Champs charge forward
Brady, Bucs on repeat bid: An ‘entirely new challenge’
ATLANTA — Mike Evans endured four last-place finishes in the NFC South in his first six seasons with the Buccaneers before last season’s breakthrough Super Bowl championship earned the franchise longawaited respect.
The former doormats of the division are now envied by every other NFL team.
“I’ve been waiting for this for seven years now,” said Evans, a first-round pick in 2014. “... When we went to Pittsburgh my rookie year, we wanted to be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now everybody wants to be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That’s what you want.”
Tom Brady and the Bucs aren’t the defending division champions. The Saints won their fourth consecutive division title at 12-4, one game ahead of the Bucs, who made the playoffs as a wild card.
The retirement of Saints quarterback Drew Brees only makes the Bucs a stronger favorite in the division.
First-year Falcons coach Arthur Smith, the former Titans offensive coordinator, says the Saints’ four-year run atop the division deserves respect.
“I know Drew Brees is retired, but they’ve won a lot of football games and sustained success,” Smith said.
Fresh start
Bucs coach Bruce Arians has reminded his players they can’t lean on last year’s run of eight consecutive wins to the championship. Arians relayed a simple message on the first day of training camp in July.
“Don’t assume anything. We’re starting from scratch. That was last year’s team,” Arians said.
Brady, 44 and who had offseason knee surgery, is doing his part to make sure complacency isn’t an issue. Even though the Bucs return all 22 starters, Brady has emphasized the challenge ahead.
It’s difficult to repeat as Super Bowl champions, but Brady knows the path. No team has repeated since Brady led the 2003 and 2004 Patriots to consecutive titles.
“We have to be able to create our own future, and that’s really about attitude, effort, and preparation,” Brady said. “Nothing about last year is going to carry over into this year . ... It’s an entirely new challenge.”
Quarterback reset
Brees’ retirement and the Panthers’ acquisition of Sam Darnold from the Jets created quarterback turnover in half of the division’s teams. Brady returns for his second season with the Bucs, while Matt Ryan, 36, enters his 14th season with the Falcons.
Jameis Winston has been named the successor to Brees.
Believe in Payton
Saints coach Sean Payton must show he can win without Brees. GM Mickey Loomis says that point has already been proven.
The Saints were 8-1 without Brees the last two seasons, including 5-0 with Teddy Bridgewater when Brees was out with a thumb injury in 2019. The Saints were 3-1 with Taysom Hill at quarterback while Brees was out with injured ribs last season.
Hill is expected to have a role behind Winston this season. Loomis said Payton will find a way to keep the Saints winning.
“Sean and his staff will adjust accordingly,” Loomis said. “I think they’ve been fantastic doing that over the years.”
Spotlight on Darnold
With a healthy Christian McCaffrey at running back, the Panthers have renewed cause for optimism.
The Panthers’ playoff hopes rest firmly on the right arm of Darnold. Darnold is looking for a fresh start after going 13-25 in three seasons as Jets starter. Panthers second-year coach Matt Rhule has gone out of his way to avoid putting pressure on Darnold, emphasizing repeatedly that his role in the offense will be to avoid mistakes.
Darnold has weapons to work with in 1,000-yard receivers D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson returning along with promising rookie Terrace Marshall Jr.
Darnold’s best asset is McCaffrey, who’s healthy after missing 13 games last season due to injuries. McCaffrey, who caught 106 passes in 2018 and 116 in 2019, figures to be the primary check-down target and will handle the bulk of the running game.
Learning to fly
With wide receiver Julio Jones traded to the Titans and a new leadership team of Smith and GM Terry Fontenot making decisions, the Falcons’ 2016 Super Bowl season is a fading memory.
A total rebuild likely would have meant the team would have used the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft to select a quarterback. Instead, tight end Kyle Pitts was the choice and Ryan returns for at least one or two more seasons.
Ryan has a capable lead receiver in Calvin Ridley. The big offseason addition was running back Mike Davis, who filled in for McCaffrey with the Panthers last season.