Last year: 7-9
Passing: Michael Vick – 204-of-388 (52%) for 2,474 yards, 20 TD, 13 INT
Rushing: Warrick Dunn — 286 carries for 1,140 yards, 4 TDs
Receiving: Alge Crumpler — 56 catches, 780 yards, 8 TDs
Defense: Keith Brooking (95 tackles, 2 sacks), Rod Coleman (26 tackles, 6 sacks, 6 passes defended), DeAnglo Hall (51 tackles, 4 INTs, 16 passes deflected)
First-round pick: Jamaal Anderson - DE - Arkansas
Where to learn more: Atlanta Journal Constitution
Take the whole dog fighting fiasco out of the mix and the Falcons were still a flawed team. They led the league in rushing with Vick running for 1,039 yards, but could barely move the ball through the air.
Everyone blames Vick, even if Whoopi sticks up for him, about not being able to throw the ball. But who else besides Tom "The Golden Boy" Brady is expected to succeed with Michael Jenkins, Ashlee Lelie and Roddy White (the three leading receivers on last year's team or the newest members of New Edition, you take your pick).
Joey Harrington will be serviceable and Bobby Petrino will make it work with Jerious Norwood (hopefully cuz he's on my fantasy team), Joe "Blowing his own" Horn and Crumpler.
The defense is another story although. They're old (Lawyer Milloy isn't the same as he was 5 years ago). They're linebackers are quality, but will have little protection up front and according to ESPN The Magazine, Hall "shoots his mouth off and can't cover any of the league's elite receivers".
A rookie coach, fresh from the sidelines of the Big East, doesn't help and I've got them with 5 wins on a real rosy day when the moon aligns with the sun and the stars.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last year: 4-12
Passing: Bruce Gradkowski – 177-of-328 (54%) for 1,661 yards, 9 TD, 9 INT
Rushing: Cadillac Williams — 225 carries for 798 yards, 1 TDs
Receiving: Joey Galloway — 62 catches, 1,057 yards, 7 TDs
Defense: Derrick Brooks (96 tackles, 3 INTs), Ronde Barber (85 tackles, 3 INTs, 16 passes defended)
First-round pick: Gaines Adams - DE - Clemson
Where to learn more: Tampa Bay Online
Too many highly average quarterbacks. Too many highly average quarterbacks.
What can I say? Back to you.
The defense is old, but will still hold teams down. Gruden stole Dungy's title and will still have some time to keep his job off that, but this is the final straw. If this team implodes, which is completely possible, he could/should be fired.
I just ran through their schedule and they could win 8 games, which would be enough to save Gruden's job (Hey, it was enough for Coughlin). But the reality of the situation is they'll be lucky to win 6 and Gruden will stick around because Malcolm Glazer should concern themselves more with Manchester United in the Premiership than the Bucs.
Carolina Panthers
Last year: 8-8
Passing: Jake Delhomme – 263-of-431 (61%) for 2,805 yards, 17 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: DeShaun Foster — 227 carries for 897 yards, 3 TDs
Receiving: Steve Smith — 83 catches, 1,166 yards, 8 TDs
Defense: Chris Draft (83 tackles, 6.5 sacks), Julius Peppers (49 tackles, 13 sacks, 6 passes defended), Richard Marshall (70 tackles, 3 INTs, 15 passes deflected, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered)
First-round pick: Jon Beason - OLB - Miami
Where to learn more: Charlotte Observer
Doing these previews has been so informative. I've always wondered who and what was making the Panthers' defense so good. Turns out that Jack Del Rio had a hand while John Fox, the one the Giants shouldn't have let get away, overrules it all.
Yes, Del Rio left a little bit ago and Yes, the Panthers seem to run a Cover 2 zone and fans in the NC area don't seem to like the ultra-conservative Fox and Yes, the Panthers regret early season losses to the Falcons and the Vikings otherwise they're a playoff team...
And yes, If if's and but's were like candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas.
The Panthers didn't have a Merry Christmas because they couldn't run the ball and how tha's changed this year, I don't know.
Then again, I didn't know that Ricahrd Marshall and Chris Draft were such beasts. Draft
parlayed his good season into a free agent contract with the Rams, but Marshall will join Ken Lucas (3 INTs, 10 passes deflected) and, for the sake of Panthers fans, a healthy Dan Morgan and Mike Rucker. Both are animals and if both are close to healthy, the defense should help people forget about these girls...OK, so we're not really going to forget about two cheerleaders making out in a bathroom anytime soon...
As for the on the field product, I've got them down for 9 wins and that's being real tough, like the nose of the girl on the right...
New Orleans Saints
Last year: 10-6, beat Eagles 27-24 in Divisional Playoff, Lost 39-14 to Chicago Bears in NFC Championship game
Passing: Drew Brees – 356-of-554 (64%) for 4,418 yards, 26 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: Deuce McAllister — 244 carries for 1,057 yards, 10 TDs
Receiving: Reggie Bush — 88 catches, 742 yards, 2 TDs
Defense: Scott Fujita (65 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INTs), Will Smith (33 tackles, 10 sacks), Mike McKenzie (28 tackles, 2 INTs, 10 passes deflected)
First-round pick: Robert Meachem - WR - Tennessee
Where to learn more: Everything New Orleans
Who cares about the team or how they're going to do, take a look at this:
OK, now that that's out of my system, back to the preview...Sean Peyton, he of the offense that led the Giants to their last Super Bowl regardless if Jim 'Boring" Fassel made his 'great' speech...(one that doesn't really belong in this video spoof of 300)
Anyway...
Everyone is handing the Saints this division and there's really no reason not to. They outscored everyone with the best offense in the league and played just enough defense.
They lost Joe Horn, who only had 37 catches since he was injured part of the year, and drafted another speedster in Meachem (4.39 in the 40-yard dash).
If they don't fall prey to injuries or believe their own hype, they'll win 10 games easy. The biggest thing is going to be the playoffs, but with last year's experience, they could be in the Big Game at the end.
Then again, they could make the playoffs and revert to their old Saints ways with a first-round exit against a team with a run-control offense that keeps Brees, Duece and Reggie Bush off the field...
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