The NFC South sent three teams to the playoffs in 2017. That dropped to just one in 2018. However, the division is arguably even stronger heading into 2019 than it was in 2017, so could they send three once again this season? Let’s take a look at the biggest strength and weakness for each of the NFC South teams.
Atlanta Falcons
Strength – Passing offense
The Atlanta Falcons have realized their biggest strength is their passing offense. They signed James Carpenter and Jamon Brown in free agency and spent two first-round draft picks on offensive linemen in order to optimize their best talent in the passing game. Julio Jones recorded the most receiving yards in the NFL last season, and he is a good bet to repeat that feat. Calvin Ridley is one of the best young receivers in the game. That leaves Mohamed Sanu, who would be a solid WR2 on most other teams. Yet the Falcons have the luxury of him as their third option.
Weakness – secondary
Desmond Trufant took a step back in 2018, and Isaiah Oliver has great potential but is untested. Safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen have been quality players but are coming off severe injuries they suffered last season. Today’s NFC South is not a division where it gets easier as a cornerback. Injuries in the secondary plagued the Falcons’ 2018 campaign. They will need to bounce back and stay healthy to secure the squad’s shot at a Super Bowl in 2019.
Carolina Panthers
Strength – Front seven
The biggest weakness of the Carolina Panthers last season was their pass rush. Now, they have turned it into their greatest strength.
Ron Rivera has always been great orchestrating defensive fronts. Now, he has studs to work with at every position upfront. The Panthers finished 2nd and 3rd in the NFL in total sacks in 2016 and 2017, respectively, despite not having top pass-rushing talent. Now, it’s an embarrassment of riches for the Panthers’ at the position which may be the best in the NFC South.
Mario Addison has recorded double-digit sacks over the last three seasons. The first-round draft selection of Brian Burns gives the Panthers one of the speediest rushers in the league. Bruce Irvin was a quality signing that adds fantastic depth to keep the unit fresh. In the interior, two-time Pro Bowl DT Kawaan Short will be alongside Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe to form a threatening interior that is both strong in pass rush and run defense. At the second level, All-Pro Luke Kuechly has shown no signs of slowing down, and Shaq Thompson has been a solid defender and will have an elevated role thanks to the departure of Thomas Davis.
Weakness – Secondary
The Panthers have a big question mark at free safety. Rashaan Gaulden is the frontrunner to win the job, but the second-year player is largely unproven and inexperienced. Ron Rivera has a proven record of success building defenses from the front to the back. However, the NFC South is full of potent passing offenses, and good coverage from the free safety position will be needed to beat teams like the Saints and Falcons.
Slot cornerback is another position of concern. Corn Elder is the leading candidate there. Elder possesses great talent and upside, but he hasn’t exactly excelled in his first two seasons. The memory of Elder’s woeful performance against Seattle last season is currently what the third-year defender is best known for. Elder’s natural position is in the slot, however, and he needs a good training camp to prove he can be a quality starter at the increasingly demanding slot position.
Strength – Offense
The Saints are still the class of the NFL and NFC South when it comes to offense. Drew Brees was an MVP frontrunner last season, and Alvin Kamara will rightfully see more snaps this season as one of the league’s best running backs.
The Saints were the NFL’s best in terms of team passing grade a season ago! pic.twitter.com/RCSm0Rn9DP
— PFF (@PFF) July 2, 2019
Throw in the fact that an already top-ranked offensive line got even better in the offseason, and the Saints should be as potent as ever on offense.
Weakness – Pass-catching depth
Unfortunately for NFC South foes, it is difficult to identify a weakness on this Saints team in 2019. If you had to name one, you might say the Saints lack consistent, trustworthy options at wide receiver behind Michael Thomas. Most fans expected the Saints to grab a receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft, but they opted to bolster up the depth chart at other key positions.
Ted Ginn is 34 years of age and missed the majority of last season with injury. Tre’Quan Smith showed flashes of an emerging WR2 last season and needs to show more consistency to lock down the role. Right now, Jared Cook gives Drew Brees his best target behind Michael Thomas as a receiving tight end.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strength – Coaching
The Bucs have pivoted quite nicely from Dirk Koetter and brought in two of the best minds in football in Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles.
The Bucs are desperate for leadership on offense that can utilize the talent of Jameis Winston and a strong receiving corps. Arians turned the Arizona Cardinals into the league’s top-ranked offense in 2015 and top ten in 2016, and he helped Carson Palmer be selected to the Pro Bowl at 36 years of age. The Buccaneers exercised Winston’s fifth-year option this offseason, but not commit long-term to their #1 overall draft pick from 2015. They are in a critical situation in 2019, and Arians is a fantastic coach to turn to.
Tampa Bay needs to find a solution on defense even more so than offense. The Bucs finished third-worst in passing yards allowed per attempt in 2018 and worst in the league in that category in 2017. They have finished bottom-10 in rushing yards allowed in the last two seasons as well. Bowles will bring a much-needed scheme change and creative, aggressive pass-rushing to a defensive front that has talent. The young secondary has struggled mightily, but Bowles has an excellent opportunity to help the young group turn the page, and has two day-two draft picks to work within Jamel Dean and Sean Bunting.
Weakness – Quarterback
Jameis Winston has been below average in passer rating in all but one of his first four seasons. His offensive line has been poor, but the unit should be much stronger this season.
The Buccaneers picked up Winston’s fifth-year option this offseason, declining to commit to him as the long-term franchise QB despite being the number one overall draft pick in 2015. It’s a make-or-break year for the former Heisman Trophy winner. Winston must be able to take advantage of an improved offensive line and quarterback-friendly head coach to prove that he can take the Bucs to the playoffs.