NFL – 2010 Preview NFC South 2010
- Drew Brees is very capable of leading his team back to the Super Bowl
New Orleans
With a little luck on the injury-side of things, the defending Super Bowl champions are poised to win it all again, a rarity these days. But they even strengthened themselves in the draft with Miami tight end Jimmy Graham, a former basketball standout drawing similarities to Antonio Gates.
The Saints’ roster is loaded with players in their primes and shows no signs of slowing down and Coach Payton has done one of the best makeover jobs in league history for this long-sorry franchise.
Drew Brees had an amazing season at the helm of a killer offense, but he does it with more than an ability to read the defense and deliver the ball quickly to the open receiver which is spread among a wide range of backs, tight ends and wideouts. Brees is a throwback, setting the tone on the practice field, in the huddle and locker room with his leadership and tireless work ethic.
Defensively under coordinator Gregg Williams, the Saints improved dramatically in giveaway-takeaway ratio, always looming large as a key statistic. Williams’ point man on the field is the undersized but roaming playmaker Jonathan Vilma, the middle linebacker. Behind him are Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter, with their speedy, athleticism and superb in man-to-man coverage, are perhaps one of the best corner units in the league.
Look for New Orleans to still be in the hunt come late January.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Thu, Sep 9 Minnesota 8:30 PM
2 Mon, Sep 20 at San Francisco 8:30 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 Atlanta 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 Carolina 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 at Arizona 4:05 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 Cleveland 1:00 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 Pittsburgh 8:20 PM
9 Sun, Nov 7 at Carolina 1:00 PM
10 BYE
11 Sun, Nov 21 Seattle 4:05 PM
12 Thu, Nov 25 at Dallas 4:15 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 St. Louis 4:05 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 at Baltimore 1:00 PM
16 Mon, Dec 27 at Atlanta 8:30 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
IF he can stay healthy, Michael Turner is a force
Atlanta
– Injuries combined with a difficult schedule saw the Falcons take a bit of a dive last year despite completing back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history (42 years).
One key for a better year is shoring up the defense to go with a powerful offense. The Falcons used their first-round draft pick on Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon
and signed free agent cornerback Dunta Robinson. That should help improve a unit ranked 28th in the NFL against the pass in 2009 (242 yards per game).
Atlanta plays well against New Orleans and look for Matt Ryan to bounce back from nasty turf toe problems and turn up the scoring punch. He has future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez to throw to and Michael Turner to hand off to. Turner was coming off of a Pro Bowl, 1,699-yard effort the year before but an enduring high ankle sprain sidelined him most of the last half of the season. Jerious Norwood provides speed and fullback Ovie Mughelli is a top level blocker.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 Arizona 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 at New Orleans 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 San Francisco 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 at Cleveland 1:00 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 at Philadelphia 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 Cincinnati 1:00 PM
8 BYE
9 Sun, Nov 7 Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
10 Thu, Nov 11 Baltimore 8:20 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 at St. Louis 4:05 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 Green Bay 1:00 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 at Carolina 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 at Seattle 4:05 PM
16 Mon, Dec 27 New Orleans 8:30 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 Carolina 1:00 PM
The left foot of veteran John Kasay will be an even bigger part of the Panther offense
Carolina
– The .500 ball club, after a 12–4 year in 2008, seems in a transition phase thus unlikely for a playoff run. Gone are anchors of each side of the ball, Jake Delhomme and Julius Peppers.
With lower expectations, coach Fox, now in his ninth season at the Panther helm, will employ younger players and hope to move under the radar.
Quarterback is up for grabs, including Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen who came gift-wrapped in the second round. Will he start?
Offensively the team’s strength are the running backs DeAngelo Williams, a Pro Bowler last season, and the team rushing leader, Jonathan Stewart. They are enjoying the benefits of operating behind a great offensive line led by center Ryan Kalil, left tackle Jordan Gross and right tackle Jeff Otah
Defensively, Carolina will be hard pressed to get pressure on the ball with Peppers gone.
It might be a case this year of three yards and a cloud of dust with lots of field goals by kicker John Kasay, the last original Panther from the 1995 expansion club, who at age 40 is still very good from 40 yards and in.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 at NY Giants 1:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 Cincinnati 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 at New Orleans 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 Chicago 1:00 PM
6 BYE
7 Sun, Oct 24 San Francisco 1:00 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 at St. Louis 1:00 PM
9 Sun, Nov 7 New Orleans 1:00 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 Baltimore 1:00 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 at Cleveland 1:00 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 at Seattle 4:15 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 Atlanta 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 Arizona 1:00 PM
16 Thu, Dec 23 at Pittsburgh 8:20 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 at Atlanta 1:00 PM
Bucs will need to lean on rookie Gerald McCoy sooner rather than later
Tampa Bay
The 3-13 Buccaneers are all about youth. Youngsters will get plenty of playing time to prove themselves. With Warren Sapp long gone, it is hoped that third overall pick, Gerald McCoy from Oklahoma, will be the nucleus to regenerate a tough defense the franchise has been known for. Tackle Brian Price and middle linebacker Barrett Ruud also show lots of promise.
On the other side of the ball, another youngster is being counted on to deliver now. Quarterback Josh Freeman tossed 10 TDs, but also had 18 picks in just nine starts.
Freeman won’t have the luxury of the Panthers QB in who he hands off to as Cadillac Williams has been injury-plagued and Derrick Ward, an expensive free agent signing from the Giants, has not earned his $17 million so far.
Look for head coach and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to try an take advantage of a favorable early schedule (four of the first six are at home) to help build confidence in his young squad.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 Cleveland 1:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 at Carolina 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
4 BYE
5 Sun, Oct 10 at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 New Orleans 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 St. Louis 1:00 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 at Arizona 4:15 PM
9 Sun, Nov 7 at Atlanta 1:00 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 Carolina 1:00 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 at San Francisco 4:05 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 at Baltimore 1:00 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 Atlanta 1:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 at Washington 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 Detroit 1:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 Seattle 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 at New Orleans 1:00 PM
