Spoiler Alert - Your 2016 NFC South Standings

[Frizzy350]

I definitely agree the Bucs will be our competition moving forward. Jamies will still have some bumpy games this year, but he's got the attitude, physical attributes and mental acuity to turn into an extremely talented quarterback.  The FO has basically admitted they will copy our model of success, and build from the inside-out.  Making a real commitment to surrounded their star defensive players (McCoy and David) with some other talent will pay off in the long run.

The Falcons keep going overboard with fancy skill position players, and get punched in the mouth like children when they need to stop the run.  Freeman will not repeat last year's success on the ground, and Matt Ryan has too much dick in his mouth to not choke on it.

Saints are a wildcard but the second their HOF QB slows up or retires, they go back to the gutter where they have been their entire existence (Sans Brees' prime years).  Also, welcome to Cap Hell, enjoy your stay.

[bandu]

yo,the Falcons 

[bandu]

Panthers and Falcons for the crown.yeah,I know!

[Zithers]

I would probably go Panthers > Saints/Falcons > Bucs

I mean, the Bucs just hired the Falcons' old coaching staff... Winston, Martin, and Evans are a nice trio but the defense still has no major pass rush threat outside of McCoy and Ayers isn't great or anything. The Saints getting Rankins is big for them and will help with trying to forge an identity on defense... plus Brees is Brees. I'm not going to discount him since he's getting older. He's a Hall of Famer. He can turn nobodies like Marques Colston and Willie Snead into legit wideouts, along with resurrecting old timers like Ben Watson. Falcons spent a lot of money trying to build the defense they want but I still don't see a pass rush threat and I don't trust Kyle Shanahan. I think Saints and Falcons both get somewhere between 7-9 and 9-7 seasons. Bucs probably max out at 7 wins. Panthers with 11+ wins.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

every year people talk about the bucs being on the rise ready to take a big step forward and every year they finish dead last in the division

[PhillyB]

i am really hoping peanut tillman comes back midway through training camp at this point, barring the meteoric rise of one of the rooks

[KB_fan]

11 hours ago, 15 said:

Bucs are the team to beat in the south this year. Not really saying much but they will be the most challenging of the 3.

I tend to agree, but I have a nagging worry about Atlanta.  Obviously they figured out how to beat us last year (though we mostly beat ourselves...)  Also, Dan Quinn is a decent coach.... give him enough time with Atlanta and I think there will be improvement (just as it took Ron a few years to settle in and start winning.)  

I also think a lot of Atlanta's struggles last year were due to Ryan not fitting well with the new offensive system.  I expect this year he'll adjust better.  Also, with Mack at C that's a big improvement to their Oline.

So, I'm not sleeping on Atlanta...

[Jeremy Igo]

The Bucs finally have a franchise QB, something they have not had since.... well, when have the Bucs ever had a franchise QB? Brad Johnson won the Superbowl, but he was a journeyman. Trent Dilfer and Vinny Testaverde were high first round picks, didn't pan out for them. 

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

18 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

I tend to agree, but I have a nagging worry about Atlanta.  Obviously they figured out how to beat us last year (though we mostly beat ourselves...)  Also, Dan Quinn is a decent coach.... give him enough time with Atlanta and I think there will be improvement (just as it took Ron a few years to settle in and start winning.)  

I also think a lot of Atlanta's struggles last year were due to Ryan not fitting well with the new offensive system.  I expect this year he'll adjust better.  Also, with Mack at C that's a big improvement to their Oline.

So, I'm not sleeping on Atlanta...

The thing with Atlanta is, outside of Trufant, they are trying to run a defensive scheme they simply don't have the athletes for. And if they're recent draft is any indication of the direction they are trying to go they have no clue how to achieve that end. Falcons gonna falcon, a couple early wins to get the pundits excited then getc punched in the mouth and crumble

[nctarheel0619]

I think it's safe to say the Falcons have fallen off tremendously.  Ryan is an average QB right now, with above average weapons.  Besides Julio, they're banking on Jacob Tamme, Mahammad Sanu, and Hardy from ECU a few years ago.  That's a worse receiving core than the Panthers right now.  

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

34 minutes ago, nctarheel0619 said:

I think it's safe to say the Falcons have fallen off tremendously.  Ryan is an average QB right now, with above average weapons.  Besides Julio, they're banking on Jacob Tamme, Mahammad Sanu, and Hardy from ECU a few years ago.  That's a worse receiving core than the Panthers right now.  

And they hamstringed themselves by grossly over paying for Sanu...theyre gm is a joke, and they have a coach who benefited from inherenting a defense a pop warner coach could manage...I laugh at people who worry about the Falcons 

[nctarheel0619]

47 minutes ago, Your GFs favorite huddler said:

And they hamstringed themselves by grossly over paying for Sanu...theyre gm is a joke, and they have a coach who benefited from inherenting a defense a pop warner coach could manage...I laugh at people who worry about the Falcons 

Dude, I've had Falcons fans tell me Matt Ryan is still good.  I was like man, these guys are delusional.  Even Saints fans know their run is over, but Falcons fans think they still have a chance.  

[Jeremy Igo]

3 hours ago, nctarheel0619 said:

Dude, I've had Falcons fans tell me Matt Ryan is still good.  I was like man, these guys are delusional.  Even Saints fans know their run is over, but Falcons fans think they still have a chance.  

Matt Ryan could win a Superbowl on a team with a great running game and superior defense. He is good enough for that. He isn't a Cam Newton though, that can take over games himself. 

[Servant of Cthululelei]

2 hours ago, Jeremy Igo said:

The Bucs finally have a franchise QB, something they have not had since.... well, when have the Bucs ever had a franchise QB? Brad Johnson won the Superbowl, but he was a journeyman. Trent Dilfer and Vinny Testaverde were high first round picks, didn't pan out for them. 

The Ginger Giraffe was totally a franchise QB who never got the chance to shine!!  /s

But really though, Mike Glennon could've risen to a Matt Ryan/Joe Flacco level player (not counting Flacco's crazy superbowl year) if he was on a team with a coaching staff anywhere near competent.