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Disappointing. That is the nicest word that can be used to describe the NFC South in 2007. Sophomore slumps, off the field disasters, untimely injuries and a coach who didn’t even last one season were the lowlights of a season filled with them for this division last year.

At least the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a bright spot behind a rejuvenated Jon Gruden and QB Jeff Garcia. The Bucs went from worst to first in the division, something that has been commonplace in the NFC South, before getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champs, the New York Giants. Garcia will once again lead the team, with a plethora of running backs to line up behind him. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams returns from injury, Earnest Graham will be looking to build off his best year as a pro, and one of the Bucs most popular players in franchise history, Warrick Dunn, returns from Atlanta. With solid play expected from Garcia, and the deep and talented backs, the Buccaneers look to be ready to defend their division crown.

Derrick Brooks is still anchoring the Tampa defense, though it is not as dominant of a unit as it once was. But, they can still be one of the league’s best. They added DB Aqib Talib in the draft, an athletic player who should contribute immediately. Veteran Ronde Barber is still playing at Pro-Bowl form along with Brooks as the defense hopes to mix the young with the old and rank among the NFL’s best.

The New Orleans Saints had a dream season in 2006, and then had a few nightmares last year. RB Reggie Bush struggled to find his grove and the Drew Brees led offense seemed to have been bit all season by the turnover bug. WR Marques Colston was a bright spot and has established himself as Brees’ go-to guy. RB Deuce McCallister returns from an ACL tear that was at the root of the team’s problems last season. Second year WR Robert Meachem has impressed this off-season, but of course he only could have gotten better after the Saints top pick in 2007 didn’t even get to play a single snap in the regular season.

As for the defense, the unit struggled in 2007. Enter first round pick DT Sedrick Ellis to help solidify the middle of the defense. Also acquired through free agency were LB Dan Morgan, DE Bobby McCray and CB Randall Gay. All four will get a chance to start and could have a huge impact on the team immediately. If McCallister and Bush can be the thunder and lighting pair from 2006, and the defense can get shored up in certain areas, the Saints could return to the top of the NFC South.

For the Carolina Panthers and Coach John Fox 2008 needs to be a good season. They seemed tantalizingly close to being a dominant team for years to come just a couple of years ago. If they want to get back to that doorstep under Fox, they are going to have to run the ball. They made two statements in this years draft with two first round selections, RB Jonathan Stewart and OT Jeff Otah. The Panthers are committed to the run and Stewart will team with DeAngelo Williams to get the ground attack going. QB Jake Delhomme will attempt to become the first quarterback in league history to successfully come back from Tommy John surgery, something much more commonly seen in baseball. The one constant is WR Steve Smith, who is still one of the most dangerous players in the NFL.

Another thing that will help the Panthers get back to the top of the NFC is Julius Peppers finding his way to quarterbacks again. After never recording less than 7 sacks in a single season, Peppers finished 2007 with only 2.5. He is better than that, and look for him to prove it in 2008. If the secondary can get back to the hard hitting style that they were known for in Fox’s earlier years, the defense can once again be a strength.

This year has got to be better for the Atlanta Falcons. The controversy that swirled around the team last season after the entire Michael Vick saga was followed by first year coach Bobby Petrino leaving town after week 14. It was a bizarre and embarrassing season for everyone associated with the organization, and looking forward is all they are interested in. New Head Coach Mike Smith brings a lot of football knowledge but no head coaching experience on any level. The franchise drafted QB Matt Ryan with the 3^rd pick in this year’s draft and will look for him to not only be solid on the field, but the face of the franchise off of it.

Among all of the changes RB Michael Turner is probably the addition that will pay dividends the fastest. The Falcons did lose Warrick Dunn, but Turner has proven in limited time in San Diego that he has the potential to be an elite back in the NFL. The Falcons are not going to get out of this mess overnight. But, they made some sound decisions in the off-season that may not result in wins immediately, but should start to lay the foundation for what the team will eventually become.

Predictions

Tampa Bay 9-7

New Orleans 9-7

Carolina 7-9

Atlanta 2-14

Division MVP

QB Drew Brees

Rookie to Watch

RB Jonathan Stewart