It seems that every year in the NFL a team that suffered major disappointment the year before returns with a vengeance. In recent years we have seen a number of teams bounce back and become one of the awe inspiring worst to first teams that take the league by storm. After an extremely lackluster effort last year, it seems that the New Orleans Saints may be poised to be another one of those teams that return to form after a disappointing year.
The Saints look like they could become the best team in the NFC South thanks to the veteran presence they have in their lineup and the additions of Darren Sharper and Michael Jenkins. It seems to be a recent trend that every team in the division that finishes in last place takes control the next season. With perennial all star Drew Brees at the helm the team has always been able to put the offensive numbers up there but haven’t been able to find the defensive help they need.
If they can find a way to gather up a top 10 defense, then the Saints are a team that could push towards the top of the entire league. The will of course have to compete with some other potent teams, but the additions already have the team poised to be powerful.
The team that they are going to have to really fight for top spot against is the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have an incredibly athletic defense that revolves around Julius Peppers. Peppers is an absolute physical monster and is affectionately nicknamed the Freak. The team has one of the most athletic defenses in the entire league which makes playing them a potential nightmare for other teams every single week.
On top of that their offense has the ability to break games open. With incredibly gifted wide receiver Steve Smith always bringing that deep threat, and stud running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart smashing the ball up the field, the Panthers have the ability to score each and every time they have the ball. After going 12-4 last season, the Panthers do not look like they will be slowing down at all.
While no one can be certain which team will come out on top of the division, one thing is for certain. The NFC South will provide a lot of entertainment this year and the Panthers and Saints are going to be battling it out until the very end of the season. The match ups have potential to be some of the best in the game. With Drew Brees going head to head against Jake Delhomme and playmakers like DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith competing against high profile talents like Michael Jenkins and Reggie Bush. Look out for the NFC South this year and buckle up your seatbelts, because it is going to be a ride.
References:
NFL,
New Orleans Saints,
Darren Sharper,
Drew Brees,
Steve Smith,
DeAngelo Williams,
Michael Jenkins
