Saints, Falcons, Panthers headline tough division
Associated Press
Recent history would indicate that the NFC South is among the NFL’s strongest divisions.
Three of its four teams – New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina – made the playoffs last season. The Falcons are only two seasons removed from an overtime loss in the Super Bowl.
Yet, in today’s NFL, fortunes have been known to vacillate widely from one year to the next.
“Obviously, there is parity in our league,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “What I mean by that is, teams very quickly can improve themselves in the division. You see that each year.”
Payton has urged his players to take the approach that they are “starting from square one and it’s an entirely different year.”
Only an unlikely 61-yard touchdown pass play by the Vikings as time expired prevented the Saints from going to Philadelphia for the NFC title game.
Much of New Orleans’ success stemmed from young players – namely running back Alvin Kamara and cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the 2017 offensive and defensive rookie award winners.
Here are some other NFC South story lines in 2018:
Elder statesman
For all of the Saints’ promising youth, their most important player still might be their eldest: 39-year-old Drew Brees.
There’s little evidence of a drop-off yet. Last season he completed an NFLrecord 72 percent of his passes and his eight interceptions were his lowest since throwing seven with the Chargers in 2004.
The good news for New Orleans is the entire offensive line is intact after strong showings in both the running and passing games in 2017.
Star treatment
The Falcons have taken measures to make sure two key playmakers, wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman, are healthy to start the season. Neither played in a preseason game.
Jones said he was focused on his health when he missed mandatory minicamp. He had minor surgery on his left foot after the 2016 season and had two ankle injuries, plus injuries to his back, ribs, thumb and knee last season. Even so, he had 88 catches for 1,444 yards and three touchdowns.
Another gear
The Panthers sought to get faster in the offseason to compete with the Saints, who beat them three times last season, including in the wild-card round.
They’ve added speed at wide receiver, trading for Torrey Smith, signing free agent Jarius Wright and drafting D.J. Moore from Maryland in the first round.
Carolina also went in the Saints’ backyard to get help on defense, drafting LSU cornerback Donte Jackson – considered one of the fastest players in college a year ago – in the second round.
Taking on water
The Bucs lost 10 of 13 following a 2-1 start a year ago, missing the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.
Their chances of escaping the division cellar and ending the long drought will be impacted by how they play without QB Jameis Winston, who’ll miss the first three games while serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.