NFL Preview Extravaganza 2014: NFC South

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Last year's division winner will regress horribly, and the two cellar dwellers will be a lot better. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints (outside of the post-bounty scandal season) have been the one constant in this division year after year.

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Carolina Panthers
2013 Record: 12-4
Yards Per Game: 316.8 (26th in the NFL)
Points Per Game: 22.9 (18th in the NFL)
Yards Per Game Allowed: 301.2 (2nd in the NFL)
Points Per Game Allowed: 15.1 (2nd in the NFL)

After surprising many, and riding their great defense to a division title last season, the Carolina Panthers got a lot worse during the offseason, and will end up being among the worst teams in the NFL.

The offense was nothing special last year, and it should be a lot worse now. There was a bunch of turnover in the receiving corps, and most of it wasn't impressive. They drafted Kelvin Benjamin, which I liked, but signing Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant to be guys that play legitimate roles on this offense is worrisome.

Left tackle Jordan Gross retired this offseason, which is a problem for the 2014 Panthers, because they did not find a suitable replacement for him. Outside of Ryan Kalil in the middle, the offensive line is an issue.

As for the defense, the front seven is great, and everything else is horrible. I mentioned when previewing the AFC South that a great pass rush can make up for some deficiencies in the secondary, but that is not the case when the entire secondary is bad. As great as Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson are at getting to the quarterback, the guys playing behind them will be victimized before they even get to the opposing signal caller.

I still think that Carolina has the best front seven in the NFL, but a weak secondary, a bad offense, and a strong conference will hold this team back for a year. There is enough talent currently on the team that even if they are terrible, whoever they take in the first round of the draft (probably a defensive back) could propel them back to the playoffs.

Week 1 Preview: Buccaneers at Jets, The Third of Many Bitter, Rambling Jets Articles

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OUT
Buccaneers: TE Tom Crabtree (ankle), G Carl Nicks (foot)

Jets: DE/OLB Quinton Coples (ankle), QB Mark Sanchez (right shoulder)

DOUBTFUL
Buccaneers: CB Rashaan Melvin (hamstring)

Jets: None

QUESTIONABLE
Buccaneers: RB Mike James (eye), RB Erik Lorig (calf)

Jets: DT Kenrick Ellis (back), WR Santonio Holmes (foot)

PROBABLE
Buccaneers: T Demar Dotson (back), CB Darrelle Revis (knee)

Jets: No, the Jets listen 17 players as probable. I'm not going to listen them. That's completely ridiculous. Just know, everyone other than the above Jets are definitely active today. I'm already angry at them...

32 in 32: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Gotta Love the Creamsicle)

Read the introduction here
Read the Browns preview here
Washington Redskins tomorrow

2011 Record: 4-12

Key Acquisitions: Mark Barron, Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson, Dallas Clark, Carl Nicks, Amobi Okoye
Key Departures: Kellen Winslow Jr., Geno Hayes, Albert Haynesworth

Greg Schiano is a really good coach and he'll do a good job of leading this team . They really underachieved last year especially Josh Freeman, who took a gigantic step back last year. He and LeGarrette Blount disappointed me greatly. This team will get better, but their division is too strong.

Offense
Josh Freeman will be better than he was last year. He has to be. It's impossible for him to have lost all of his talent in one offseason. He threw 25 TDs and just 6 INTs in 2010, but in 2011, he threw 16 TDs and 22 INTs. His completion percentage went up by 1.4% and he threw for more yards, but those interceptions are murderous. It's impossible for an offense to function when their quarterback is just giving the ball away. I think he's going to have a bounce back year and re-insert himself into the top half of QBs in the NFL.

Oh LeGarrette. He still made some amazing plays, showing that he maintained his amazing athletic ability, but overall he was mediocre. I've always liked Doug Martin whenever I watched him at Boise State, so he could have a positive effect on this offense. I'm pretty intrigued to see how they work as a tandem.

Ahh, time for me to talk about their receivers. That means, it's time for Vincent "Extremely Overrated Guy Who Was Made Better By Phillip Rivers" Jackson. He's tall and not very good at route running. His contract will be seen as a gigantic albatross by Week 10. Arrelious Benn can make some plays and Mike Williams had a great connection with Freeman in 2010.

Dallas Clark, Peyton Manning's best friend (on the field at least) has arrived. He's probably better than Kellen Winslow, but I want to see how he does without Peyton. He'll probably find a way to get open over the middle of the field, as usual.

I like the offensive line. Carl Nicks could be the best guard in the NFL. Donald Penn and Davin Joseph made the Pro Bowl last year (for what that's worth). Jeremy Zuttah has been a decent center, but he'll be helped by the guard on either side of him, Nicks and Joseph. Those guys will be able to pick up some rushes that Zuttah will inevitably miss.

Defense
De'Quan Bowers will not stay healthy, and that's sad. He's a pretty good talent. Amobi Okoye has been good in his career, and I expect him to be at least decent up the middle. Not much at all here in terms of a pass rush unless Bowers comes back from him Achilles injury. That's what you get when you release Stylez G. White before the season last year.

Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber are a realy nice duo at cornerback. Both can cover a receiver and Talib can get himself some interceptions. Mark Barron is really good. He's going to be a great addition to this secondary. He'll roam around and take away plays with the best of them.

Special Teams
Connor Barth is a good kicker and Michael Koenen has always been a nice punter. Preston Parker and Arrelious Benn can be nice returners. Benn is a solid option, not so high on Parker.

7-9, T-2nd in NFC South