Breaking Down the Buffalo Bills 2009 Schedule Part 3: NFC South

(Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Best Case Scenario: 10 to 12 wins, NFCS title/wild card, deep playoff run
Worst Case Scenario: 6 to 9 wins, no playoffs
What I expect: 8-8, no playoffs

2) Atlanta Falcons

2008 Results: 11-5, 2nd place NFCS, No. 5 seed, 1st round loss at No. 4 Arizona

Key Additions: Peria Jerry, William Moore, Tony Gonzalez, Mike Peterson

Key Losses: Todd Weiner, Keith Brooking, Michael Boley, Lawyer Malloy, Marcus Pollard, Wayne Gandy

Have they improved from 2008 to 2009?

Anytime you add an HOF player that still has gas in the tank you would deem that an improvement, but given their schedule in 2009 and all sorts of holes on defense, I believe they took a step backward even if Matt Ryan takes a step forward and avoids the dreaded sophomore slump.

Still have questions about: OL, DT, LB, Safety, DB

The key to their season: Matt Ryan doing his best impersonation of Peyton Manning and taking his game to next level to outscore teams week after week in shootouts.

Also, Mike Smith will have to build on his impressive rookie coaching campaign to compensate for a lack of talent on defense.

Atlanta has never posted back to back winning seasons in their entire franchise history, so that’s a good motivation point for Smith and his staff to utilize as a team that will not sneak up on anybody in 2009.

Considering the Falcons have the AFC East and NFC East on their schedule, Smith should win "the coach of the decade" award if they can manage to post a winning record and make to the playoffs in consecutive years.

Best Case Scenario: 10 or 11 wins, NFCS Title/ Wild card, deep playoff run

Worst Case Scenario: 5 to 9 wins, no playoffs

What I expect: 7-9, no playoffs

3) Tampa Bay

2008 Results: 9-7, 3rd place NFCS, no playoffs

Key Additions: Kellen Winslow, Josh Freeman, Derrick Ward, Angelo Crowell, Byron Leftwich, Raheem Morris (New Coach), Mike Nugent

Key Losses: John Gruden, Derrick Brooks, Ike Hilliard, Warrick Dunn, Cato June, Joey Galloway, Phillip Buchanan, Jovan Haye, Jeff Garcia,  Will Allen

Have they improved from 2008 to 2009?

Definitely not. After parting ways with a Super Bowl winning coach and purging the roster of older, high paid Free Agents, one word can sum up the 2009 Bucs: REBUILDING.

I look for this team to return to the good old days of the 1980’s when they were the "Putrid Pirates" as opposed to the "Pewter Pirates".

Still have questions about: QB, WR, OL, DT, DE, LB, S, DB.

The key to their season:  Byron Leftwich emerging from camp and having the type of resurgence that Chad Pennington had in Miami last year.

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