The NFC South: It's Anybody's Game…But Probably Not the Bucs'

in veteran linebacker Dan Morgan, and hope he can stay healthy long enough to be a factor this season.

If Williams can get the defense to take a turn for the better and stay healthy, and the league’s best passing game can mix in the run more effectively, New Orleans could also become a force in the division.

Then there’s the Bucs, who could certainly be competitive in the NFC South, but a lot of things would have to come together quickly.

For Tampa Bay, the 2009 season will depend on how quickly the team can adjust to the new coaching staff, pick up new schemes, and put the right pieces together.

If nothing else, the team’s new coordinators should make the Bucs harder to prepare for this season.

The addition of Derrick Ward and Kellen Winslow, and the return of deep threat Antonio Bryant and a healthy Cadillac Williams are all upsides for the offense, but will Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich, or Josh Freeman prove to be a reliable starter under center?

Will new leaders and impact players emerge on defense to replace a presence like Derrick Brooks? Is the Bucs’ mix of newcomers and returning starters a good fit for Jim Bates’ run contain system?

Can the Buccaneers survive a schedule that includes the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Panthers, and Patriots—all in the first seven weeks?

My guess is all these questions will be answered soon enough, but not before Tampa Bay endures some sharp growing pains in 2009.

In the end, the potential strength of the NFC South and the Bucs’ laundry list of questions present too big a barrier for Raheem Morris and company to make a run at the playoffs and pull a turnaround as impressive as Atlanta’s last season.

If Morris plays his cards right, the Bucs should start to click in the latter half of the season, and the team could be poised to turn the corner in 2010.

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