Huge money signings (leaguewide)

We were 5-1 against the NFC South last season and nothing more than the return of Wharton, Wahle, and Hartwig will improve us. I don't see any team in the NFC South with a clear advantage at the division over us.

What do you see that is jaw dropping that Atlanta, New Orleans and Tampa have done. Atlanta paid big money for an excellent blocking fullback, but Atlanta already led the league in rushing so it was certainly not a weakness. Bigger is the fact the will lose Kerney on defense. New Orleans should be good again next year assuming Bree's stays healthy. However, they have not made a "splash" in free agency at all. As for Tampa, I really don't see either Gracia or Plummer as much of an upgrade, if any, over Simms. So they improved depth, but certainly nothing scary. They return 2 corners from a team that gave up 220 yards passing a game. Seriously, I don't see the NFC South doing anything to be scared of.

 

I doubt we'll see the kind of rushing game out of Atlanta next year. The smaller, cut blocking linemen who excelled in Atlanta don't fit Petrino's system particularly well.

 

Rams | Bennett to play slot receiver
Sun, 4 Mar 2007 1358 -0800

Nick Wagoner, of St. Louis Rams.com, reports St. Louis Rams WR Drew Bennett should work well in the slot, due to his ability to go up and get jump balls, and also his size. Bennett should immediately contribute as the team's No. 3 receiver behind starters WR Isaac Bruce and WR Torry Holt.

 

If NO plays at the same level they did last year, then we need to prepared (I am not saying we need to be scared). Hopefully, NO won't improve, as I'm sure they are trying to do, but the Panthers will. ATL always hits with a good run game and they have a good RB named Vick that can also throw the ball a little. And now they add one of the better FBs in the game. Garcia played lights out last season. I am absolutley more worried about him than I probably ever will be about Simms.

Some conferences are weak, but NFC South is not one of them.

 

The Saints will struggle to make the playoffs this year. They will not have an easy schedule because they are not the division champs. They will also not be taken lightly or have as much Katrina sympathy.

The Bucs are not going to all the sudden turn around due to Garcia. They still have a weak OL that we can exploit. Garcia is decent but does not have have a strong arm to beat us deep.

Atlanta is putting in a whole new offense with a QB who is not the brightest to start with. Look for him to struggle and question the coach about mid season. They can not stop the run well and it does not look like that will change.

The biggest fear I have about our divisional foes is that two of them draft ahead of us and have a chance to get Calvin Johnson and Laron Landry who I think we will be two of the better players to come in out in a while.

 

Exactly how many wins is "Katrina sympathy" worth?

 

Seemed strong enough last year.


I think it will be a strong division, but I'm also confident that we can compete. We were 5-1 last year. Tampa should get better, but I don't see New Orleans or Atlanta making significant strides from now until September. Of the three teams, Atlanta actually worries me the least.

 

yeah, and from the standpoint of "we were able to almost sweep the division", it makes some sense to stay the course, so to speak, in personnel*. Those are the critical games, and it's pretty unprecedented to have the problems outside division that we did while having such a strong division schedule.

Then again, realistically, touting the 5-1 thing does forgive that we basically had the finale given to us.





*aside from the fact that the league is always changing, that you really need to be the best you can be each individual year, and the idea that we absolutely blew ass at this concept in 2004, that is.

 

Leonard Davis is a Cowboy - they're unsure if he'll play RT or RG, but they're going to give him a deal in excess of the Dockery/Steinbach deals.

 

I think it has more to do with our cap situation. It is like 2004, except in 2004 we lost a good deal of starters in free agency. At least we've been able to retain some guys this time around.

That's insanity. Do they even realize he was part of what could have been the worst line ever? Fine with me, though. Get him matched up against Peppers, and I'll take that any day of the week.