(Photo: NBC Sports)
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They were supposed to struggle last year. They got three quality years, a Super Bowl title, and two division titles with Tom Brady under center. Now in comes Baker Mayfield and he ends up having the best season of his career. I always felt Baker was a misunderstood Quarterback who was always in the wrong system. He gets to Tampa Bay and everything clicked for him as he helped the Buccaneers win their third consecutive NFC South division title. Nobody expected them to get to the divisional round of the playoffs, let alone make it. Mike Evans recorded another 1,000-yard receiving season which was his tenth consecutive season doing so. Things weren’t necessarily the best looking at times, but they did what they had to do to win games and that’s all that’s important at the end of the day.
2. New Orleans Saints: I can’t get a feel for them at all. When they signed Derek Carr last year, I thought it was a solid move. It’s a veteran Quarterback getting a change of scenery, but I looked at it as them getting a leader at the most important position which was something they’ve lacked since Drew Brees retired. With the New Orleans Saints last year, one week they were up and the next week, they wouldn’t even bother to show up which means they had a problem staying consistent. I also feel Dennis Allen isn’t the right coach for them. I just don’t know what to expect from this group anymore. There’s always so much pressure on their defense to shoulder the responsibility. If their offense can at least show up, this is a scary team.
3. Atlanta Falcons: Everything has gone down for them since 28-3. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2017, they’vetraded away both Julio Jones and Matt Ryan in back-to-back seasons, and have also struggled to find their identity as a football team. I knew Arthur Smith wouldn’t make it past last year and to replace him as Head Coach, they hired former Rams Defensive Coordinator and Bucs Head Coach, Raheem Morris who will instill some toughness into this team. The only shining point for this team last year was Bijan Robinson. In the off-season, the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a free-agent contract but then drafted Michael Penix Jr in the NFL Draft with the 8th overall pick. I was just as confused as many of you were when that transpired. Raheem will get the best of his guys this year. Kirk is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury.
4. Carolina Panthers: They were a disaster in 2023 as expected. Bryce Young realized the NFL isn’t the college game or Tuscaloosa, Alabama anymore. The Panthers would end up firing Frank Reich in the season after a 1-9 start. I’ve never been the biggest fan of firing a coach in a season, but a team will do what they feel is necessary. Carolina has now hired Dave Canales as their next Head Coach. Dave knows the NFC South well from his days as the Buccaneers Defensive Coordinator. It’s a rebuild going on in Charlotte and they will be adding on young talent for years to come. I’m not expecting much from them in 2024. I’ll give them a little credit as they play tough, but struggle to close games out.
2024 Predictions
1. Buccaneers (9-8)
2. Saints (8-9)
3. Falcons (7-10)
4. Panthers (3-14)
I like the Buccaneers to win this division yet again. They’re the only team I trust from Head Coaching down to the Quarterback. Baker got his contract extension along with Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr who are all important pieces to the puzzle. The one thing I’ll be watching is if the Bucs can get a consistent running game going. They did that in 2020 and look where it took them and I’ll always say running the ball is extremely important these days. Tampa had never won back-to-back division titles in their franchise’s history and now, they’re attempting to win their fourth division title in a row.
