Life In The NFC South

Whether it's the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers or even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 2009 New Orleans Saints will not be able to take a breather in their division.

As an example as to how strong this division is, the 2008 Saints team, along with its' No. 1 rated offense, finished last in the NFC South with an 8-8 record.

The only other division to have this on their 2008 resume is the NFC East which boasts some of the most feared teams in the league.

The good news for the Saints however, is the "last to first" trend that has popped up over the last few years.

The 2006 New Orleans Saints and the 2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers both finished first in the NFC South after finishing last the previous season. Even the 2008 Atlanta Falcons, who finished last in 2007, made a run for first place only to fall short of winning the division with a 11-5 record to the Carolina Panthers.

NFC South fans might find some unfamiliar faces on the sidelines this year. The Buccaneers will no longer have "Chucky", former head coach John Gruden, roaming the field and harassing officials. General manager Mark Dominik and new head coach Raheem Morris are starting fresh with a new direction. An obvious priority for the Bucs was quarterback.

Previous head coach John Gruden was known for being indecisive at times with his starting quarterbacks. Raheem Morris has been quoted as saying "he is now married" to newly drafted Buc, former Kansas state quarterback Josh Freeman.

The Carolina Panthers have steered clear of any wholesale changes like the Bucs especially after finishing the 2008 campaign 12-4. The major change comes on the defensive side of the ball.

Ron Meeks takes over at defensive coordinator after a seven year stint with the Indianapolis Colts. However, the great mystery looming over the defense is where and how will Pro-Bowl defensive end, Julius Peppers, play.

Although the trade rumors have died down, it is no secret that Peppers is unhappy in Carolina.

Jake Delhomme is also a question mark for this team on offense. With a dynamic running back duo consisting of Johnathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, along with Pro-Bowl WR Steve Smith, Delhomme must step up as a leader for the Panthers to be legitimate Super Bowl Contenders.

The final divisional opponent of the Saints are the Atlanta Falcons, their rivals.

The Falcons have had a major face-lift last offseason after a year of turmoil, starting with former quarterback Michael Vick's incarceration for financing an illegal dogfighting ring. Second year quarterback Matt Ryan silenced the Falcons' critics when he led the team to a 11-5 record in his rookie season.

The team also features stars such as former San Diego backup Michael Turner and Wide receiver Roddy White who caught for over 1,000 yards during the 2008 season. Coach Mike Smith is hoping that there will be no sophomore slump for the wonder-kid Matt Ryan.

As for the Saints, the road to the playoffs goes through these three teams.

Drew Brees and company know that if they want to play come January, they must first take care of business at home as well as on the road against their divisional opponents. 

Sean Payton will be looking for a breakout year from his team as the hot seat becomes a little more uncomfortable for him. The black and gold must all be on the same page if they expect to win the division.

It will be harder said then done considering the level of play in the NFC South.

As the four teams know it, life in the south isn't always that easy.