GNB Sports NFC South Halfway Review and Preview

Atlanta Falcons (5-2)

While they haven't received a large amount of media coverage, the Falcons have quietly pieced together a very impressive first half to the season.

A year after posting consecutive winning seasons for the first time in franchise history, the Falcons look like legitimate playoff contenders in a conference that, like the rest of the league, has no clear frontrunners.

Their offense as a whole isn't highly explosive, but is very well balanced. Matt Ryan has a plus-7 touchdown to interception differential and a QB rating hovering around the nineties. Michael Turner is among the top 10 running backs in the league once again, and receiver Roddy White leads the league in both yards and receptions.

They aren't as strong on the other side of the ball, ranking close to the bottom in the NFL in terms of total defense, but they have a turnover differential of plus-5 that is fourth in the NFC. The Falcons have remained undefeated at home this season, but have only played one division game, a hard-fought overtime victory at New Orleans.

With "Matty Ice" and his Falcons playing at the level which saw them finish 11-5 two seasons ago, Atlanta has a good chance to return to postseason action. The Falcons, however, have yet to feel the full brunt of their divisional schedule, which will see them play four games against their NFC South rivals in the final five weeks of the season.  Look for the Falcons to finish with a win total of around 9-11, and grab a Wild Card spot.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2)

With five wins to their name (after just three all of last season), allowing them to be in the thick of the NFC South race, it is safe to say that the Bucs could be the biggest surprise of the season.

Picked by many to finish in the basement of the NFC yet again, Tampa seems to have undergone massive improvement with second-year coach Raheem Morris on the sidelines and the young Josh Freeman under center.

As far as QB ratings go, Freeman is merely average, but he hasn't made mistakes, throwing only three picks on the season. He's been given solid assistance from his defense, which has recorded league-best totals in interceptions (14) and turnover differential (plus-8).

The Bucs are undefeated on the road so far, extending a streak of five road victories stretching back to last season. They haven't been as impressive at home, experiencing both of their losses in Tampa.

Those two games (against the Steelers and Saints) were blowouts, and marked the only times they have played against teams with winning records.

The Buccaneers' impressive record may be the result of a largely mediocre schedule, but the good news is that it doesn't get much harder. They still have four divisional games to play, three of them against Atlanta and New Orleans.

With the Bucs playing with energy and enthusiasm (and the NFC South having a tendency to be won by the team who finished bottom the year before), expect the Bucs to keep playing well and notch the 10-12 wins needed to win the division.

New Orleans Saints (5-3)

A year after they were at the center of one of the NFL's greatest Cinderella stories, the Saints are finding that winning the Super Bowl the second time around is a slightly more difficult task, as they've struggled to find the form that saw them go 13-0 to start last season.

In terms of pure statistics, they aren't having too bad of a season. They are ninth in the league in total offense and fifth in passing, although the loss of Reggie Bush early in the season has consigned their rushing attack to 29th in the league.

Their defense wasn't particularly intimidating last year, but it could be counted on to make the big plays when it mattered most.

That isn't happening as often this year. The team's turnover differential is at minus-5, among the worst in the league. Drew Brees has struggled noticeably more this season as well, as he simultaneously leads the league in TDs (16) and picks (11), and has thrown many of the latter during crucial moments of games.

The Saints are 2-1 in the division, with a tough overtime loss to the Falcons and an ugly win over the Panthers in consecutive games at the Superdome. Their second division win, on the other hand, was perhaps their most impressive game of the season, a thrashing of the Bucs in Tampa. 

The Saints seem to be suffering from a mild Super Bowl hangover. While they are among the best teams in the NFC on sheer talent alone, they seem to be struggling to string together games.

With the Bucs and Falcons having impressive seasons as well, look for the Saints to get 9-11 wins and finish third in the division while slipping into the last Wild Card spot in the NFC.

Carolina Panthers (1-6)

The Panthers ended last season on a very promising note, getting a late run of good results to end up with a .500 record. Panthers fans would have hoped for the team to turn a corner this year, but they seem to have regressed instead.

With Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen both fighting for an unsettled starting job at QB, the Panthers have the worst passing attack in the NFC. Their ground game, despite the presence of the immensely talented Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, is only 14th in the NFC.

Their defense hasn't played badly, ranking fourth in the league, but they haven't been able to make the big plays when needed, a fact reflected in a minus-10 turnover differential that is the worst in the league. Much of the blame for that differential, however, has to be shifted on to the offense, who have a league-high 13 giveaways. 

The Panthers haven't really been blown out of any of their games (their biggest losing margin has been 17 points), but haven't been very competitive either. The most Carolina fans can hope for from this season is playing spoiler to the playoff hopes of the rest of the division, three-to-five wins and a top five pick in the 2011 draft.

Prediction

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

Atlanta Falcons (10-6)

New Orleans Saints (9-7)

Carolina Panthers (3-13)