Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Who gives you the most concern for 2019 with the division?

FALCONS - They were 7-9 this past year and they reminded me a lot of our 7-9 campaigns. There were times where they appeared to be a legit playoff contender but kept shooting themselves in the foot (remember all those close losses in our 7-9 years?) and by the time they got back on track, they just imploded. Despite all this, Matt Ryan had a productive year in the numbers and Ridley could be a cause of concern with their offense for years to come.

BUCCANEERS - New coach Bruce Arians may be able to turn them around, but I'm not a big believer in his 'drop back and throw bombs' offense, especially not with the modern Jeff George at QB. Winston is an INT machine and I expect him to continue to throw picks everywhere in this new offense. For years, the Bucs have been the pick for "turnaround team". Every year, we hear a new tall tale how they are going to finally turn it around. We heard it last year when Fitzpatrick had those strong first two games. This could finally be the year they turn it around, but I'm doubtful.

PANTHERS - A classic implosion last year. I thought for sure we'd be battling them for the division until they imploded. It all went down hill when Cam Newton had his injury, reminiscent of 2002 Aaron Brooks and how our season went down hill after that. Their record was 6-2 before his injury, they finished 7-9. Along that 6-2 record, I thought they had some flukey wins over the Giants and Eagles. Yet still despite how average this team looks, they are so unpredictable. Carolina will look like a bad team one year, then some how make the playoffs the next.


For now, I am thinking the Falcons may be our biggest competitor, if they stay healthy. Their season last year brought back a lot of memories to our 7-9 years and how it went for them was similar to our 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons. I don't believe in Tampa Bay at all and Carolina hasn't seemed like the same team they were from 4 years ago when they made a SB run.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

I agree with your conclusion but for a different reason.

Atlanta - like Carolina, they run hot and cold....sometimes in the same game. See Super Bowl XLIV...

Bucs - no brain or leadership at quarterback, and winning seasons start there. All QB's make dumb decisions and Winston makes more than an average starting QB....both on and off the field.

Panthers - this one is tough. They are losing a ton of D starters and that was always their strength. Kuechley is a superstar but he can't be everywhere on every play. He's also taken a beating the last few years and it's going to start catching up to him. Speaking of beatings, if Cam continues playing his game, they may win till he's hurt again. If they keep him in the pocket to protect his shoulder, his passing numbers and their O will struggle. Add in the fact that he is only a leader when they are winning and you don't have a case for them making the playoffs.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Winston is going to be putting up 19 pounds of muscle.

And TB has a schedule outside the division where it's hard to imagine them winning more than five games. But they could win the division if they dominate the division games. TB is due to sweep Atlanta too. Also, there's a difference between past new regimes and this one. Arians is not like those other coaches. So, it's hard to say, but if TB wins a majority of their division games they could be a problem.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

8 and 0 division this year

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

That'll be impressive. 6-0 in regular season division games followed by both a divisional and an NFC championship game wins against NFC South opponents? Definitely a bold prediction.

SFIAH

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Thanks for this reply. We may disagree, but I respect your opinion and I see some great things here that I didn't quite think about before.

The Falcons are indeed hot and cold. There were moments last year where I truly believed they would give us problems by the time we had our rematch. They would look excellent one week, then a dumpster fire the next. The hot/cold stuff effected them in the same games last year too like the Bengals game where they ended up losing in the end, yet looked like they were on their way to a blowout win early on.

(Off topic blabber - Cincy was the strangest team last year. They started the year 4-1 and finished 6-10. Of that 4-1 record, they started out with some amazing comeback wins before becoming a train wreck and then in week 17, they should've beat Pittsburgh).

I've always respected Kuechley as an opponent cause he is an amazing player and I do wonder how much time he has left with all the concussions and injuries. Carolina's defense is not the same when he's missing out there. He calls audibles and does reads. I've seen them look completely clueless when he's not out there.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Tampa's QB buckles under pressure.
Carolina's QB buckles under pressure.
Atlanta's QB buckles under pressure. 3-28.....nuff' said!

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

I've lived in Cinci for 27 years. This give me insights into two of your comments.

1- Mike Brown is the son of a football genius, proving that football knowledge isn't inherited. He micromanages player acquisition and any coach worth a damn won't coach for him. He totally neutered Marvin Lewis. I had a change to meet and talk to him once....in the taxi wait line at JFK airport. Any time you're worth hundreds of millions and wait in line for a taxi with people like me...something is wrong.

2- Living in Cinci, I had the pleasure to watch Kuechley play high school football at St. X. The kid was amazing in in high school.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

If there ever was division opponent I wanted on our team that would be him. They are kinda gutting the D around him now and Peppers retired, should be a weaker unit than in years past.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

One of my uncles lives in the Columbia, SC area and see a lot of the Kittens. He thinks highly of Luke on and off the field however worries that he's one more concussion (he's had quite a few) away from retirement.

Finding a way to stay healthy and concussion free will be critical to his long term longevity. Wouldn't surprise me that he leaves the game prematurely, on his own terms. He's only 27.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Here is a good Kuechly story. A few years back my daughter dated a high school fired of Kuecly's. After signing with the Kittens he was still driving an old beater pickup. One day it breaks down and leaves him on the side of the road. So, he calls his dad to ask him what he should do. The response was "take some of your $7.6 mm signing bonus and buy a new truck."

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Cool story, he is a class act.

Hope no one tries to kill me for saying this, Kuechly reminds me a bit of Sam Mills. He is that same type of field general who makes reads on the offense, last minute audibles and he's probably more scary when he drops back into coverage.

IMO Mills was and still is, underrated as a MLB when it comes to pass coverage. I pull up tape from the Mora years and he always manages to surprise me all these years later when studying the defense in those games. The one flaw of the Dome Patrol teams was the CBs and Safeties weren't all that strong, but Mills and Jackson in coverage often made up for this weakness.

Re: Looking at the rest of the NFC South
 

Good point here about the SB ring.

I feel this is the one thing that really haunts Sam Mills and why he isn't in the Hall of Fame today. All those playoff losses of the Mora teams is haunting him, and probably would haunt Rickey Jackson too if not for the 1994 49ers run and how he got a ring there.

It's my belief that Mills would probably be in the Hall of Fame today had we just won one of those playoff games. Any time that defense is mentioned, it's the one cloud hanging over them - they didn't win a playoff game.