We made National Football Post's pressure index (for what it's worth).

[top dawg]

Well, since some of y'all seem to have a side obsession with the NFL's Power Rankings, here is a list of the top dozen teams who have the highest pressure index according to NFP via Yahoo Sports. Of course it's as subjective as the power rankings, but it is worth noting that we can deduce the NFC South to be a pressure cooker as three teams are on the list.  Something is gonna blow, and I hope it ain't us.

 

 

 

Pressure is felt is just about every walk of life. That’s not to say it’s always present, but at some point pressure will find you and it will weigh on you. Jobs, families, sweating out the final two minutes of Thursday night’s Kings-Sharks thriller—pressure is completely and utterly inescapable over the long haul.

The members of the NFL family know this fact all too well. Front office personnel, coaches, players, hell even the fans feel the pressure that accompanies the win-at-all-costs mentality of professional football.

But depending upon the situation, some in the NFL will feel the pressure more than others. As we continue our approach towards the 2013 season, here are the 12 teams we believe will be feeling the most heat in the coming months.

 

 

 

 

7. Carolina Panthers: The country was predicting big things for the Panthers after rookie quarterback Cam Newton set the league on fire in 2011, but Carolina followed up a commendable 6-10 season with just seven wins in 2012. Granted, the team showed some guts by winning five of their final six contests, but a 1-6 start proved far too much to overcome. Now entering their third seasons, head coach Ron Rivera and Newton need to show the league that the Panthers are a legitimate playoff contender. Anything short of 8-8 will be considered a failure.

What must be accomplished: A winning record with at least three divisional victories.

 

 

 

I think that it's pretty much spot on, although some of you believe that the postseason is the litmus test. With the tough division, and teams in a tough situation, I feel it's important to keep reasonable expectations.   

 

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: You can’t spend the kind of money Tampa Bay has doled out over the last two years and not expect to attract a significant amount of attention. Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, Eric Wright, Dashon Goldson, Darrelle Revis…the list goes on and on. And while last year’s 7-9 record under rookie head coach Greg Schiano wasn’t a complete disappointment, the fact that the Buccaneers collapsed down the stretch for the second season in a row has raised some red flags. Tampa Bay plays in a brutal division, but the holes in the secondary have been plugged and the offense has more than enough firepower to light up the scoreboard. It’s time for the opposition to worry about a matchup with the Bucs, not laugh.

What must be accomplished: .500 or better over the months of November and December with a defense that ranks in the top-10 against the pass.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Atlanta Falcons: Had Matt Bryant not drilled that 49-yarder with eight seconds remaining in the NFC divisional round against the Seahawks, Atlanta would be No. 1 on this list. But Bryant connected, the Falcons had their first playoff win of the Matt Ryan-Mike Smith era and the franchise bought itself a sliver of breathing room. Now it’s time to take another step forward. Otherwise, this team is going to become the 2001-2003 Philadelphia Eagles.

What must be accomplished: A return to the NFC Championship game at a minimum. A spot in the Super Bowl preferably.

 

 

 

One thing is for sure, there are going to be some unhappy campers in the NFC South because of outlandish expectations, and the fact that some fans have bought into the national lack of appreciation for how tough this division really is (apparently thinking there are some gimme games on the schedule).  I believe we can do great things, but to underestimate our opponents is the first step on the road to failure (within the context of being a fan).

 

For what it's worth, Coach Fox and the Denver Broncos are at the top of the list. 

[Cyberjag]

Three victories in the division and a winning record are outlandish expectations?

[top dawg]

Three victories in the division and a winning record are outlandish expectations?

 

That's not what I said. I said that I thought that the writer's analysis is pretty much spot on. Others have higher expectations than that for this year. They are the one's that may get their feelings hurt.

[Cyberjag]

Got it. :)

 

On that list, I think that fans in Miami, Chicago, Tennessee, Atlanta, and Dallas are going to be pretty unhappy come next January.

[mbarbour21]

I believe we are good enough to make the playoffs. However, we are in the NFC not the AFC. So grabbing one of those wildcard spots will be tough. Lets just say that packers, redskins, falcons, and 49ers taje their divisions. That only leaves two spots open. Teams left that could seriously be competing for them? Seattle, Saints, Bucs, Giants, Bears, Vikings, Lions, Cowboys, Philly, Rams, and us.......OUCH.

[Strawman]

The saints probably should be on that list too. Was last season an aberration, will Sean's return renergize this team, or are they on the downside of their run like Pittsburg.

[Cyberjag]

Pressure is on the Saints to allow fewer than 30 points a game.  So yeah, maybe their fans will be disappointed too.

[bleys]

Got it. :)

 

On that list, I think that fans in Miami, Chicago, Tennessee, Atlanta, and Dallas are going to be pretty unhappy come next January.

 

can't wait to see how the read option works for Cutler..  that in itself should be entertaining.  guy gets hit enough as it is though.

[rayzor]

Three victories in the division and a winning record are outlandish expectations?

 

we've had how many winning records ever?

 

not far from outlandish. this is a team that doesn't now how to have a winning season. they just know how to build up expectations at the end of the season and blow it the next. until they prove otherwise, this is a team that just stumbles onto winning seasons.

 

[rayzor]

the writer says anything less than 8-8 is considered a failure. i disagree. anything less than a winning season is a failure.

 

this is a pass or fail year, imo. you either pull off at least a winning season or rivera should be gone and we bring in someone that isn't trying to build frikkin rome....just a winning season.

[Cyberjag]

Honestly, I don't think expecting a winning record is outlandish at all.  We expected it last year at this time.  The prior two years, maybe not so much.  But throughout the Fox/Hurney era, we went into every year expecting a winning record (and of course we were disappointed more often than not).  I don't think that's unreasonable for those expectations to continue.

 

The difference is, if we don't meet these expectations now, heads will roll.  And they need to.

[L-TownCat]

I believe we are good enough to make the playoffs. However, we are in the NFC not the AFC. So grabbing one of those wildcard spots will be tough. Lets just say that packers, redskins, falcons, and 49ers taje their divisions. That only leaves two spots open. Teams left that could seriously be competing for them? Seattle, Saints, Bucs, Giants, Bears, Vikings, Lions, Cowboys, Philly, Rams, and us.......OUCH.

 

That list could and most likely will be our competition for a wild card spot.  Here is why I think we will be in over them.  

 

tl;dr at the bottom

 

 

The lions yet again failed to help Matt Staford up front.  He will be running for his life and chucking prayers up off his back foot all year long.  You can scratch them from the list.  

 

Philly is starting over completely, new coaching staff new secondary, new defensive and offensive schemes, but one thing has remained the same and it is a detriment above the rest Vick is still the QB.  Scratch them from the list.

 

The Vikings are hanging their hopes again to Christian Ponder, they hope their new receiver will boom instead of bust and they need Patterson to be able to make up some of the production lost by Harvin.  AP is a monster but the passing game will regress too much to balance that offense.  Scratch them from the list.

 

The Saints are retooling the worst defense in league history.  Not only that, they are changing to a 3-4 defense without the proper personnel to do so.  Payton is back at the helm and he will improve that offense and the team as a whole so they may have a better shot than the previous teams mentioned but they still suck and I say the South will prove to powerful for them to mount a playoff run this year.  Scratch them from the list.

 

The Bucs need to prove that they can stop the run now that teams just can't pass on them all day.  That D-line is scary, and not in a good way.  Freeman is as inconsistent as they come and this coach seems to run his players into the ground which could be a reason for the second half collapse last season.  They still aren't ready, scratch them from the list.

 

The Cowboys.  Tony Romo is now doing the game planning.... Scratch them from the list

 

The Rams are trying desperately to justify Sam Bradfords #1 pick status by giving him all the weapons we wish we could give Cam.  That Fisher defense will be good but that offense is just not going anywhere with Bradford at the helm.  They will still manage to beat the 49ers twice though.  Scratch them from the list.

 

That leaves 4 teams for 2 spots: Giants, Seahawks, Bears and Panthers.

 

The Bears have a locker room that was crushed by the departure of the much loved Lovie Smith.  It will take some time for the players to adjust and buy in to what the new staff wants to do.  No more Urlacher, an aging Peppers and even with rookie guard Kyle Long, an oline that would give David Carr flash backs will be the deciding factor for them next year.  Scratch them from the list.

 

The Giants are really twisting in the wind right now with the oft injured Hakeem Nicks and the hold out Victor Cruz.  These issues may be resolved by the start of the season, but add in the departure of Osi Uminyora, Chase Blackburn and some of their veteran leadership as well as further depleting the WR depth losing Domenik Hixon the Giants just missed the Playoffs again.  Scratch them from the list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tl;dr  Seahawks and Panthers make the playoffs as wild cards.

[top dawg]

The saints probably should be on that list too. Was last season an aberration, will Sean's return renergize this team, or are they on the downside of their run like Pittsburg.

 

Analysts pretty much view the Saints' last season as a product of missing their coach(es). Everyone expects them to bounce right back. If they don't, then you'll probably begin to hear the beginnings of grumblings (in its infancy, perhaps).

 

As for the Steelers, I don't know about being on the "downside of their run", but more like an adjustment period to right the ship towards greater things. Their draft of Jarvis Jones, LeVeon Bell, Marcus Wheaton, and Shamarko Thomas should make their doubters, subtractors and haters do a doubletake. History has proven that they are never really "out of it". Another smart draft---which they always seem to have---will put them squarely back as a top contender.

[MHS831]

I think that I might be the only person who thinks this Panther team could be special.  The "pressure" is one reason, but I really like what we have going on.  We are so underrated at positions it has caused this team to be questioned.  Last year was obviously not the year, but this year is.  Here is why...

 

We lost games because teams attacked our glaring weaknesses.  Nakamura cost us the game in Atlanta and Cutler and Marshall picked apart a fifth-round rookie from Coastal Carolina for another win.  We dominated both games.  If we won, would this article be diffferent?  I think so.

 

People think we are going to be chewed up in the secondary this year because we were last year.  However, the lights came on and they played fairly weill down the stretch.  Thomas, Norman, Dockery, Munnerlyn, DJ Moore, Mitchell, and Campbell were late-round draft picks with upside.  They have been developing on schedule. I expect to see a very average-not poor-secondary next year made better by the best front 7 in the NFL.

 

On offense, I think they know something we do not know.  I think Gettlemen was referring to pass catchers when he said, "Sometimes the best upgrades are on your own roster."  How many of us have written off David Gettis?  How many of us have considered why we did not sign a pass-catching TE and then thought, "Nelson Rosario," who spent the season converting from WR at UCLA (1000+ yards) by adding 10 pounds of muscle to his 6-5 frame?  How many think Joe Adams and Kealoha Pilares are done? 

 

The problems with the offense corrected themselves to a large degree when they ran a more conventional offense.  Expect it to continue--and expect our RBs to get some holes opened.  Silatolu and Kugbila will be dominant run blockers, something the "experts" seem to be overlooking.  We will run the ball to set up the pass.  The read option will be minimized and Cam will be better.  Yas got that right.

 

Teams ran the ball on us last year, but the real problem was a lack of pressure. That exposed our DBs.  Those days are over.  Expect teams to resort to a quicker passing attack, three-step drops and slants.  Remember that most of our DBs are not pure cover guys like Revis but they are ball hawks--this plays into that mindset.  Robert Lester, DJ Moore, Captain, Norman, etc. all have high interception numbers.  however, these players struggle when the QB can take a 5 step drop, survey the field and throw without pressure in his face. Again, those days are over.

 

The biggest factor:  They are writing off Cam Newton.  He is tired of the Luck, RGIII, Russell Wilson crap.  And who do we get for the first game of they year in Charlotte?  Russell Wilson.  Do you think Cam does not know that?