2011 NFL Predictions: Picking the Final Order for the NFC South

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The NFC South is the best division in football.  Sorry, NFC East and AFC East.  Last season it was the only division in football with 10 wins. 

To recap last year.  The Atlanta Falcons were NFC South champions as they posted an NFC best record of 13-3.  The Falcons are led by rising star quarterback Matt Ryan. 

The Saints made the playoffs following their 2009 Super Bowl run with a 10-win season.  However, they were shocked by the Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs.

The Buccaneers and Josh Freeman surprised everyone by having their best record since 2005.  Coach Raheem Morris is slowly building a stable franchise that will compete for years.

The Panthers were a disaster as their season resulted in only two wins.  They got the top pick in the 2011 NFL draft with which they selected Heisman winner Cam Newton.  New coach Ron Rivera brings optimism to a team that has never had back-to-back winning seasons in franchise history.

The NFC South is one of the most exciting divisions in football.  Here is how I see the division playing out.

No. 4 Carolina Panthers (6-10)

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Schedule

Home: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Minnesota, Washington, Jacksonville, Tennessee

Away: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Arizona, Houston, Indianapolis

Key Additions via Free Agency, Draft, Trades, Extensions

QB Cam Newton, QB Derek Anderson, RB DeAngelo Williams, TE Greg Olsen, TE Jeremy Shockey, WR Legadu Naanee, DE Charles Johnson, DT Terrell McClain, DT Sione Fiu, LB Thomas Davis, LB Jon Beason, LB James Anderson, LB Omar Gaither, K Olindo Mare

Key Departures

CB Richard Marshall (Cardinals), QB Matt Moore (Dolphins), TE Jeff King (Cardinals), TE Dante Rosario (Broncos), DT Derek Landri (Eagles), DE Tyler Brayton, K John Kasay

2011 Season Outlook

Clausen or Newton?  Currently, that is the big question in Carolina Panthers training camp. However, there really isn't a question on who should be the starter. 

Most fans want to see Newton because they saw what Clausen did last season and it wasn't pretty.  Fans in Carolina want to see Newton and will.  You don't draft a guy No. 1 overall and sit him behind a second-year pro who is 1-9 in his career.  The future is now for Carolina and Cam will be the starter.  Clausen looked lost in his first season and was part of one of the worst offenses in NFL history. 

Last season the Panthers decided it was time to rebuild and set off a youth movement.  They parted ways with longtime veterans Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers, Nail Diggs, Muhsin Muhammad, Brad Hoover and Maake Kemoeatu.

The Panthers also were hit by the injury bug and were left with a very inexperienced team.  The young Panthers are not short of talent as they boast one of the best running back tandems and an elite group of linebackers. The key for the Panthers is depth and the quarterback position.

Mark my words, Carolina will surprise a lot of teams this year if they get solid quarterback play.  However, they are just simply too young and inexperienced to make a run at this deep, competitive division.  Expect the Panthers to improve on their two-win season, but fall short of the playoffs. 

No. 3 Tampa Bay Bucs (10-6)

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Schedule

Home: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis

Away: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Green Bay, Minnesota, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Tennessee

Key Additions via Free Agency, Draft, Trades, Extensions

DE Adrian Clayborn, DE Tim Crowder, DE DaQuan Bowers, K Connor Barth, LB Mason Foster, P Michael Koenen

Key Departures

RB Cadillac Williams (Rams), TE John Gilmore (Steelers), WR Maurice Stovall (Lions), LB Barrett Ruud (Titans).

2011 Season Outlook

This offseason the Tampa Bay Bucs were supposed to be big spenders.  That simply did not happen.  The Bucs stayed the course and didn't have any big free-agent signings besides their rookie draft picks.  The Bucs are still well below the $120 million salary cap. 

In the new collective bargaining, there will be a "cap floor" in which a team must spend around 90 percent of the salary cap.  Thus, the Bucs will have to spend their money sometime in the next two years.

Coach Raheem Morris has elected not to sign any big names and allow his young team to continue to gel and get better.  He has what every great team needs: a great quarterback. 

Josh Freeman burst onto the scene last season with one of the best seasons in Tampa Bay history.  Freeman threw for 25 touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions. Freeman is a natural leader who strived late in games. 

Joining Freeman on the offensive side are second-year players Mike Williams and LaGarrette Blount, who both had terrific rookie campaigns.  The Bucs also got better on the defensive front when they drafted Adrian Clayborn and DaQuan Bowers.  Bowers was a steal in the draft.  A projected top-10 pick, he fell to pick No. 51 due to injury concerns.

The Bucs are very fundamentally sound and will be a tough team to beat.  With that being said, I think they still need a couple more playmakers in order to jump over the Saints and the Falcons in this division.  Look for the Bucs to have a second straight winning season, but fail to make the playoffs.  No doubt about it, though, the Bucs have a bright future.

No. 2 Atlanta Falcons (11-5)

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Schedule

Home: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Tennessee

Away: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, Houston, Indianapolis

Key Additions via Free Agency, Draft, Trades, Extensions

WR Julio Jones, RB Jason Snelling, CB Brent Grimes, OG Justin Blalock, OT Tyson Clabo, DE Ray Edwards, RB Jacquizz Rodgers, WR Eric Reems, K Matt Bryant

Key Departures

RB Jerious Norwood (Rams), DE Jamaal Anderson (Colts), WR Michael Jenkins (Vikings), OG Harvey Dahl (Rams), P Michael Koenen (Bucs)

2011 Season Outlook

The Atlanta Falcons are almost everyone's pick to win the NFC South.  Rightfully so, they pretty much return an identical team that had the best record in the NFC last season.  The Falcons would have made it to the Super Bowl if it were not for Aaron Rodgers' magnificent performance in the playoffs last season.

The Falcons are led by Matt "Matty Ice" Ryan, who continues to get better every year.   The Falcons big offseason move came in the draft when they traded five picks to move up and select dynamic wide receiver Julio Jones.  Jones will start alongside All-Pro Roddy White.  Add star running back Michael Turner and tight end Tony Gonzalez and this is one of the best offensive teams in the NFL.

The Falcons also return a defense that was very opportunistic and finished fifth in the NFL in points per game allowed.  Coach Mike Smith and his staff have the components of a Super Bowl contender.  The  Falcons will make the playoffs but will fall short of the division crown, as the New Orleans Saints will get back on top as NFC South Champions.

No. 1 New Orleans Saints (11-5)

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Schedule

Home: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Detroit, New York Giants, Houston, Indianapolis

Away: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Minnesota, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Tennessee

Key Additions via Free Agency, Draft, Trades, Extensions

DT Shaun Rogers, RB Pierre Thomas, RB Mark Ingram, RB Darren Sproles, K Garrett Hartley, WR Lance Moore, LB Scott Shanle, LB Danny Clark, LB Clint Ingram, DE Cameron Jordan, OT Alex Barron, DT Aubrayo Franklin, C Olin Kruetz, CB Fabian Washington

Key Departures

C Jonathan Goodwin (49ers), DE Tony Hargrove (Eagles), DE Jimmy Wilkerson (Seahawks), LS Jason Kyle, RB Reggie Bush  (Dolphins)

2011 Season Outlook

The New Orleans Saints came into last season with a target on their back as the defending Super Bowl Champions.  The Saints are looking for their third straight multi-win season.  While the Eagles were the offseason winners by a landslide, the Saints also had a very strong offseason.

The Saints added former Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and the explosive Darren Sproles to the backfield.  The team traded Reggie Bush after it became apparent he was not worth his contract.  Ingram and Sproles join Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas in the backfield.  This is one of the deepest backfields in the NFL.

Led by captain Drew Brees, the Saints also return all of their receivers (Colston, Moore, Henderson, Meachem).  Stepping in for Jeremy Shockey (Carolina) will be another University of Miami tight end, the athletic Jimmy Graham.  Yes, the Saints' offense will be very, very good.  However, the key for this team is the new and improved defense.

Last season, Marshawn Lynch shredded the Saints' run defense in route to their playoff victory.  That was a huge need this offseason.  Thus, the Saints have stocked up on being able to stop the run.  They signed star nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin from the 49ers, added the large Shaun Rogers and used their first-round pick on pass rushing end Cameron Jordan.  These three will pair with Sedrick Ellis, Will Smith and Alex Brown, potentially making this group one of the best defensive lines in the conference.

The  Saints also have a very good secondary in Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Michael Jenkins and Roman Harper.  If the Saints can return to forcing turnovers, this should be one of the NFC's best teams.  I think there new-found defense will lead them to the division title in a close race over the Falcons.