Packers over Patriots

Yes there will be a repeat champion in the NFL.  It hasn’t happened since the New England Patriots back in 2003-2004.  Green Bay is extremely blessed to have so much depth at many key positions. Only a devastating injury to QB Aaron Rodgers would hurt their chances.  Title town will hoist the Lombardi trophy for the 5th time in franchise history.

Key Rookies

Eagles: S Jaiquawan Jarrett

Cowboys: OT Tyron Smith

Giants: CB Prince Amukamara

Redskins: DE Ryan Kerrigan

Team Previews

Philadelphia

It looked as though the Eagles 2010 season was going to have a rough start.  QB Kevin Kolb went down with a concussion during the first game and that meant QB Michael Vick would be thrust in as the starter. He responded as well as anyone could hope, especially head coach Andy Reid.  With Vick’s return, Reid had to change the playbook on the fly.  It didn’t effect the offense at all. With the occasional ‘hold your breathe’ moments when Vick runs, the Eagles were in a good position to win the NFC last year.  With what happened this offseason the Eagles expect to win the Super Bowl.

With the emergence of QB Michael Vick, the Eagles are banking their success entirely on him.  It’s a high risk high reward situation. If Vick gets hurt for an extended period of time, who will back him up?  Gone is QB Kevin Kolb and in to replace him is QB Vince Young who hasn’t been a reliable quarterback in his career.  Andy Reid is a good head coach and will bring Young along slowly, but the injury bug follows him too.  Philadelphia had the most dynamic running game of any team last year.  RB LeSean McCoy was more dangerous as a receiver than a runner, but can do both with ease. RB Ronnie Brown is very similar to McCoy, but he also brings the wildcat to the Eagles offense with his ability to pass the ball.  To complete the trifecta is Vick with his ability to escape and make plays when there is no receiver to throw to.  There are a vast array of weapons to throw to this year in Philadelphia.  WR DeSean Jackson is among the best game changers in the NFL.  His speed is unmatched which makes it difficult for opposing corners to cover him without help.  WR Jeremy Maclin is a good complement to Jackson.  His size and speed makes it hard for defenses to choose which to double cover.  WR Steve Smith was signed away from the rival New York Giants.  If he’s fully recovered from major knee surgery he will be exactly what the Eagles need in the slot. TE Brent Celek is becoming a mainstay in the passing game.  He and Vick are developing a good repertoire together.

The Eagles defense has gotten exponentially better thanks to three major additions.  The first being CB Nnamdi Asomugha.  The prize free agent had Philadelphia high on his wish list and the Eagles were happy to hear that.  To pair Asomugha along with CB Asante Samuel is a defensive coordinator’s dream come true.  The secondary got even better when they acquired CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from Arizona for QB Kevin Kolb.  Those three will see the field a lot this year and will take pressure off young safeties Nate Allen and Jaiquawn Jarrett.  The second major acquisition was getting DE Cullen Jenkins from the Green Bay Packers.  Jenkins was an excellent end in the Packers 3-4 scheme, but is an even better tackle in a 4-3.  The Eagles don’t blitz very often with their linebackers, but it shouldn’t matter with Jenkins all over the line.  DE Jason Babin was the last major acquisition.  He had a career year with Tennessee last year.  A lot of that had to do with him being blocked by only one lineman and defensive line coach Jim Washburn.  Washburn is now in Philadelphia.  It’s easy to expect another stellar year from Babin. That also bodes well for DE Trent Cole who had another season with at least 10 sacks.  The main weakness is at linebacker, but the Eagles are confident that youngsters LB Jamar Chaney, LB Casey Matthews and LB Akeem Jordan will make more strides this year in their development.

Dallas

It was a season to forget last year for the Cowboys.  There was a lot of talk, too much about the Cowboys making it to the Super Bowl which happened to be at Cowboys Stadium.  Injuries always are an issue with any team, but last years problems started with their head coach.  Wade Phillips was fired in the midst of a 1-7 season.  Owner Jerry Jones couldn’t take anymore of it after an embarrassing loss to Green Bay.  Jason Garrett brought respectability and more importantly accountability back to the Cowboys who finished the season 5-3.  Overall it wasn’t a good season, but this one looks much brighter.

Dallas is starting fresh on offense this year.  Jason Garrett will still be calling the shots, but will be more aggressive now that he is the head coach.  QB Tony Romo is back from a broken collarbone. It’s clear that if he’s healthy for a full season the Cowboys have a chance to be a playoff team.  Even though his playoff success isn’t the best among active quarterbacks, he still gives Dallas a chance to win every game. The Cowboys cut ties with RB Marion Barber.  That clears the way for RB Felix Jones to be the starter. He won’t be the guy to carry the ball 15-20 times a game, but he will be a big part of the offense.  Particularly the big plays.  Tony Romo has a great trio of receivers to throw to.  WR Miles Austin did struggle a bit last year, but he’s still the deep threat receiver that the Cowboys covet.  WR Dez Bryant is ready for a breakout year.  Now that he isn’t playing behind the departed WR Roy Williams, Bryant will be counted on quite a bit.  TE Jason Witten is still Romo’s favorite target.  You could argue that Romo wouldn’t be as good without Witten and vice versa.  Witten takes advantage of what’s given to him and finds a hole in the defense on almost every play.

The defense will have a new attitude this year with Rob Ryan on board as the defensive coordinator.  Look for Ryan to bring a new nasty demeanor to the defensive players, whom have been craving it for some time.  LB DeMarcus Ware figures to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks this year.  His ability to play almost every down will help keep the Cowboys defense amongst the best in the league.  LB Anthony Spencer who plays opposite Ware will have to increase his production if the Cowboys are to remain a threat.  DT Jay Ratliff isn’t the prototypical nose tackle for a 3-4 defense, but he is quick off the line and can bull rush the best offensive lineman.  The Cowboys secondary has always been an issue and it starts with their health.  CB Terence Newman is a premiere corner, but has been hampered by leg injuries his entire career.  Dallas would like to see more from CB Orlando Scandrick and CB Mike Jenkins this year to help take pressure off Newman.  Backing up the corners has been a major problem, but adding S Abram Elam will help tremendously.  Elam played for Ryan in Cleveland and has a good feel for what Ryan wants to do against the pass.

New York

They have been in prime position to clinch a playoff spot the last two seasons, but late season collapses have left the Giants out of the playoffs.  The only thing that head coach Tom Coughlin can point to is that the Giants didn’t play to their standards.  They were turnover prone and gave up big plays far too often on defense.  It’s safe to say that Coughlin’s job is not in jeopardy, but if the Giants do falter late in the season again, it will be hard to justify keeping him.

The main problem with the Giants and turning over the football was with QB Eli Manning.  Even though he did throw for over 4,000 yards and had 31 touchdown passes, his interception total was far too high at 25.  He is fumble prone also, but that can be fixed. One way it can be fixed is the Giants focus more on rushing the ball first and pass second.  It will be hard to do with a good quarterback in Manning, but RB Ahmad Bradshaw and RB Brandon Jacobs are one of the best combinations in the NFL.  Jacobs got in Coughlin’s doghouse last year, but has come out of it with a renewed attitude. Bradshaw is the better all around back, but Jacobs brings a bruising style to their offense.  Manning found what had been missing in the passing game when WR Plaxico Burress was sentenced to prison.  A reliable target.  WR Hakeem Nicks lived up to his potential last year with a breakout year. There is no telling how far Nicks can go, but the Giants would love to see him raise the bar even higher.  WR Mario Manningham will be counted on to fill the role vacated by WR Steve Smith. Manningham was better suited as the slot receiver, but he must step up and be as good as Hakeem Nicks.  Eli likes having a big tight end in the middle of the field.  TE Kevin Boss is gone so that leaves young TE Travis Beckum to be the next starter.  How he does will have a great effect on Eli’s production this year.

The organization feels they’ve fixed the secondary this offseason, which has been a problem area for them of late.  CB Prince Amukamara was a top flight cornerback at Nebraska.  He won’t be thrust into the starting lineup right away with established starters CB Corey Webster and CB Aaron Ross ahead of him.  However, Prince should see plenty of time with CB Terrell Thomas out for the season.  And as long as S Kenny Phillips can stay healthy, he and S Antrel Rolle will be the primary playmakers on defense.  There is still a major problem on defense.  Who will be the difference maker at linebacker for the Giants?  LB Michael Boley was inconsistent last year.  He is the most experienced, but is limited in pass coverage.  LB Jonathan Goff has been given the reins, but it will take some time for this unit to get up to speed.  The Giants strength has always been on their defensive line.  DE Justin Tuck and DE Osi Umenyiora are one of the best pass rushing duos in the league.  Their depth will be strengthened with the emergence of DE Jason Pierre-Paul.  If he emerges quickly, the Giants might have enough to offset their weaknesses elsewhere on the defense.

Washington

It really wasn’t a welcome sight for the Redskins last year.  Head coach Mike Shanahan was supposed to right the ship immediately, but things were a disaster from the start.  Shanahan wasn’t thrilled with DT Albert Haynesworth once he arrived at training camp.  QB Donovan McNabb wasn’t Shanahan’s first choice to be the Redskins quarterback, but it started to look like Shanahan was right towards the end of the season.  Either way it seems the Redskins have taken two steps back going into the 2011 season. Who will be the starting quarterback, running back and where will the direction of this team go?

Mike Shanahan announced before the lockout ended that QB John Beck was the starting quarterback for the Redskins.  That was before they traded QB Donovan McNabb.  Whether Shanahan knows what he has at quarterback is one thing, but to think that he played QB Rex Grossman instead of McNabb for four games last year is a bit suspect.  Regardless of what happens at quarterback, Shanahan does know how to find talented running backs.  He does have a good one with RB Ryan Torain, but his motor leads him to suffer nagging injuries.  Enter RB Tim Hightower who was acquired from the Arizona Cardinals.  Hightower was a good change of pace back in Arizona and could have a bigger role in the Redskins offense.  Washington was wise to bring back WR Santana Moss. Without him they wouldn’t have a reliable option for whomever is going to be the starting quarterback.  This late in his career Moss is still a capable receiver considering his size.  If TE Chris Cooley can stay healthy for an entire year it will make the transition a lot easier for either Beck or Grossman at quarterback.  Cooley is an elite pass catching tight end.

Defensively it was a struggle for the Redskins who switched to a 3-4 defense last year.  However, they did play better down the stretch last season.  That progress should bode well going forward and not having Haynesworth will help too.  LB Brian Orakpo has developed into an elite pass rusher for Washington.  If this years 1st round pick LB Ryan Kerrigan can do the same opposite Orakpo the Redskins will have a great duo for many years.  LB London Fletcher in the middle has been a big relief in the transition.  He hasn’t always played in a 3-4 system, but he makes adjustments on the fly.  That works well in a complex scheme.  S O.J. Atogwe is new to the defense, but him and S LaRon Landry could form one of the best safety duos in the league.  Landry can do it all and Atogwe is more of a cover safety, but can help in the run defense. CB DeAngelo Hall is starting to be more comfortable in Washington.  Maybe it’s the new coaching staff or the fact that he is being left to do his job and cover the opponents best receiver. The defensive line is a deep unit.  DE Adam Carriker has adjusted well to the new defense and is poised for a breakout season.  DT Barry Cofield isn’t the ideal nose tackle, but is a Jay Ratliff type who attacks the quarterback constantly.  DE Kedric Golston and DE Lorenzo Alexander are good in run support.  Both will be counted on when it counts.

Key Rookies

Packers: OT Derek Sherrod

Lions: DT Nick Fairley

Bears: OT Gabe Carimi

Vikings: TE Kyle Rudolph

Team Previews

Green Bay

Everything went right for the Packers last year.  They had no running game.  There were key injuries at tight end and many positions on defense.  Yet it all came together going into the playoffs.  The scary thing going into this year is that they have stayed relatively intact.  With those injured players returning and the depth they have at almost every position.  This Packers team is set for a repeat no matter what obstacles may come their way.

You couldn’t ask for a better scenario.  Head coach Mike McCarthy is replacing QB Brett Favre with QB Aaron Rodgers after the 2007 season.  Rodgers has been sitting and waiting for a long time. Now that Rodgers was given a chance, he has become one of the elite quarterbacks in the league after his first full season in 2008. He hasn’t always had the best pass protection around him, but Green Bay has put enough weapons around Rodgers to help him succeed.  Rodgers has developed great chemistry with all his receivers.  WR Greg Jennings is a Pro-Bowl caliber receiver and one of the best deep threats in the game. WR Donald Driver might not be a Hall of Fame player in Canton, but will be in Green Bay once his career is over.  The future looks good with WR Jordy Nelson and WR James Jones getting a lot of looks the last two seasons.  The tight end position is incredibly deep with the return of Jermichael Finley.  He was Rodgers favorite redzone target before he was lost last season.  Green Bay still has good backups in TE Andrew Quarless and rookie TE D.J. Williams.  The Packers deepest position was their weakest last season.  If RB Ryan Grant can return to his former 1,000 yard self, the Packers will be fine using last years hero RB James Starks for 10-15 touches a game. They would love to keep them both fresh.  Bringing back FB John Kuhn doesn’t seem to be that important, but he’s a big help for their redzone offense.

Even though Green Bay allowed DE Cullen Jenkins to leave, they are confident in their depth that they can overcome that loss.  Both DE Mike Neal and DE Jarius Wynn will be counted on to step in and fill the void.  Both aren’t elite pass rushers, but are mobile enough to cause havoc in the backfield.  DT B.J. Raji was all over the place last year in the playoffs and will be given a bigger role going into this season.  Look for Raji to pick up the pass rush on the line.  LB Clay Matthews was a big difference maker for so many games on defense.  No one seemed to have any answers on how to stop him.  The over/under on his sack total should be 15 from here on out.  LB Nick Barnett is gone, but LB Desmond Bishop did a great job filling in for the injured Barnett last year. Bishop should do even better as a full time starter.  Playing alongside Bishop will be LB A.J. Hawk.  Hawk is among the best cover linebackers in the league.  Green Bay can’t afford to lose him for an extended period of time.  The Packers will look to LB Brad Jones, LB Frank Zombo or LB Erik Walden to provide a pass rush opposite Matthews.  CB Charles Woodson was a gamer last year. He thought about playing the second half of the Super Bowl with a broken collarbone.  That toughness was shown all year and it inspired the Packers.  He is among the best cover corners in the game.  CB Tramon Williams and CB Sam Shields both feed off Woodson.  Both Williams and Shields are ready to carry the torch once Woodson hangs up the cleats.

Detroit

There have been so many disappointing seasons in Detroit that this must be the year that they finally break through and have a winning record.  It’s been over a decade since the Lions have finished the season with a winning record.  That’s a realistic expectation.  Clinching a spot in the playoffs isn’t far fetched, but in the past high expectations have led to massive disappointment. Head coach Jim Schwartz has Detroit going in the right direction and he believes this is the year they make that leap towards being a consistent contender.

The biggest key to the Lions success, as with every team is at quarterback.  QB Matthew Stafford must stay healthy for an entire season.  He has shown that he can compete in this league, but Detroit has struggled to keep him upright.  Stafford has the talent around him to get the Lions on the right track offensively.  With the trouble at quarterback since he was drafted, WR Calvin Johnson is among the best at getting the football no matter where it’s thrown. His talent is unlimited.  Him and Stafford have a good repertoire going forward.  Detroit has a legitimate pass catching tight end in Brandon Pettigrew.  He was second only to Johnson in catches and yards last season.  WR Nate Burleson has to be a bigger presence to help take pressure off Johnson.  RB Jahvid Best figured his workload wouldn’t be a lot since Detroit drafted RB Mikel Leshoure in the 2nd round.  Unfortunately that will have to be the case since Leshoure tore his achilles in training camp.  The Lions will have a two back system in place since Best’s size doesn’t say he can carry the ball 20+ times a game.  Best will be best utilized in passing situations and be given plenty of room to roam.

The defense’s strength starts with their defensive line.  DT Ndamukong Suh made his presence felt throughout the league last year with his 10 sack performance in his rookie season.  It was a no brainer to take him after the Rams took QB Sam Bradford with the 1st pick last year.  Suh has made everyone else around him better as a result.  DE Cliff Avril recorded 8.5 sacks and DE Lawrence Jackson recorded 6 sacks.  Those were career highs for Avril and Jackson.  Expect those sack totals to remain the same. Drafting high motor DT Nick Fairley this year just makes the Lions defensive line that much better for the future.  Detroit brought in LB Stephen Tulloch to take control of the middle of the field.  He’s familiar with the scheme from Schwartz’s days in Tennessee.  This bodes well for the run defense which must improve going forward. The Lions haven’t had a perennial corner in some time.  CB Chris Houston has done an admirable job since being acquired last season.  They hope free agent CB Eric Wright can solidify the other side of the field.  S Louis Delmas has been a force in the running game, but his coverage skills are suspect.  Detroit hopes free agent S Erik Coleman can resolve that issue playing alongside Delmas.

Chicago

It will be difficult for the Bears to get over the loss of last years NFC Championship game to Green Bay.  For one, they play Green Bay two times during the season and two there will be constant doubts about Jay Cutler’s leadership the entire season.  Chicago was right to defend their quarterback after the game, but going forward Cutler will not be able to avoid that discussion until he wins a Super Bowl.  There is no doubt the Bears and head coach Lovie Smith need an elite performance from Cutler this season to have another shot at the Super Bowl.

Not all the blame can be put squarely on Jay Cutler’s shoulders last season.  The offensive line in front of him was horrible.  They allowed a league high 56 sacks.  It was amazing that Cutler took that kind of a beating the entire year.  Cutler did improve his decision making last season even under the constant pressure. Going forward that is the one good thing about Cutler’s game. Who will be his favorite target is another thing.  WR Johnny Knox is the best deep threat, but isn’t a big yard after the catch kind of receiver.  The Bears will be banking on an improved season from free agent WR Roy Williams.  He had his best seasons under offensive coordinator Mike Martz when he was in Detroit.  WR Devin Hester is the secret weapon.  If he can be a constant threat as the slot receiver, the Bears will have a nice safety net for Cutler when he’s in distress.  RB Matt Forte is in a contract year and is among the best all around running backs in the game.  He should be kept fresh with the addition of RB Marion Barber.  He had rough season last year, but should have bounce back season.

Chicago’s bread and butter is with their defense.  LB Brian Urlacher is still among the best linebackers in the league.  He is slowly losing a step every now and then, but is a force in the middle of the field.  LB Lance Briggs since getting his big contract has been inconsistent far too often.  He will need to find that spark again if the Bears are to improve their standing against the pass which ranked near the bottom.  Chicago’s pass defense won’t be as prolific with the loss of S Danieal Manning.  He was their safety net down the field.  S Chris Harris will try to fill that void, but is better against the run.  CB Charles Tillman is still a good cover corner, but he’s better equipped at stopping the run.  CB Tim Jennings did a good job playing opposite Tillman last year.  Jennings played bigger than his size indicates.  DE Julius Peppers made an instant change on defense.  His pass rushing prowess made everyone better and the Bears defense returned to the top of the league.  DE Israel Idonije matched Peppers 8 sacks last season.  He greatly benefited from having a single blocker on him.  The Bears interior figures to have a constant rotation that might hurt them against the run this season.

Minnesota

We all knew it was going to be a matter of time when the Brett Favre experiment was going to ruin Minnesota.  Sure enough it happened before the season even ended last year.  Brad Childress was fired as the head coach.  Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was hired as the interim head coach.  He brought the Vikings back to respectability and finished the season 3-3.  Now that Frazier is the full time head coach Minnesota wants to move on and go in a new direction.

The Vikings wasted no time in starting their new regime by drafting QB Christian Ponder with their 1st round pick.  Ponder has the tools to be a good quarterback, but probably won’t see much playing time with the acquisition of QB Donovan McNabb. Minnesota is putting all their chips in with McNabb hoping that he can have a bounce back season.  His tenure in Washington was a disaster leaving some to question McNabb’s work ethic.  Either way the Vikings need him to keep them afloat in a competitive division.  Minnesota lost their best wide receiver in Sidney Rice, but still have WR Percy Harvin and WR Bernard Berrian.  Harvin is becoming a reliable target in the passing game.  Berrian however is injury prone and must be healthy to be the deep threat.  TE Visanthe Shiancoe is still a reliable target, but the Vikings drafted TE Kyle Rudolph in the 2nd round.  They will bring Rudolph along to eventually replace Shiancoe.  The Vikings still have an elite running back in Adrian Peterson.  He’s still a bruiser with deceptive speed, but the Vikings figure to lessen his workload by using RB Toby Gerhart more often this year.

Minnesota’s defense will suffer on the defensive line with the departure of DE Ray Edwards.  He was the perfect complement to DE Jared Allen.  Now the Vikings will have to find a replacement to help keep Allen from having to fight off constant double teams.  DT Kevin Williams is still an elite tackle, but he is losing a step in his pass rush.  LB Chad Greenway is becoming one of the best linebackers in the league.  He’s not used as a pass rusher very often, but his coverage skills are what makes him a dangerous defender against tight ends and running backs in the flat.  CB Antoine Winfield is approaching the end of his career.  This must be the year that either CB Cedric Griffin or CB Chris Cook begin to step up and take command as the top cornerback.  A lot is riding on the Vikings defense to carry them with the uncertainty of the offense.

Team Previews

Atlanta

What is being built in Atlanta should last for a while.  The Falcons have made the playoffs two of the last three seasons.  Last year saw them finish with a 13-3 record.  Their best since 1998 when they made it to their only Super Bowl appearance.  Unfortunately they were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round last year.  The Falcons were exposed as weak defensively and short on offensive weapons. That should be different this year.

Atlanta’s head coach Mike Smith has been fortunate to have a franchise quarterback in Matt Ryan play so well at the beginning of his career.  Without that the Falcons would be an average team. Ryan has the good fortune of having one of the best wide receivers in Roddy White to throw to.  White’s career year last season has put him among the best pass catchers in the game. To go along with White, the Falcons acquired TE Tony Gonzalez back in 2009. He had a bit of down year last year, but they still consider him an elite pass catcher and safety net for Ryan. Drafting WR Julio Jones was seen by some as a risk.  Not because of Jones, but because of how much they gave to move up and draft him.  Five draft picks is what the Falcons gave to acquire Jones.  But after what happened last year against Green Bay, Atlanta had to get more talent for QB Matt Ryan.  Expect Ryan’s numbers to be even better this season.  Even with all the success at quarterback, Atlanta is still a run first team.  RB Michael Turner is a workhorse. He had a nice return from an injury plagued 2009 last year.  Turner should continue to be the top back, but expect rookie RB Jacquizz Rodgers to see some time in passing situations.

The Falcons solved a major problem on the defense last year by signing CB Dunta Robinson.  They were among the top teams in interceptions last year.  It also saw the emergence of CB Brent Grimes as a perfect complement to Robinson.  Another problem arose last year and that was the lack of a pass rush.  DE John Abraham had 13 sacks last year, but the next player had only 4. Atlanta hopes they solved this problem by signing DE Ray Edwards.  He was a major force for Minnesota’s pass rush playing opposite DE Jared Allen.  The Falcons hope the same will happen with Edwards playing opposite Abraham.  At linebacker the Falcons need LB Curtis Lofton and LB Sean Weatherspoon to be consistent performers in the middle of the field.  Both have high motors and are excellent in coverage.

New Orleans

They play in the toughest division in football and that’s a good thing for the Saints.  It helps that you play against top competition within your own division.  The Saints fought hard to get by Tampa Bay to clinch a playoff spot last year behind Atlanta who won the NFC South.  New Orleans knows that this year won’t be any easier with Atlanta making adjustments and Tampa Bay staying intact.  But when you have Sean Payton as your head coach and Drew Brees as your quarterback, New Orleans knows they will always have a chance.

QB Drew Brees was turnover prone last year.  His 22 interceptions last year were the highest of his career.  He knows he needs to improve in that area.  And it should help that the Saints are improving the running game.  They ranked near the bottom last year.  That was due to injuries and inconsistent play.  RB Pierre Thomas should be fully healthy now.  RB Reggie Bush was traded. And New Orleans drafted Heisman trophy winning RB Mark Ingram. Signing RB Darren Sproles should prove to be one of if not the best free agent acquisition of the season.  Sproles is a better fit in this offense than Reggie Bush was.  Brees still has WR Marques Colston to throw to.  He’s a big target and when healthy is among the best receivers in the game.  WR Robert Meachem is becoming more comfortable in the offense, but he needs to step up and become a reliable second receiver.  WR Lance Moore is a good slot receiver and a favorite target of Brees.  TE Jimmy Graham will have a big season.  He became Brees’ security blanket late last season as injuries mounted for TE Jeremy Shockey.

The elite part of the Saints defense is their secondary.  S Malcolm Jenkins is becoming one of the best in the NFL.  He’s made the transition from corner to safety look easy, but it’s not.  His coverage skills are among the best and is getting better in run support.  CB Jabari Greer and CB Tracy Porter are still improving. They are great cover corners and aren’t intimidated by bigger receivers.  LB Jonathan Vilma is the leader of this defense.  He’s an excellent run stuffer and very deceptive in coverage.  The lack of a consistent push on the line didn’t stop him from having another stellar season.  Expect the Saints to be much better against the run this year now that they’ve signed DT Shaun Rogers and NT Aubrayo Franklin.  Both are excellent run stuffers and will help keep blockers off Vilma.  DE Will Smith and DT Sedrick Ellis will benefit also as the best pass rushers on defense.

Tampa Bay

It’s amazing to think that after firing Jon Gruden in 2009 that current head coach Raheem Morris would have the Bucs back as contenders just two years later.  One thing Morris does have that Gruden didn’t is a franchise quarterback.  Morris has handed the reins to QB Josh Freeman on offense and Morris himself has turned around a flat defense.  Tampa Bay is primed to make some noise this season, but with New Orleans and Atlanta making moves, the Bucs stood back and kept some of their own instead of going after big name players.  It could come back to haunt them.

All the confidence of the organization was given to QB Josh Freeman last season.  His career year was no fluke as he had a good running game to take pressure off him in the middle of games.  His late game heroics instantly took him to the top of his draft class which included QB Matthew Stafford and QB Mark Sanchez.  The only thing left is to see what Freeman can do in the playoffs.  Tampa Bay will be without former 1st round pick RB Cadillac Williams.  Instead they will hand the job to RB LeGarrette Blount who was an unstoppable force for three quarters of the season.  If Blount can repeat that production, the Bucs can expect a 1,500 yard rushing season from him.  Freeman developed a great repertoire with WR Mike Williams and WR Arrelious Benn. Both were rookies last year, but didn’t play like rookies at times. Especially Williams who is the top receiver going into this season. TE Kellen Winslow showed why he is to be considered one of the best tight ends in football.  Part of Freeman’s heroics last year came when Winslow was making drive saving catches at crucial times.

Morris knows that he needed the defense to play well if the Bucs were to be playoff contenders last year.  They were until a late season defeat to the Lions ended that opportunity.  Tampa Bay’s major flaw was the lack of a pass rush last year.  That will change with the additions of rookie DE Adrian Clayborn and DE Da’Quan Bowers.  The Bucs were fortunate to have Bowers fall where he did.  He’s a first round talent that fell to the 2nd round due to injury concerns.  They won’t be using him often, but he will certainly play on passing downs.  Clayborn is a high motor defensive end that can be a good run stuffer off the edge.  DT Gerald McCoy struggled at times last year, but looked much more comfortable as the season progressed.  Expect a big year from him.  CB Ronde Barber and CB Aqib Talib are a good duo, but it’s hard to believe that Barber can continue to produce at such a high level for much longer.  Talib’s off field issues might affect him this year, but he’s still a reliable corner.  Especially against taller receivers.  Tampa Bay could see a drop off at linebacker.  They figure to start rookie LB Mason Foster who is reminding some of LB Hardy Nickerson. LB Quincy Black is becoming a Pro-Bowl caliber player.  Each year he’s showing major improvements from the previous season.

Carolina

Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong for the Panthers last year.  Their head coach John Fox had suddenly lost his fire.  They had no reliable quarterback.  The injuries were piling up.  There was a lot of talk about big name players leaving as free agents.  The lockout was probably a good thing for Carolina.  It gave everyone time to step back and take a deep breath.  New head coach Ron Rivera is getting his first chance to show what he can do at the helm.  He has established a new gameplan and will have a new quarterback to lead the way.  Even better news was most of their high profile free agents returned to right this ship.

It will be tough to gauge just how the quarterback situation will play out in Carolina.  QB Jimmy Clausen was considered to be the most ready of last years quarterback class to play.  However, he looked lost and had almost no protection as Panthers quarterbacks were sacked 50 times.  This year he sees competition coming from the 1st overall pick QB Cam Newton.  The Heisman trophy winning quarterback from Auburn had a tremendous season for the Tigers last year, but the NFL is a whole other ball game.  Clausen should be the starter, but Newton might see some time late in the season. Whoever the quarterback is, he will have some weapons to throw to.  Carolina acquired TE Jeremy Shockey and TE Greg Olsen in separate deals.  Both are great pass catching tight ends who will provide a great check down option in the passing game.  WR Steve Smith has decided to give this new coaching staff a shot and returned as a model citizen after a tumultuous end to last year. His presence will help fellow WR Brandon LaFell and WR David Gettis develop.  RB DeAngelo Williams was re-signed and with RB Jonathan Stewart the Panthers should still have one of the best running back duos in the NFL.

Rivera’s speciality is on defense.  He was a big part of what the Bears built on defense under head coach Lovie Smith and was instrumental in turning around the Chargers defense.  John Fox was becoming predictable defensively.  Didn’t take too many chances.  That’s the total opposite with Rivera.  He will expect DE Charles Johnson to repeat his 11.5 sack performance last year. Johnson was given a hefty pay raise and will be counted on to meet those expectations.  On the interior the Panthers did draft DT Terrell McClain and DT Sione Fua with their 3rd round picks.  Both aren’t expected to start right away, but they will help in the rotation which was abysmal last year.  All three starting linebackers were re-signed to long term contracts.  LB Jon Beason is the leader in the middle.  Rivera wants his linebackers to be active not just in coverage, but rushing the passer.  That will play to Beason and LB Thomas Davis strengths.  Both are quick off the line.  LB James Anderson isn’t the best pass rusher, but can cover some of the best receivers in the league.  The focus for next year will probably be getting a shut down corner.  CB Chris Gamble has struggled to be that guy.  He’s still their best cover corner, but hasn’t been able to play very often.  S Charles Godfrey is becoming the leader of the secondary.  He’s excellent in coverage and isn’t afraid to make a tackle in run support.