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NFC South Predictions

1. Carolina Panthers

There’s a new sense of urgency with this team, and a return to a power-offense is the right idea.

2. New Orleans Saints

The most explosive team in the division, but without a more trustworthy rushing attack, the Saints will have trouble dictating the flow of games.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Solid offense, excellent defense, but this team never puts together back-to-back successful seasons.

4. Atlanta Falcons

At least drafting in the top five again next season will help their rebuilding efforts.

Cont. to see All-NFC South team

We all know how bad it was. The 2007 Atlanta Falcons endured what might be the most disastrous single season in NFL history. Their 4-12 record paints too rosy a picture. And it’s not like they were prepared for the downfall. The Falcons went 7-9 in 2006 – lackluster but not awful. Everything fell apart after that. Their franchise player went to prison. Their supposedly innovative new head coach divided the locker room before screwing them over. The ripple effect of both sucker punchers was torturous. After all was said and done, the Falcons franchise looked like football’s version of a before and after picture in an anti-Meth campaign.

Unlike so many downtrodden organizations, the Bird weren’t entirely to blame for their problems. They simply made two good investments in what proved to be two bad people. Owner Arthur Blank handled both ordeals with the utmost class. There wasn’t a football fan in America that didn’t feel sorry for the billionaire, except for maybe the billionaire himself.
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1.) Jared Allen                  DE     TRADE         6-6          270       4    Chiefs         Vikings

Contract:  6 yrs, $78 million with incentives ($31 million guaranteed)

Traded with a 6^th round pick in ’08 for a 1^st round pick, two 3^rd round picks and a 6^th round pick

The Hope: The high-motor Allen builds on his league-leading 15.5-sack performance from a year ago.

The Caveat: The Chiefs labeled Allen an “at risk” player, thanks to is two DUI’s while in Kansas City.

The Reality: Without approving drinking and driving, the fact of the matter is Allen already served a two-game suspension and has been a model citizen over the past year and a half. His legal woes are behind him. On the field, he may very well…

The four NFL head coaching changes that have taken place this offseason have conjured up minimal buzz, thanks to the unusual absence of recognizable big-name hires. Tony Sparano to the Dolphins invoked the expected Sopranos jokes — something America saw coming even weeks before the Cowboys’ O-line coach officially entered the market — as well as additional Bill Parcells chatter (apparently he’s pretty good at “turnin’ things around.”)

John Harbaugh’s hiring in Baltimore will be a lot more interesting in a few years, after he’s proven himself as one of the preeminent head coaches in the league.

Mike Smith was hired to take over the Atlanta Falcons, and it’s safe…

Yesterday, Eric Kuselias, filling in as host of the Mike Tirico Show, brought attention to the stunning difference between the success of the top 10 picks in the ’04 NFL draft versus the success – or lack thereof – of the top 10 selection in the ’05 draft.

Take a look at this:

1^st pick

’04: Eli Manning, SD (NYG) – Super Bowl champion.

’05: Alex Smith, SF – Injury prone and anything but secure.

2^nd pick

’04: Robert Galley, Oak – OK, so ’04 wasn’t flawless. This is the only disappointment.

’05: Ronnie Brown, Mia – Just one 1,000-yard season in three years, tore ACL in ’07.

3^rd pick

’04: Larry Fitzgerald, Ari – You could argue he’s the best WR…

Tony Sparano

Previous Job: Offensive Line Coach, Dallas Cowboys (2003-07)

Contract: 4 years, estimated $10-11 million

Why He’s Here

Disenchanted after a 1-15 extended the once-proud franchise’s playoff drought to six years, owner Wayne Huzienga shook up the front office and brought in Bill Parcells to right the ship. One of the Big Tuna’s first moves was to anoint a new Captain whom he can trust.

What Sparano Brings

A familiarity of coaching in the Parcells paradigm (Sparano was an offensive assistant in Dallas under Parcells, and even called plays in ’06).

Resume Gem

Helped bridge the new coaching staff in Big D in 2007 by guiding an offensive line that boasted three Pro Bowlers.

Glass Half Full

Bill Belichick. Tom…