Atlanta Falcons
Key Returnees:
Offense - QB Matt Ryan is about as steady as they come and the combination of WR's Roddy White, Julio Jones, and TE Tony Gonzalez makes for a great trio of targets. RB Micheal Turner rushed for 1340 yards last season as the team's featured back and the O-line is solid enough up front to help this be one of the most prolific offenses in the NFC.
Defense - LB Sean Weatherspoon rose up to the occasion last year and made 115 tackles along with four sacks. FS Thomas Decoud and SS William Moore were third and fourth on the team in tackles and they combined for six INT's. The organization expects more from this young duo in the near future. DE John Abraham once again led the team in sacks and will probably lead the way this season as well. The defense was 6th in the NFL against the run and 12th overall in yards allowed. Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes are decent starters at CB, but the addition of Asante Samuel, who was acquired in a trade with the Eagles, should solidifiy the secondary and provide more insurance in coverage against today's passing games.
Special Teams - K Matt Bryant doesn't miss many attempts and was a perfect 2-2 beyond the 50 yard mark.
Secret Weapon: WR Harry Douglas - While being overshadowed by the stars on offense, Douglas possesses some ability that has yet to be fully utilized. He did have 39 receptions last season but the team would love to see that number up around 50. Don't be surprised to see him haul in several TD's this season if the offense gets rolling.
Top Newcomer:
- CB Asante Samuel - Samuel is an experienced vet with a Super Bowl ring that became expendable in Philly due to the presence of a couple other younger, high-profile players at the position. There's still plenty of gas in the tank to help the Falcons defend against the likes of Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Eli Manning in the NFC.
- C Peter Konz - This former Badger was the best center in the draft. He will at least help the depth along the front line and could be a starter very soon in the ATL. Current starter Todd McClure is 35 so the addition of Konz makes a ton of sense.
Reality Check: I'll give you three reasons that the Falcons will fall short of a Super Bowl appearance: 1) There is no leadership (Matt Ryan has yet to win a playoff game as the team's starting QB and the team as a whole seems out of their element in postseason games). At this point it's a big question mark as to who can take this team on his shoulders. 2) LB Curtis Lofton left the team in free agency for the Saints after leading Atlanta in tackles. I believe he leaves a bigger hole than most people realize. 3) The organization has not done a very good job of drafting prospects over the last four years, especially in the later rounds, so depth on the roster will be a bit shaky. One injury to any one of a few key players and the season could be toast.
Projected 2012 Record: 9-7
Carolina Panthers
Key Returnees:
- Offense - This unit ranked 7th in the NFL last season and QB Cam Newton has the attention of everybody in the football world after winning the BCS Title at Auburn and then throwing for over 4,000 yards for the Panthers all in one calendar year. RB's The combination of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart at RB can be a handful for opponents, especially late in tough games. WR Steve Smith has been one of the league's biggest playmakers over the last decade and the team believes he still has enough in the tank to lead a young group of pass-catchers. TE Greg Olsen is developing into one of Newton's favorite targets and a rise in his production is expected after catching at least five TD's in his last four seasons. Although the O-line is a bit green in spots, it has enough overall talent to help stabilize another top-10 offense.
- Defense - This will be one of the most improved units in the NFL in 2012. After ranking 28th in yards allowed last season, the team drafted MLB Luke Kuechly with the ninth overall pick. He should team up with Thomas Davis and Jon Beason to form a strong trio of tacklers that are all capable of playing all three downs. That is an important key it today's pass-crazy league. Also, with the offense capable of eating up time off the clock and scoring lots of point, the defense shouldn't be under as much pressure as they have been in recent years.
- Special Teams - This team can return kicks and kick the ball. Sorry, but that is about as positive as it gets in the Special Teams categories.
Secret Weapon: WR Joe Adams - The rookie was a productive pass-catcher for two different QB's in Arkansas' high-powered offense and he has all the tools to be a reliable number three receiver and possibly a number two down the road. Look for him to quietly catch 40 balls in 2012 while opposing defenses worry about the trio of fine leg-work in the backfield.
Top Newcomers:
- MLB Luke Kuechly - This rookie could quickly become the best middle linebacker in the division. The team desperately needs him to produce ASAP if they want any chance of challenging any elite teams this season. He has all the tools to be an elite three-down, do-it-all player on defense.
Optimistic Fan Says: "Cam Newton is the real deal and he alone guarantees the team will win at least eight games every year. Also, both Williams and Stewart could start at running back for any other team in the league. They are gonna run all over people and I guarantee we will be division champs!"
Reality Check: Although Newton and company provide a lot of food for thought, the special teams and defense are still too much of a liability that will keep them from reaching the playoffs.
Projected 2012 Record: 5-11
New Orleans Saints
Key Returnees:
Projected 2012 Record: 5-11
New Orleans Saints
Key Returnees:
- Offense - The team finally gave QB Drew Brees a new contract after slapping the franchise tag on him. He is one of the elite passers in the league and should throw for another 5,000 yards and 40 TD's. Overall, the team rushed for over 2,000 yards and led the league in passing. RB Darren Sproles was a great addition last season and quickly made everybody forget about Reggie Bush. He will team up once again with Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, and Chris Ivory in the backfield. TE Jimmy Graham has established himself as one of the best pass-catchers in all of football and Marques Colston leads a deep group of solid receivers. The OL produced some pro-bowlers and should be good enough once again.
- Defense - The Saints are one of the best in the NFC at stopping the run and they ranked 12th in the league. S Roman Harper led the team in tackles and sacks (7.5) and DE Will Smith was second (6.5). The secondary is deep and talented. LB Jonathan Vilma is a steady performer in the middle but he will be suspended for the season due to the "Bounty-gate" controversy.
- Special Teams - Sproles is a homerun-hitter as a return man. The punting is the only glaring weakness on special teams but the Saints don't do much of that anyway.
Secret Weapon: WR Devery Henderson - Henderson is usually the fourth or fifth option in the Saints' passing game but he still managed to catch 32 passes for over 500 yards and two TD's. With all the attention going to other players and Robert Meachem leaving for San Diego one should expect Henderson to get more looks in 2012.
Top Newcomers:
- DL Akiem Hicks - The 325 lbs Hicks could be the plugger that Shaun Rogers was for the team last year. He is a bit raw but he could develop into a fulltime starter.
Optimistic Fan Says: "Even with Sean Payton suspended for the season this roster has the potential to outscore anybody in the league and we will make history come January as the only team ever to win a conference championship without its head coach at the helm."
Reality Check: There will be stumbles this season as the Saints' franchise has taken some brutal hits from the league and they seemingly lost more in free agency than they gained. Only time will tell if the loss of WR Robert Meachem and OG Carl Nicks will hurt the offense at all and the competition throughout the NFL is just too strong for them to run the table. Having said that, I wouldn't count them out of the playoffs just yet either.
Projected 2012 Record: 10-6
Projected 2012 Record: 10-6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key Returnees:
- Offense - Third-year QB Josh Freeman has thrown 41 TD's over the last two seasons and he has the natural arm strength to make all the throws. With a little maturation he could be among the top 10 passers in the game today. RB LaGarret Blount has averaged 4.6 yards per carry over the last two seasons and he will be expected to be a significant player in a stable of backs that also includes first round pick Doug Martin out of Boise St. WR Mike Williams is a smooth athlete with natural receiving skills and he has led the team with 63 receptions each of the last two seasons. Preston Parker and Arrelious Benn combined for 70 catches and six TD's last season and both will be expected to improve in their third seasons as well. The O-line is young and loaded with talent. The Bucs expect them to be one of the best units in the league as LT Donald Penn and RG Davin Joseph have both been to the pro-bowl as Bucs. Adding Carl Nicks to the mix should only make them all better.
- Defense - DE Adrian Clayborn emerged as a rookie at right end and produced 7.5 sacks. He is a good run-defender that should see an increase in production with a full season under his belt. Rookie LB Mason Foster played every game as well and was second on the team in tackles behind S Sean Jones, who is now in Detroit. Those two also combined for three sacks. DT Gerald McCoy is back from injury and he is in great shape. The franchise is expecting a breakout season from him. CB Aqib Talib also returns and has apparently put his personal problems to rest. If he can concentrate on football he could be one of the best corners in the NFC. Overall there is a ton of youth on this side of the ball but the talent is there for new HC Greg Schiano to forge a mighty defense.
- Special Teams - K Connar Barth is among the top 10 kickers in the league and P Michael Koenen is capable of putting up all-pro numbers but the coverage units stink. Sorry, but it's true.
Secret Weapon: RB/FB Earnest Graham - Over his eight-year career Graham has averaged 4.3 yards per carry and can catch the ball effectively out of the backfield. He is primarily used as a utility-type of back that can lead block or be the featured runner in a pinch. In 2007 he rushed for 898 yards and 10 TD's. He will be forgotten about by many defenders and the Bucs will look to take advantage every now and then.
Top Newcomers:
- WR Vincent Jackson - The 6'5" 230 lbs pass-catcher is a three-time 1,000 yard receiver with a career 17.5 yard per catch average. He should instantly help the Buc's move the chains down the field.
- OG Carl Nicks - This road-grader was the second big free agent signing for the Bucs after making the pro-bowl for New Orleans last season. The team hopes it made their running game stronger while weakening the rival Saints' offense.
- CB Eric Wright - The Bucs got criticized for this move as Wright got big-time money while only collecting 13 INT's over his five-year career. He is a good tackler though and the team puts a high priority on that phase of the game.
- S Mark Barron - Barron was simply the best defender in the draft, period. He can tackle and hit well and he has the athletic ability to make huge plays. He was a true leader on and off the field at Alabama and was one of the best players for one of college football's greatest defenses.
- RB Doug Martin - Martin is the type of do-it-all back that most NFL teams want to fill their stables. He may not be super-flashy but he is strong, hard-working player that looks natural both running the ball and catching passes. He should team up with LeGarret Blount to give the Bucs a solid pair of pounders with slightly different skill sets to help control the game.
- LB Lavonte David - The Bucs needed a lot of help on defense, especially at linebacker. David fits the mold as he is a speedy player with sound tackling abilities. His lack of size and flashy numbers dropped him into the second round. He should be an immediate starter and an upgrade at the position.
- DT Amobi Okoye - This 25-year old Nigerian already has 78 career games under his belt as a Texan and a Bear. He joins a team that desperately needs help up front. With the right situation Okoye has the talent to put up nice numbers. I think he will do fine somewhere in the rotation with Roy Miller, Gerald McCoy,
Optimistic Fan Says: "This division has a history of seeing the previous year's worst team making the playoffs the following season. We were 10-6 two years ago with a younger roster so we can do it again and make the playoffs. Hell, I can see this team challenging for a conference championship like the 49ers did last season. Anything can happen!"
Reality Check: Optimistic fan is right. Anything can happen but with all the additions and subtractions of players toppled on top of an entirely new coaching staff makes it hard to predict how this team will do. There is a ton of talent though, so the sky could be the limit for this team. However, a lot of growing up needs to happen on both sides of the ball before they go anywhere. At the very least I see this team being better than its 4-12 record of last year.
Projected 2012 Record: 8-8
Reality Check: Optimistic fan is right. Anything can happen but with all the additions and subtractions of players toppled on top of an entirely new coaching staff makes it hard to predict how this team will do. There is a ton of talent though, so the sky could be the limit for this team. However, a lot of growing up needs to happen on both sides of the ball before they go anywhere. At the very least I see this team being better than its 4-12 record of last year.
Projected 2012 Record: 8-8
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