NFL Preseason: 10 Biggest Storylines in the NFC South

The NFC South just might be the most intriguing conference to watch in 2011 because of all the great teams and storylines that have emerged this past offseason.

The Atlanta Falcons were the dominant team a year ago, but the New Orleans Saints just might be the deepest team in the league. This isn’t a division dominated by only two teams, either, as somebody forgot to tell the Tampa Bay Bucs that they’re supposed to be stepping stones.

As for the drama surrounding the division, it just so happens that the worst team in the league last year, the Carolina Panthers, drafted a player named Cam Newton. You might have heard of him, he’s considered as a project like Tim Tebow and won the Heisman trophy last year. Here’s the top compelling storylines to follow this year in the NFC South.

Will the Atlanta Falcons Be the Dominant Team in the Division Once Again?

The Atlanta Falcons are the defending NFC South champions and hosted the best record in the league last year with 13 wins and only three losses.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, they had to face the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the playoffs and were no match for Aaron Rodgers' aerial assault.

The Falcons are back in full form with Matt Ryan, AKA “Matty Ice”, leading the team. The Falcons will pick up where they left off and will be a force to mess with in the NFC South. 

Is Josh Freeman Poised for a Breakout Season?

Josh Freeman improved dramatically last year and led the Buccaneers to 10-6 record.

Had the NFC South not been as deep as it was last year, the Bucs would have made the playoffs, and who knows what they could have accomplished.

Freeman’s numbers his rookie year in 2009 were 1,855 yards passing, 10 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, while last year he accounted for 3,451 yards passing, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Who’s to say that Freeman won’t have another dramatic leap in his performance come the start of the season?

How Will the Saints Fare Without Reggie Bush?

The Saints did lose a valuable piece to their offense in Reggie Bush, and while Darren Sproles hasn’t looked overly impressive in preseason, they’ll be just fine without him.

I expect Sproles to get back to his old San Diego ways and add the dimension to the offense that the Saints will be missing without Bush.

As far as running back depth goes, I think the Saints will be just fine with Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and highly-regarded rookie running back Mark Ingram.

Can Cam Newton Resurrect the Panthers Offense?

Saying that the Carolina Panthers had an unsuccessful season last year really doesn’t do it justice.

The Panthers only won two games a year ago, and, to make matters worst, Andrew Luck decided to return for his senior year of college.

It was a given that the Panthers were going to draft him up until Luck decided to stay, and the Panthers drafted Cam Newton instead. So we enter the 2011 season with the start of the Newton era, and if he can somewhat replicate what he did at Auburn, the Panthers will be just fine this season.

Obviously, I don’t expect him to have those kind of numbers, but Newton has shown some promise thus far in preseason.

The Panthers have yet to determine a starter at quarterback with the battle between Newton and Jimmy Clausen taking place.

Should Newton start, which I believe he will, the Panthers will need him to bring some stability to a suffering offense.

Is the Atlanta/New Orleans Rivalry Becoming One of Football’s Best?

This rivalry gets better every year, and I love it. There were the "Hail Mary" games years ago up to when the two met in the Saints homecoming Super Bowl Game in 2006.

The rivalry has always been fierce. When these two play, fights break out, there’s a more aggressive tempo and it just feels like the game means more to each team.

Ryan was stellar at home last year again, and has a great record in Georgia, but the Saints were the only team to knock the Falcons off at home during the regular season. In fact, the Saints are the only team to defeat Ryan at home as his home record for the past two years is 13-1.

I expect the rivalry to pick up even more this year with both teams being advertised as among the NFC’s elite. 

Is Julio Jones the Next Breakout Player in the Division?

Ever since Julio Jones arrived on Alabama’s campus back in 2008, he was a star, and don’t expect his star to burn out anytime soon now that he’s in the NFL.

He looked phenomenal against the Dolphins this preseason, and he’ll make this Falcon offense that more dangerous.

The Falcons now can stretch the field vertically on both sides with Jones on one side and Roddy White on the opposite. This will make the Falcons extremely difficult to defend because of their strong run game and Ryan’s decisive, accurate delivery.

Is Tampa Bay Ready to Take the Next Step?

Nobody saw the Bucs coming last year, and that’s really a credit to Raheem Morris and his staff. The Bucs were the surprise team in the NFC last year, but can they take the next step and conquer Atlanta and New Orleans?

The Bucs were 1-3 against the Falcons and the Saints last year, and they’re going to have to do better than that to win a loaded NFC South.

The Bucs are a young group and seem to have found a star in the making at the running back position with LeGarrette Blount, so let’s see if he and Freeman can get something going early for the Bucs.

As for the defensive side of the ball, the Bucs improved their pass rush tremendously by drafting both Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers.

Tampa Bay is ready to do big things, so the other teams in the division better buckle their chin straps.

Will the Panthers Be More Successful Under Ron Rivera?

I’ve already expressed how awful the Carolina Panthers were a year ago, and it’s safe to say that Ron Rivera isn’t walking into a pretty situation for his first-ever head coaching job in the NFL.

Rivera certainly has his work cut out for him, but he can get things turned around. You have two young quarterbacks, two dynamic running backs, one of the best receivers in the game, and an offensive line and defense that need a little work.

But it still can be done. In the NFL a team can be as bad as the Panthers were last year and then turn out to be the surprise team the following year. Just ask the Bucs.

Will the Saints Return to Their 2009 Form?

So far this preseason, the Saints have showed signs of the 2009 team and signs from an all-around struggling team last year.

For the Saints, it all comes down to how healthy the squad can stay. If this team stays healthy, they can win the division, even though it’s not going to be easy.

Drew Brees has to play like he did in 2009, and the defense has to play like it did that year also. The Saints won’t be able to afford to play defensively like they did against the Seahawks and cause another “ground-shaking moment.” 

The NFC South Is the League’s Toughest Division.

While the AFC North might have teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, who are emerging as a legitimate contender, the NFC South is where it’s at.

The division’s third-best team last year, Tampa Bay Bucs, had a better record than any team in the NFC West.

I’m sure someone is typing down below in the comment section about how the Seahawks defeated the Saints, but I’m strictly talking records from a year ago.

I expect the Falcons, Saints and Bucs to all be fantastic this year and have a dramatic race to the finish to be named NFC South champions. The Panthers will be better this year, and the NFC South will be the best division in football.