Team on the rise
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The Saints, at 3-13, had the worst record in the NFC last season and they earned every bit of it. But there's hope this year after the franchise's purgatory-like existence in 2005.
The prize of the draft, Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush, tumbled to them at No. 2. Quarterback Drew Brees arrived during free agency on the heels of the two best seasons of his career, and first-time head coach Sean Payton brings a renewed sense of possibility and a track record of offensive acumen. Even the bedraggled Superdome is on its way back, with a new roof and a new lease on its post-Katrina life.
No one should make the mistake of assuming the Saints are ready to compete for a playoff spot in the rugged NFC South, where Carolina, Tampa Bay and Atlanta all have postseason aspirations. There are too many holes remaining on defense and not enough talent on the offensive line. But like the city of New Orleans, the Saints are on the rise after hitting absolute rock bottom in every way last year.
Team in transition
ATLANTA
Figuring out which direction the Falcons are headed is never easy. The franchise has yet to have consecutive winning seasons in its 40 years of existence, and when last year's 7-4 beginning gave way to four losses in the season's last five weeks, the Falcons again wore the label of confounding underachievers.
To be sure, there's talent galore on Atlanta's roster. The running game is stout, the defensive line has a chance to be special with the acquisition of pass rusher John Abraham, and the team's glaring weakness at safety has been addressed. And then there's Number 7, quarterback Michael Vick, who can both take over a game and find ways to give it away, sometimes on the same afternoon. But until Atlanta discovers the secret of consistency and learns how to play up to its potential on most game days, it will remain a perplexing and maddening team to watch.
Coach in the spotlight
JIM MORA, ATLANTA
Carolina's John Fox and Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden did some of their best work last year, and produced 11-win, playoff-qualifying seasons in the process. And Payton is just beginning his honeymoon with the rebuilding Saints. That leaves Mora as the NFC South coach who will start 2006 under the microscope, with last year's 8-8 finish leaving a bitter taste after his acclaimed debut in 2004, when he led the Falcons to an 11-5 record and a berth in the conference title game.
Mora's intensity is his calling card, but at times it was either misdirected or became a distraction in 2005, leading even Falcons owner Arthur Blank to remind his head coach that the face of the organization can't be an angry one. With one success story and one disappointment under Mora's belt, this should be the year we find out what kind of stuff he is made of.
Impact player in the making
DEANGELO WILLIAMS, CAROLINA
Maybe we're just a little bit weary of singing Reggie Bush's praises after the long pre-draft buildup, but what if a different first-round rookie running back winds up making the biggest impact in the NFC South? Could happen.
If Bush takes a while to make his presence felt playing with and behind talented Saints veteran Deuce McAllister, that could be the opening Williams needs to steal a little attention in Charlotte. After all, Williams will be backing up DeShaun Foster, meaning he can all but count on getting first-team carries at some point this season, given Foster's track record for getting dinged. Williams gives the Panthers an elusive threat out of the backfield, and offensive coordinator Dan Henning will find ways to make early use of him.
Story to watch unfold
In a move designed to get Michael Vick to the next step as a passer and offensive catalyst, the Falcons replaced quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson with Bill Musgrave this offseason, leaving Vick's somewhat tenuous working relationship with offensive coordinator/playcaller Greg Knapp in place. Talk all you want about Vick and his unique and game-changing talent, but his accuracy and execution must improve for him to be considered a consistent force at his position.
Whether or not it's truly a West Coast offense he's being asked to run doesn't really matter. His completion percentage was a pedestrian 55.3 last year, his QB rating a sub-par 71.3. He missed way too many open receivers and he tossed almost as many picks (13) as touchdowns (15). His fifth-year numbers don't jibe with the notion that Vick is one of the game's elite quarterbacks and in the prime of his career.
Biggest splash of the offseason
Nothing in the NFC South had the impact of Southern Cal running back Bush landing in New Orleans on draft day, after the No. 1 Texans decided they could live without him and his contract demands. More than any move the Saints made this offseason, their surprise win in the Bush sweepstakes served to reenergize the team's downtrodden fan base and create momentum and anticipation for the franchise's latest incarnation. That's no small feat, given the depths the organization sunk to last year when Hurricane Katrina turned the Saints into an itinerant outfit. Bush's on-field impact in his rookie season may not match his reputation and build-up, but he already has contributed heavily to the renaissance in New Orleans.
Pay no attention to . . .
Remember Carolina's meltdown at Seattle in the NFC title game? OK, now forget it, because the Panthers are loaded again and deserve the designation of conference favorite as training camps prepare to open. You know about DeAngelo Williams being brought in to help the injury-susceptible running game and veteran No. 2 receiver Keyshawn Johnson signing on to draw some of the coverage away from all-world receiver Steve Smith. But Carolina quietly got a lot better on defense, too, adding tackles Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis in free agency. If tackle Kris Jenkins can return to form after his injury-shortened 2005, no one will run much against the Panthers, who already put pressure on passing games with their superb starting ends and cornerbacks.
Potential land mine
In his 11th NFL season, Bucs receiver Joey Galloway remarkably put together his career-best year, catching 83 passes for 1,287 yards, with 10 touchdown grabs -- the first two categories representing his personal highs. He had 96 yards or more of receiving in seven games and at one point scored seven touchdowns in a seven-game span. But Tampa Bay best be wary about counting on Galloway to repeat that kind of performance. He'll turn 35 in November, has a long history of injury problems and has only once strung together consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons (1997-98 in Seattle).
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The Saints, at 3-13, had the worst record in the NFC last season and they earned every bit of it. But there's hope this year after the franchise's purgatory-like existence in 2005.
The prize of the draft, Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush, tumbled to them at No. 2. Quarterback Drew Brees arrived during free agency on the heels of the two best seasons of his career, and first-time head coach Sean Payton brings a renewed sense of possibility and a track record of offensive acumen. Even the bedraggled Superdome is on its way back, with a new roof and a new lease on its post-Katrina life.
No one should make the mistake of assuming the Saints are ready to compete for a playoff spot in the rugged NFC South, where Carolina, Tampa Bay and Atlanta all have postseason aspirations. There are too many holes remaining on defense and not enough talent on the offensive line. But like the city of New Orleans, the Saints are on the rise after hitting absolute rock bottom in every way last year.
Team in transition
ATLANTA
Figuring out which direction the Falcons are headed is never easy. The franchise has yet to have consecutive winning seasons in its 40 years of existence, and when last year's 7-4 beginning gave way to four losses in the season's last five weeks, the Falcons again wore the label of confounding underachievers.
To be sure, there's talent galore on Atlanta's roster. The running game is stout, the defensive line has a chance to be special with the acquisition of pass rusher John Abraham, and the team's glaring weakness at safety has been addressed. And then there's Number 7, quarterback Michael Vick, who can both take over a game and find ways to give it away, sometimes on the same afternoon. But until Atlanta discovers the secret of consistency and learns how to play up to its potential on most game days, it will remain a perplexing and maddening team to watch.
Coach in the spotlight
JIM MORA, ATLANTA
Carolina's John Fox and Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden did some of their best work last year, and produced 11-win, playoff-qualifying seasons in the process. And Payton is just beginning his honeymoon with the rebuilding Saints. That leaves Mora as the NFC South coach who will start 2006 under the microscope, with last year's 8-8 finish leaving a bitter taste after his acclaimed debut in 2004, when he led the Falcons to an 11-5 record and a berth in the conference title game.
Mora's intensity is his calling card, but at times it was either misdirected or became a distraction in 2005, leading even Falcons owner Arthur Blank to remind his head coach that the face of the organization can't be an angry one. With one success story and one disappointment under Mora's belt, this should be the year we find out what kind of stuff he is made of.
Impact player in the making
DEANGELO WILLIAMS, CAROLINA
Maybe we're just a little bit weary of singing Reggie Bush's praises after the long pre-draft buildup, but what if a different first-round rookie running back winds up making the biggest impact in the NFC South? Could happen.
If Bush takes a while to make his presence felt playing with and behind talented Saints veteran Deuce McAllister, that could be the opening Williams needs to steal a little attention in Charlotte. After all, Williams will be backing up DeShaun Foster, meaning he can all but count on getting first-team carries at some point this season, given Foster's track record for getting dinged. Williams gives the Panthers an elusive threat out of the backfield, and offensive coordinator Dan Henning will find ways to make early use of him.
Story to watch unfold
In a move designed to get Michael Vick to the next step as a passer and offensive catalyst, the Falcons replaced quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson with Bill Musgrave this offseason, leaving Vick's somewhat tenuous working relationship with offensive coordinator/playcaller Greg Knapp in place. Talk all you want about Vick and his unique and game-changing talent, but his accuracy and execution must improve for him to be considered a consistent force at his position.
Whether or not it's truly a West Coast offense he's being asked to run doesn't really matter. His completion percentage was a pedestrian 55.3 last year, his QB rating a sub-par 71.3. He missed way too many open receivers and he tossed almost as many picks (13) as touchdowns (15). His fifth-year numbers don't jibe with the notion that Vick is one of the game's elite quarterbacks and in the prime of his career.
Biggest splash of the offseason
Nothing in the NFC South had the impact of Southern Cal running back Bush landing in New Orleans on draft day, after the No. 1 Texans decided they could live without him and his contract demands. More than any move the Saints made this offseason, their surprise win in the Bush sweepstakes served to reenergize the team's downtrodden fan base and create momentum and anticipation for the franchise's latest incarnation. That's no small feat, given the depths the organization sunk to last year when Hurricane Katrina turned the Saints into an itinerant outfit. Bush's on-field impact in his rookie season may not match his reputation and build-up, but he already has contributed heavily to the renaissance in New Orleans.
Pay no attention to . . .
Remember Carolina's meltdown at Seattle in the NFC title game? OK, now forget it, because the Panthers are loaded again and deserve the designation of conference favorite as training camps prepare to open. You know about DeAngelo Williams being brought in to help the injury-susceptible running game and veteran No. 2 receiver Keyshawn Johnson signing on to draw some of the coverage away from all-world receiver Steve Smith. But Carolina quietly got a lot better on defense, too, adding tackles Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis in free agency. If tackle Kris Jenkins can return to form after his injury-shortened 2005, no one will run much against the Panthers, who already put pressure on passing games with their superb starting ends and cornerbacks.
Potential land mine
In his 11th NFL season, Bucs receiver Joey Galloway remarkably put together his career-best year, catching 83 passes for 1,287 yards, with 10 touchdown grabs -- the first two categories representing his personal highs. He had 96 yards or more of receiving in seven games and at one point scored seven touchdowns in a seven-game span. But Tampa Bay best be wary about counting on Galloway to repeat that kind of performance. He'll turn 35 in November, has a long history of injury problems and has only once strung together consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons (1997-98 in Seattle).