As we move to the South divisions, these have clear top teams, but volatility in these divisions over the past few years have made them hard to predict.

NFC South Preview

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Can Evans Do It Again?
  • Coaching: HC Todd Bowles has created a team to contend with every year even after the Brady departure in recent years. His first stint as a HC was not successful, but Tampa has been really good. OC Josh Gizzard gets elevated from Passing Game Coordinator with Liam Coen giong to JAC. He’s young, but been in the successful system. DC Larry Foote is DC in title, but this will continue to be Bowles’ D – blitzing from all angles and a lot of disguised coverages.
  • Departures: DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (to CLE), DT William Gholston (unsigned), S Jordan Whitehead (unsigned), LB Shaquil Barrett (unsigned)
  • Additions:
    • Free Agents:
      • Defense: DE Haason Reddick (from NYJ), LB Anthony Walker (from MIA)
      • Offense: OT Charlie Heck (from SF), QB Teddy Bridgewater (from DET)
    • Draft:
      • WR Emeka Egbuka (1st – Ohio State)
      • CB Benjamin Morrison (2nd – Notre Dame)
      • CB Jacob Parrish (3rd – Kansas State)
      • DE Elijah Roberts (5th – SMU)
      • WR Tez Johnson (7th – Oregon)
  • Overview – The Bucs have won this division for 4 years running, and they appear to be the best team in the South yet again. Now, the WRs are aging – Mike Evans is a future Hall of Famer, but he is 31, Godwin is coming off an injury and may not start the year healthy. Yet, they have nicely backfilled with 2nd Year Jalen McMillan, Egbuka and Johnson in the Draft. QB Baker Mayfield may not match his incredible production the past 2 years, but enough to win this division again. The D adding Reddick should maintain their dominance plus 2 rookie CBs to add depth. I like the team again and will likely bet on them to win the Division yet again.
  • Prediction – 11-6 – win the NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

Penix Needs to Deliver
  • Coaching: HC Raheem Morris returns in Year 2 – they had a chance to get to the playoffs in the final game last year, so can they get over the hump? OC Zac Robinson gets a full season with QB Michael Penix and the weapons, so let’s see what he can do. DC Jeff Ulbrich comes over from the Jets, which will be an attitude change. The Falcons D has been the issue for a couple years.
  • Departures: DT Grady Jarrett (to CHI), LB Matthew Judon (unsigned), S Justin Simmons (unsigned), DT Eddie Goldman (to WAS), WR Rondale Moore (to MIN)
  • Additions:
    • Free Agents:
      • Defense: DE Leonard Floyd (from SF), LB Divine Deablo (from LVR)
      • Offense: No major signings, as they really just return the same group.
    • Draft:
      • DE Jalon Walker (1st – Georgia)
      • DE James Pearce (1st – Tennessee)
      • S Xavier Watts (3rd – Notre Dame)
      • CB Billy Bowman (4th – Oklahoma)
      • OT Jack Nelson (7th – Wisconsin)
      • WR Jamal Agnew (FA – San Diego) – 2nd on the Depth Chart at 3rd WR
  • Overview – I was so high on the Falcons in 2024, and I will not make that same mistake again. However, I do think the young additions to the Defense with Walker and Pearce help this putrid pass rush, which was last in 2024. Ulbrich will take a lot of chances, so the back end will need to be good. The Offense should put up big numbers, especially at home, but I’m being conservative at this point with their ability to make the playoffs.
  • Prediction – 7-10 – I will likely put them closer to 9 wins in the final analysis. Let’s see if they can beat the Bucs again Week 1 (they beat them twice and still couldn’t win the Division in 2024).

Carolina Panthers

Young Will Determine CAR’s Success
  • Coaching: HC Dave Canales really showed me something at the end of 2024 with QB Bryce Young. So, the arrow is pointing up. OC Brad Idzik returns, but this is Canales’ O. DC Ejiro Evero was a holdover in the last coaching staff, and they are good but they couldn’t stop the run in 2024 which was the big deficiency.
  • Departures: RB Miles Sanders (to DAL), S Xavier Woods (to TEN), S Lonnie Johnson (to LVR)
  • Additions:
    • Free Agents:
      • Defense: DT Bobby Brown (from LAR), DE Tershawn Wharton (from KC), LB Patrick Jones (from LB), LB Christian Rozeboom (from LAR), S Tre’von Moehrig (from LVR)
      • Offense: RB Rico Dowdle (from DAL)
    • Draft:
      • WR Tetairoa McMillan (1st – Arizona)
      • LB Nic Scourton (2nd – Texas A&M)
      • LB Princely Umanmielen (3rd – Ole Miss)
      • S Lathan Ranson (4th – Ohio State)
      • WR Jimmy Horn (6th – Colorado)
  • Overview – The movement suggests that the D has significant upgrades, which should help their big run stopping issue. I love Tet McMillan – I think he is a stud, and he should be like Malik Nabors in this class. If Bryce Young can continue his growth, then the O will be much better. So, CAR is a team that I like to really improve in 2025 – I’ll go over my best bets in the final preseason write up, but Over 6.5 Wins (-127) will be on my card this year. I think Canales really showed he can coach, and I expect the decline of NO and easier schedule at the bottom of the division should help them a lot.
  • Prediction – 7-10 – I think they can get there, but they need to win early – their schedule after Week 7 is brutal including 2 games against TB in the final 4 weeks.

New Orleans Saints

Not Going to Be Many Smiles in NO for Moore
  • Coaching: New Orleans fired Dennis Allen and move on to the “Joystick” in Kellen Moore – an offensive mind who has been biding his time first with DAL, then LAC and last year’s OC of the Champs in PHI. Moore will essentially run the O, but he has OC Doug Nussmeier (who has worked with Moore in every stop). DC Brandon Staley was the former LAC HC, and was on the SF staff last year. He was elevated quickly after one season as DC with the Rams. I think his system is solid, but not outstanding – he does not have Aaron Donald on this team.
  • Departures: QB Derek Carr (retired), LB Willie Gay (to MIA), S Will Harris (to WAS)
  • Additions:
    • Free Agents:
      • Defense: DE Jonathan Bullard (from MIN), DT Davon Godchaux (via trade NE), CB Isaac Yiadom (from SF), S Justin Reid (from KC), S Julian Blackmon (from IND), LB Chris Rumph (from LAC)
      • Offense: WR Brandin Cooks (from DAL), OG Dillon Radunz (from TEN), C Will Clapp (from BUF), RB Cam Akers (from MIN)
    • Draft:
      • OT Kelvin Banks (1st – Texas A&M)
      • QB Tyler Shough (2nd – Louisville)
      • S Jonas Sanker (3rd – Virginia)
      • DT Vernon Broughton (3rd – Texas) – 3rd on the depth chart, though
      • CB Quincy Riley (4th – Louisville)
      • LB Danny Stutsman (4th – Oklahoma)
  • Overview – The Saints will contend for the 1st Overall pick in the Draft. They have QBs Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough – ouch. It is going to be rough. The D plugged in a lot of guys who are past their prime in my view. I would expect NO to be favored in maybe 2 games all year, if that.
  • Prediction – 3-14 – that is probably generous. They host NYG in Week 5. CLE has a tough start, but if they lose that game, then they may be the last team to win a game.

Next up the AFC South.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.