mutineer10

Dating back to 1999, our division - in one form or another - has sent a representative team to the Super Bowl 5-of-6 times (obviously including the St. Louis years). Theoretically, this has placed us in one of the league's toughest divisions for all of Haslett's tenure. Debate that as you will, but that's not really the point. Does the NFC South have a chance to send yet another team to the Super Bowl this season?

Looks like it'll have to be the Falcons or - dare I say it - the Saints if it happens. There are still ridiculous circumstances that would allow either Carolina or Tampa to make it (and they still have to play each other again), but they're not terribly probable after this week.

Philly's good, but the Dallas game proved they're not invincible. And as gator said, a possibly gimpy T.O. could greatly increase someone's chances of putting them away. They looked very sloppy and disoriented without the grand court jester in the lineup.

Green Bay looked awful against Jacksonville, but still clinched a playoff spot in spite of the loss. If Favre puts up another stinker like this week - and he's famous for self-destructing in the playoffs - the Packers are very beatable.

Seattle probably takes the NFC West by default - as St. Louis is likely to lose out - and the Seahawks really aren't very good. Injuries, suspensions, and simple bad play have resulted in that choking sound you hear coming from the left coast. No one from this division is worthy of a playoff berth, but someone's gonna get one anyway. The fun begins when both of these teams lose out - a very real possibility - and the Seahawks take the division at 7-9!

Minnesota will probably get the #5 wildcard spot. They're about the only other NFL team whose propensity for choking rivals ours, and they're looking at tough matchups against the Packers and Redskins to end the season. Much like Seattle, they're playoff berth isn't likely to last long.

That leaves us (possibly) and the dirty buzzards. I'm not saying I believe the Saints have any shot at the Super Bowl - history is strongly averse to that - but even if Atlanta makes it there's a sort of consolation in knowing a team from your division represented the NFC in the big game.

The question lingers, can the NFC South rise again?

[Edited on 20/12/2004 by mutineer10]

St.Shrume

Well, the Falcons remind me in some ways of the Panthers of last year. They just find ways to win. You watch them, and you think \"this game is an L for them\" and then some how they end up winning. So yes, of all the NFC teams, them and the Eagles would be obvious picks to go to the Super bowl. Not because they are that great, but better than all the lame ducks in this league.

As exciting as the Saint\'s victory was yesterday, I think talking about them in the Superbowl is a bit outlandish. Even talking about them in the playoffs is ridiculous (but so has this season been, eh?). So who knows? But let\'s not forget how crappy they have looked most of the year and most of the games (even the ones they\'ve won).

Hell ya, I\'m excited about the opportunity to be in the playoffs. Sure the moonshiners would rather see us lose out, since they feel that would be the only way to get change in NO (and they may have a point), but I am routing for them to win out, especially since we are playing 2 arch rivals.

But at the end of the season, I would still want to see Venturi and McCarthy gone. Even if we do make the playoffs and win a game or 2. They should go.