Quote:I think shanahan was probably pretty important to the offense. even with them still having ryan and jones, its a tough road for any team to get back to the superbowl....the nfc south is a tough division too.
i wouldnt even bet money on atlanta making it back to the playoffs.
Who's going to get in their way?
Dallas? Maybe. Defense doesn't seem to have it when it counts.
Green Bay? Looking more like pretenders every season. Rodgers and not much else. 2010 looking like the exception, not the rule.
Seattle? Contend but have fallen off. Remind me a lot of Ravens West Coast.
I see Atlanta having the opportunity for a run. Should be a contender for a while in the NFC. NFC South doesn't really give them much challenge. I don't see any bounce back upward from Carolina. Their "bounce back" is back down to normalcy after getting to the Super Bowl.
Quote:Who's going to get in their way?
Dallas? Maybe. Defense doesn't seem to have it when it counts.
Green Bay? Looking more like pretenders every season. Rodgers and not much else. 2010 looking like the exception, not the rule.
Seattle? Contend but have fallen off. Remind me a lot of Ravens West Coast.
I see Atlanta having the opportunity for a run. Should be a contender for a while in the NFC. NFC South doesn't really give them much challenge. I don't see any bounce back upward from Carolina. Their "bounce back" is back down to normalcy after getting to the Super Bowl.
Carolina, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans are all right in their own division and shouldn't be overlooked. Every team makes changes in the offseason that will impact their results next season, so it would be even tougher than normal right now to try and make any real guesses who would give them the biggest competition.
Going out on a limb though, I only see Tampa Bay getting better...they finished only two games behind atlanta last season, it would just be silly to consider Atlanta a guarantee to make it back to the playoffs.
Quote:If they can keep their OC, they'll be back.
We knew before the game he was headed to San Fran
Quote:
I don't see any bounce back upward from Carolina. Their "bounce back" is back down to normalcy after getting to the Super Bowl.
Just curious what about Carolina's situation makes you think they won't challenge Atlanta? You don't think the losing their OC, their QB coach, and a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl is going to have an affect on the Falcons next season?
As soon as Atlanta made the Super Bowl, the NFC South became the first division since the realignment to 8 divisions of 4 teams each in 2002, for all 4 teams in the division to have made it to the Super Bowl.
Quote:Just curious what about Carolina's situation makes you think they won't challenge Atlanta? You don't think the losing their OC, their QB coach, and a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl is going to have an affect on the Falcons next season?
I don't see Carolina as much more than a quarterback team. They rise or fall due to how well he plays. They may bounce due to a weaker schedule, but I don't think they're quite built for a sustained run. I see Atlanta as being better built in that regard.
Carolina is aging on defense, DB's are average at best, and Olsen isn't getting any younger. I don't see how they can sustain long term unless they land key draft picks/FA's.
Quote:I don't see Carolina as much more than a quarterback team. They rise or fall due to how well he plays. They may bounce due to a weaker schedule, but I don't think they're quite built for a sustained run. I see Atlanta as being better built in that regard.
That choke job in the Super Bowl is going to set them back AT LEAST a year. I watched the mental strain it had on the Panthers this past season coupled with the fact that they got everyone's A game all year. The SB hangover is a real thing.
Quote:Carolina is aging on defense, DB's are average at best, and Olsen isn't getting any younger. I don't see how they can sustain long term unless they land key draft picks/FA's.
Aging on D? 3 of our 4 starting DL are all on rookie contracts not to mention our 1st rd pick last year was a DT. Luke isn't close to old and is still the best MLB in the league. Thomas Davis is old but his heir Shaq Thompson is going into his 3rd year and has been an absolute beast when he gets PT. Our DBs are both rookies. One of our safeties is in a rookie contract. So....who exactly is old? Our D took a step back last season because they're so young.
Also....not sure how you say our DBs are average when they were both rookies and started from day one and had to learn on the job. I wouldn't expect any rookies to be world beaters their first year. But both of our guys showed a lot of promise towards the end of the season. Bradberry was PFF's #1 rated rookie DB (Ramsey was #2). He was also top 10 overall. <a class="bbc_url" href='https://twitter.com/PFF_Gordon/status/826623209315377152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>https://twitter.com/PFF_Gordon/status/826623209315377152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</a>
Olsen just had his best season and his 3rd 1K receiving season in a row. He's got plenty left in the tank.
We've certainly got some problems, but man you totally missed on everyone single one of your assessments.
Quote:As soon as Atlanta made the Super Bowl, the NFC South became the first division since the realignment to 8 divisions of 4 teams each in 2002, for all 4 teams in the division to have made it to the Super Bowl.
Buccaneers: 2004 (W)
Saints: 2009 (W)
Panthers: 2015 (L)
Falcons: 2016 (L)
Now it is time for an AFC division to do it.
Quote:Who's going to get in their way?
Dallas? Maybe. Defense doesn't seem to have it when it counts.
Green Bay? Looking more like pretenders every season. Rodgers and not much else. 2010 looking like the exception, not the rule.
Seattle? Contend but have fallen off. Remind me a lot of Ravens West Coast.
I see Atlanta having the opportunity for a run. Should be a contender for a while in the NFC. NFC South doesn't really give them much challenge. I don't see any bounce back upward from Carolina. Their "bounce back" is back down to normalcy after getting to the Super Bowl.
Don't forget about the Giants.
Their defense is really, really good.
They're one of those teams that can make a strong push if Eli is playing well late in the season.
Quote:Don't forget about the Giants.
Their defense is really, really good.
They're one of those teams that can make a strong push if Eli is playing well late in the season.
Yeah the Giants are definitely right there in the mix but they have to get some RB help. They were struggling to score last year.
Quote:Don't forget about the Giants.
Their defense is really, really good.
They're one of those teams that can make a strong push if Eli is playing well late in the season.
Don't forget the Giants offense is Odell Beckham and everyone else. Eli Manning is on the downside of his career. If #13 does not get the ball, New York's offense stinks.
Quote:Buccaneers: 2004 (W)
Saints: 2009 (W)
Panthers: 2015 (L)
Falcons: 2016 (L)
Now it is time for an AFC division to do it.
The Buccaneers won it for the 2002 NFL season, the first year of the 8 divisions of 4 teams realignment.
Quote:The Buccaneers won it for the 2002 NFL season, the first year of the 8 divisions of 4 teams realignment.
Thanks for the correction.