held off the Falcons by posting a 12-4 record. And right on Atlanta’s heels in the NFC South were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 9-7 and the New Orleans Saints at 8-8. The Bucs weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until they lost their last game of the season.

 

The Falcons look to break out of their franchise rut of never having posted consecutive winning seasons by making the playoffs again this year. With the addition of All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez and a solid draft, Atlanta is poised for success.

 

But if the Falcons are going to change history, they are going to have to take care of things within their division. Here is a look at Atlanta’s competition in the NFC South and the outlook for 2009:

 

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers battled injuries to key players, but they still managed to have a successful season. The key to Carolina’s success lies at the heart of its coach, John Fox.

 

In his six years at the helm of the Panthers, Fox has managed to average almost 10 wins per season. Things should be no different in 2009, as Carolina boasts one of the best running backs in the league in DeAngelo Williams (1,515 yards and 18 TDs) and one of the best receivers in Steve Smith (78 receptions for 1,421 yards).

 

Quarterback Jake Delhomme battled injuries last season and only threw 15 touchdowns and had 12 interceptions, but he should be healthy this season. The biggest key for Carolina is going to be whether All-Pro defensive end Julius Peppers remains with the team for all of 2009.

 

Peppers has requested a trade and wants out of Carolina. Without him, the Panthers will have 14.5 fewer sacks and will lack defensive intensity. 

 

The Panthers are a little older and the uncertainty of Peppers makes them ripe for dethroning in the NFC South by the young and hungry Falcons. Look for age to catch up with Carolina in 2009 in the form of an 8-8 record.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If not for a late-season implosion, the Bucs would have won the NFC South or at least taken home a Wild Card berth. Tampa Bay lost its last four games to finish 9-7, which cost head coach Jon Gruden his job.

 

Not only did the Bucs lose Gruden, but they also lost their starting quarterback Jeff Garcia (to free agency). Add to that the fact that Tampa Bay’s top running back (Cadillac Williams) is coming off knee surgery and only played in six games last season.

 

Replacing your quarterback and having to adjust to a rookie coach in Raheem Morris isn’t the recipe for offensive success for an NFL team. Monte Kiffin, the team’s long-time defensive coordinator, also left to coach with his son at the University of Tennessee.

 

In other words, the Bucs are probably facing a learning curve season in 2009. The cupboard in Tampa Bay may be a little bare for a season or two before the playoffs are a reality.

 

New Orleans Saints

The Saints had the most potent quarterback in the NFL last season, but he didn’t have a lot of weapons with which to work. Drew Brees led the league with 5,069 passing yards and he tossed 34 TDs, but he didn’t have a lot of help from the rest of the offense.

 

That’s one of the biggest reasons that New Orleans finished a dismal 8-8. The Saints lost their best receiver, Marques Colston, in the second game and their starting tailback, Deuce McCallister, only carried the ball 107 times.

 

Pierre Thomas filled in for McCallister, but he only gained 625 yards. Former Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush was limited to 10 games last season and only had two rushing TDs.

 

The Saints were first in the NFL in passing yards per game and 28^th in rushing yards. Another problem for the Saints was the fact that they usually had no problem scoring, but they also couldn’t keep their opponents out of the end zone.

 

New Orleans must do better defensively than 23^rdin the league if they’re going to make the playoffs in 2009. Here’s betting that the Saints improve enough to take home a Wild Card spot behind the Falcons in the NFC South.

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