NFC South breakdown week 9

Another great week of NFL football is almost complete and the regular season is at it’s halfway point so let’s take a moment to reflect on what we know and what we think we know in the NFC South.

 1. New Orleans is good but…..

I am not going to jump on the Big Easy bandwagon anytime soon and I will admit I like watching this team play. The offense, well what can be said about them that hasn’t been said a thousand times before. They have so many weapons they can execute anything. The defense is soooooo good….

The Saints are good but are they really THAT special? I say no, and I will tell you why. First off this team has an offense that is balanced and I love the 3 headed monster in their backfield but are they the kind of team that wins championships? I say no, they just seem like a upset in the making when they play a hungrier team in the playoffs. The D is good but have you seen the points they have given up? 174 that is 21 PPG compare that to ….

 2. Atlanta Falcons have given up 166 points. Now yes, it is only 8 points but 8 points is something like a game and a half of Cleveland’s offense.  The Falcons also have scored 202 points putting us in the highest echelons of NFL offense with Baltimore, San Diego and the like. Injuries, turnovers (I am looking at you Matt Ryan) and inconsistent play has not killed this team because of superior coaching and a front office that knows what it is doing (I am looking at you Cleveland, again)

 3. The Carolina Panthers are NOT that bad. Jake Delhomme is not that bad and frankly I will never overlook a team that has Jon Beason and Julius Peppers when my Falcons play them. If you ask me (and well, you kinda did by reading this) I think the Panthers have a chance to make some waves in this division yet. Now to come back down to earth this team needs to learn that Steve Smith does not a receiving corps make. I would love to say the Falcons will roll over this squad at B of A on Sunday but they always play us tough and from a John Fox coached team I would expect nothing less.

 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a huge win against Green Bay and I couldn’t have been happier. First I like this team and I want to see them succeed. Josh Freeman looks like a pretty good QB and I loved watching Ronde Barber pick off yet another pass in an underappreciated career.  These guys are rebuilding and will be for a while but they still have a great stadium and that has to count for something right? Right?