NFC South
Atlanta Falcons:
2013 Regular Season Schedule:
Week
|
Day
|
Date
|
Opp
|
|
1
|
September 8
|
@
|
New Orleans Saints
|
|
2
|
September 15
|
St. Louis Rams
|
||
3
|
September 22
|
@
|
Miami Dolphins
|
|
4
|
September 29
|
New England Patriots
|
||
5
|
October 7
|
New York Jets
|
||
6
|
Bye Week
|
|||
7
|
October 20
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
||
8
|
October 27
|
@
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
|
9
|
November 3
|
@
|
Carolina Panthers
|
|
10
|
November 10
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
||
11
|
November 17
|
@
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
|
12
|
November 21
|
New Orleans Saints
|
||
13
|
December 1
|
@
|
Buffalo Bills
|
|
14
|
December 8
|
@
|
Green Bay Packers
|
|
15
|
December 15
|
Washington Redskins
|
||
16
|
December 23
|
@
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
|
17
|
December 29
|
Carolina Panthers
|
||
The Falcons finally made it over their playoff hump last
year. After going winless in the
postseason, the Falcons were one half away from going to the Super Bowl. A disturbing trend emerged in their playoff
appearance last season; a propensity to let leads slip away. The Falcons nearly let Seattle comeback in
their opening game after going up by 14 points earlier in that game. My father has a saying, “you must go to the
well and be denied, before being allowed to drink.” It’s an annoying saying.
Mostly because he repeats it—and because it’s usually true. Very rarely do teams go worst to first in
this league. Look no further than the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Ravens
failed in the AFC championship the year before taking the crown. Falcons fans have no reason not to think
their ascension won’t be the same. The
Falcons offense is an embarrassment of riches; boasting Pro Bowl-caliber talent
at every skill position. Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Matt Ryan
are all back and should be their usual dynamic selves. While Michael Turner is
gone, management replaced him with Steven Jackson. Jackson, who has rushed for
over 1,000 yards every year since 2005, adds a pass-catching dimension that
Turner didn’t possess. Keep in mind, if
the Falcons had a more reliable running game last year, they may have been able
to prevent the 49ers from coming back late in the playoff game. Add Jacquizz
Rodgers as a backup and X-factor for the team, and Atlanta should improve on
its 7th ranked points per game from last year.
 |
| As great a runner as he is, his pass-catching ability may be his biggest asset |
I was shocked that this team was top 5 in points allowed per
game last year. While they were 24th in yards allowed, they were
stingy in the red zone; a classic bend-but-don’t-break defense. The team added
Osi Umenyiora to replace departing defensive end John Abraham. Perhaps he can
jumpstart a team that was 25th in sacks. And despite their positive
giveaway/takeaway differential (+13), they ranked in the bottom half of the
league in interceptions and forced fumbles.
I have my doubts that a team that gives up so many yards and doesn’t
force turnovers can have a repeat performance, but their offense may be able to
carry them through.
Estimated regular season record: 11-5
Carolina Panthers:
2013 Regular Season
Team Games & Schedule
Week
|
Day
|
Date
|
Opp
|
|
1
|
September 8
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
||
2
|
September 15
|
@
|
Buffalo Bills
|
|
3
|
September 22
|
New York Giants
|
||
4
|
Bye
Week
|
|||
5
|
October 6
|
@
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
|
6
|
October 13
|
@
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
|
7
|
October 20
|
St. Louis Rams
|
||
8
|
October 24
|
@
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
|
9
|
November 3
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
||
10
|
November 10
|
@
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
|
11
|
November 18
|
New England Patriots
|
||
12
|
November 24
|
@
|
Miami Dolphins
|
|
13
|
December 1
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
||
14
|
December 8
|
@
|
New Orleans Saints
|
|
15
|
December 15
|
New York Jets
|
||
16
|
December 22
|
New Orleans Saints
|
||
17
|
December 29
|
@
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
|
There was a lot of talk about a “sophomore slump” for
quarterback Cam Newton. While his yards slipped, so did his turnovers…and the
team record reflected that with an increase in wins. His pass attempts went
down as coach Ron Rivera began to realize that the team’s personnel was closer
to a ground and pound team than a high flying attack. Despite exposing him to
sacks with the decrease in drop backs, Newton was hit more than any QB in the
NFL because of his running (either through designed QB draws, scrambling, or
zone read options). Newton shouldn’t
leading the team in rushing (something no one has done since Donovan McNabb in
2002), especially with Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. The Panthers offense was more potent when the
team featured two tight ends (both good pass catchers) in 2011 and could run
the ball in big, conventional sets. Tight End Brandon Williams may be able to
play alongside Greg Olsen to give the team that look by the end of the season
(despite being a project at the position, he’s arguably the best athlete on the
team). To his credit, Rivera said that
there will be less zone-read and more traditional handoff packages this year; a
change that will help the running backs, who averaged more yards per carry in
such sets as compared to zone read plays. Kenjon Barner should help alleviate
the stress on Williams as Stewart recovers from an ankle injury. Moreover, reducing the wear and tear on
Newton will improve his accuracy. Newton only broke 60% completion percentage
once after rushing for 8+ times the week before.
 |
| Keeping Cam clean is priority one for this offense |
The defense had some epic collapses late in games; unable to
hold leads in the fourth quarter multiple times (including some devastating
last second drives by Atlanta and Tampa Bay that infuriated fans and perhaps
kept the team from playoff contention). This year, the secondary should be much
better with Josh Norman’s improvement as well as free agent acquisition Mike
Mitchell. Mitchell’s veteran leadership
at the strong safety position should help improve the weakest part of the
defense. The strongest part, the linebacking corps will add a (hopefully)
healthy John Beason to go along with Defensive Rookie of the Year Luke
Kuechly. Add that to interior lineman
Star Lotulelei, who the Panthers selected with their first pick in this year’s
draft, and the defense boasts talent at every level.
Estimated regular season record: 11-5
New Orleans Saints
Regular Season Schedule
Week
|
Day
|
Date
|
Opp
|
|
1
|
September 8
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
||
2
|
September 15
|
@
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
|
3
|
September 22
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
||
4
|
September 30
|
Miami Dolphins
|
||
5
|
October 6
|
@
|
Chicago Bears
|
|
6
|
October 13
|
@
|
New England Patriots
|
|
7
|
Bye
Week
|
|||
8
|
October 27
|
Buffalo Bills
|
||
9
|
November 3
|
@
|
New York Jets
|
|
10
|
November 10
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
||
11
|
November 17
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
||
12
|
November 21
|
@
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
|
13
|
December 2
|
@
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
|
14
|
December 8
|
Carolina Panthers
|
||
15
|
December 15
|
@
|
St. Louis Rams
|
|
16
|
December 22
|
@
|
Carolina Panthers
|
|
17
|
December 29
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
||
Now that the Bountygate fiasco is officially behind them,
the Saints look to get back on track now that their Head Coach Sean Payton and
Drew Brees are back working together again.
Even without his head coach, Brees went for 5,000 yards and over 40 TDs.
He’s a machine with an assortment of weapons (Jimmy Graham, Marques Colston,
Darren Sproles, and Lance Moore) at his disposal that continues to grow. In addition to the acquisition of Steve
Breaston, draft pick Kenny Stills has wowed in camp and preseason making the WR
depth unbelievably talented and varied. Honestly, this team doesn’t rebuild on
offense, it reloads. The one question mark may be at left tackle, with Jamal
Bushrod leaving via free agency. Charles Brown will be watching Brees’ blind
side; but even the best quarterbacks look mortal when lying on their back. If protection is an issue for this team,
Brees may turn the ball over, which he did with some frequency last year (5
fumbles, 19 interceptions).
 |
| Brees will need help to get back to the mountaintop |
The defense has been the Achilles heel of this team even
before it was hit with the questionable suspensions of last year. The year they
won the Super Bowl, they weren’t a great defense—just an opportunistic one,
forcing turnovers at key points all season and into the playoffs. They were last in forced fumbles and while
they were top 5 in interceptions, they were in the bottom 3 in terms of pass
yards allowed per game. I think the
interception number may be indicative of teams pressing their weakness, as
opposed to a ball-hawking secondary. Rob Ryan takes his 3-4 scheme to New
Orleans. Ryan is known for his aggressive, blitzing style. Although it may be risky, it should generate
more turnovers. Anything that gets the
ball in Brees’ hands more often is probably a good strategy for a team without
any star defensive players.
Estimated regular season record: 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Regular Season Schedule
Week
|
Day
|
Date
|
Opp
|
|
1
|
September 8
|
@
|
New York Jets
|
|
2
|
September 15
|
New Orleans Saints
|
||
3
|
September 22
|
@
|
New England Patriots
|
|
4
|
September 29
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
||
5
|
Bye
Week
|
|||
6
|
October 13
|
Philadelphia Eagles
|
||
7
|
October 20
|
@
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
|
8
|
October 24
|
Carolina Panthers
|
||
9
|
November 3
|
@
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
|
10
|
November 11
|
Miami Dolphins
|
||
11
|
November 17
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
||
12
|
November 24
|
@
|
Detroit Lions
|
|
13
|
December 1
|
@
|
Carolina Panthers
|
|
14
|
December 8
|
Buffalo Bills
|
||
15
|
December 15
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
||
16
|
December 22
|
@
|
St. Louis Rams
|
|
17
|
December 29
|
@
|
New Orleans Saints
|
|
There may not be a more infuriatingly inconsistent
quarterback in the league than Josh Freeman.
He set the world on fire with his first full year as a starter in the
league. 25 TDs 6 Interceptions later and Bucs fans felt that they had a reason
to rejoice and look forward to their future. After a down year as a third year
player, he bounced back last year showing that promise again. It’s no coincidence that his improvement
coincided with Doug Martin’s performance at running back. Martin had nearly
1500 rushing yards and 49 receptions totaling 472 yards. Having such a dynamic every down back will
always be a quarterback’s best friend; wide receiver Vincent Jackson doesn’t
hurt either. The Bucs were one of the most balanced offensive teams in the
league last year, ranking in the top half in pass yards, rushing yards, and
total points. If they look to break the .500 mark this year, they’ll need
Freeman to make their ancillary players (Mike Williams and Kevin Ogletree)
better.
 |
| Management raised some eyebrows taking highly touted Mike Glennon, is Freeman on a short lease? |
Defensively, Darrelle Revis’ addition makes the entire unit
better. Having a lockdown corner in today’s pass-happy league is one of the
rarest commodities available. Not only
does Revis’ addition hamper the opposition’s hottest WR, but it frees safeties
and linebackers up to roam in coverage or blitz the quarterback. They’ll need
as much help as they can get pressuring the opposing signal-caller, they ranked
29th in sacks last year. The team has tried to bolster the pass rush
the past few years in the draft with DaQuan Bowers and Adrian Clayton, and
Gerald McCoy all being early draftees.
If they can improve on the line, perhaps they will improve on a unit
that ranked 23rd in points allowed per game.
Estimated Regular Season Record: 4-12
