It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times. Yes, that's a misquote, but that's also what happened to the NFC South during the 2014 regular season. They were rather torn apart and couldn't hardly do much of anything except beat up on each other as the Carolina Panthers would finally win the division and then beat the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild-Card round. Can things get better this season? It remains to be seen, but the minds of VAVEL USA have gathered together to see just what they could figure out in their crystal balls looking forward to the 2015 NFL season.
1. Which quarterback in the division would you pick if starting a franchise today? Why?
DaVonte Hughes--Matt Ryan. Plain and simple he is the best quarterback in the NFC South. I also am not biased but it is not hard to see that Drew Brees is on the decline. Matt Ryan has that drive in him to want to be better and he works harder than any quarterback I’ve seen in my era watching the NFC South. Choosing from the four in the division wasn’t tough because you have to factor in age and talent. Brees is up there in age, Cam Newton just doesn’t have the mental tools in my opinion and I would be scared to start a franchise with Jameis Winston. Winston has yet to show me he is a NFL capable quarterback despite his number one selection.
Julian Rosen--I would roll with Matt Ryan. He hasn't always had a great offensive line but he can make big throws, doesn't turn the ball over very much and is still relatively young. I worry about Cam Newton staying healthy, and Brees is getting up there in age. Ryan is cool under pressure, and although not in the same class as Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck, he can still get it done.
Colin Williams--Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan would be my man out of the 4 quarterbacks in the NFC South. He is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the league, and I believe he is a top 10 quarterback. He is the type of QB that you can run your offense through and he won't lose the game for you. The reason I chose him over Saints QB Drew Brees is because Brees made a lot of uncharacteristic mistakes last year that were masked by his numbers. There quite a few balls thrown that should not have been which resulted in quite a few interceptions. Brees age maybe catching up to him and may not have the arm strength he once had. Cam Newton is one of my favorite players in the league but he does not have the experience Ryan does and needs to stay more consistent. I believed Jameis Winston was the best QB in this years draft but he is a rookie and you'll want veteran leadership when starting a new team.
Caleb Wahlgren--It simply is not that difficult of a decision for me. Right now I would pick Cam Newton. He's younger then both Drew Brees and Matt Ryan, but I don't trust Jameis Winston. Plus, when you are comparing Ryan with Newton, Newton is the one who has won more playoff games for his team and he is a dual threat with the ball while Ryan is merely a pocket passer. It is not a surprise to see other people pick Ryan, but at the same time he has had better receivers and a consistent Offensive Coordinator until this past season. Yes, the Panthers are primarily a defensive team, but I feel like Cam Newton is definitely the one who can lead the franchise to playoff wins.
2. Besides Jameis Winston, what rookie are you expecting to have the biggest impact?
Julian Rosen--Tevin Coleman on the Atlanta Falcons. He proved to be a versatile back at Indiana. Devonta Freeman and him will likely split carries, but I think that Coleman will emerge as the starter by week 13. He has great vision and will get an opportunity to go against some softer run-defenses. Devin Funchess will be very up-and-down in Carolina but will make several big plays for that team in 2015.
Colin Williams--Vic Beasley plain and simple. The Atlanta Falcons 2014 defense was horrendous giving up the 398.3 yards per game, according to ESPN.com, this was the league worst. The Falcons also gave up an average of 26.1 points per game which ranked 27th the NFL. The Falcons recorded only 22 sacks all season and were tied with Oakland for the 2nd lowest in the league. In comparison Kansas City Chiefs Outside Linebacker Justin Houston recorded 22 sacks in 2014. Beasley will help bring a more dominate pass rush to the team. Beasley should develop nicely under new Head Coach Dan Quinn.
Caleb Wahlgren--So, I'm going with the new man for the Carolina Panthers offense, Devin Funchess. Funchess was drafted because of his ability to play in the slot and the Panthers are missing several offensive weapons after Steve Smith had left the year before. Kelvin Benjamin has been outstanding in his rookie year and Funchess is going to be the next big player to have an impact in the passing game. Either way, I think that his 6'4" frame is going to be a big upside over Philly Brown.
3. What performance are you expecting from Jameis Winston and what record do you project for the bucs this season?
DaVonte Hughes--I'm expecting a very up and down season from Jameis Winston in his rookie season. The NFC South no matter what everyone thinks is a tough division. The Bucs also really don’t have a good offensive line and that is what Winston needs in order to operate. Winston relied on his OL heavily while playing for Florida State. I’m expecting the Bucs to finish 6-10 with most of their wins coming outside of the division.
Julian Rosen--I'm expecting him to bring leadership and excitement to that team and that locker-room more-so than steady play. I think he will be hit-or-miss at times and there will be a significant learning curve for him, but the guy is just so athletic and possesses a high football IQ. He will make adjustments and have moments where he justifies the first overall selection, right next to those moments where we remember that he is a rookie in the NFL.
Colin Williams--Jameis Winston was the best quarterback in this years draft. The Bucs needed a QB and I, along with everyone else, was not surprised they took him first overall. Winston will win a couple games of game for the Bucs but he will also lose a couple for them. I see him throwing for around 3,800 yards, 25-30 touchdowns, and around 20 interceptions. The Bucs offensive line is terrible and Doug Martin being a question mark and the unknown of their defense, I see the Buccaneers going 4-12 in 2015.
Caleb Wahlgren--The Buccaneers simply still have a lot to turn around from the 2014 season. Is Jameis Winston a better quarterback then Josh McCown or Mike Glennon? Of course he is. Is the Buccaneers offensive line back intact? Not yet. They still have some holes in their defense despite excellent play from Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David. I just can't give them much more than a 5-11 season.
4. If you could only have one receiver from the division, who would you take?
DaVonte Hughes--Is there a receiver in the division besides Julio Jones? Julio Jones is now 100% healthy and I project him to have a breakout season. Jones was born to play in OC Kyle Shanahan's offensive scheme. Its built to maximize receivers talent and uses a players speed on quick routes which Jones has a lot of. I expect Julio to make a case for Offensive Player of The Year in 2015.
Julian Rosen--Mike Evans. He has tremendous ball-skills and explosive speed. Him and Winston should develop nicely together and he will build off of a stellar rookie season. However, this division is full of great young wideouts with Julio Jones, Brandin Cooks, and Kelvin Benjamin. There are many good choices.
Colin Williams--Without a doubt Julio Jones. He is the most dominant receiver in this division and one of the most dominant receivers in the NFL. I have him ranked as the 4th best WR behind only Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Dez Bryant. Jones uses his speed and quickness that you would not expect for a receiver his size to help him come out of his routes elegantly and get open down field. Jones utilizes his size to go up and high point the ball while boxing out the defender. After making the catch he is great at getting up field and getting more yards in the play. Jones 6'3" 220 pound frame makes him difficult to tackle after he catches the ball. He is one special player and he is exciting to watch.
Caleb Wahlgren--There are several excellent options in the division as Julian said. Right now I would pick Kelvin Benjamin, because I thought he was coming into the NFL more raw then he should've been and wasn't worth the number one pick. But he played so incredibly well with Cam Newton when there really wasn't another option available. I think it will be interesting to see just how well Benjamin performs in his Sophomore season with the Carolina Panthers.
5. Last year, the NFC South struggled and the Panthers won the division, which team will win in 2015 and will they get to 10 wins or more?
DaVonte Hughes--The Atlanta Falcons had the best draft in the division in my opinion and seem more prepared to make an impact. New head coach Dan Quinn is a winner and will simplify the defense and maximize the talent that was already on the falcons a year prior. The Falcons will finish 10-6 and win the division with the Carolina Panthers very close at 9-7.
Julian Rosen--Ten wins is the maximum I see out of any team in this division. There isn't an elite defense in here, albeit some very talented players on that side of the ball in Gerald McCoy, Luke Keuchly and Lavonte David. I think the Panthers will win seven games once again and that the Falcons, who had a great draft and made solid off-season moves, will win the division at 9-7. I'm not sure that the Saints or Bucs will be too far behind, though. Either team has the potential to reach eight wins, but also the possibility of flopping.
Colin Williams--The favorite to win the NFC South in 2015 should be the Carolina Panthers. They have one of the best defenses in the NFL and are giving Cam Newton the weapons to succeed. With DeAngelo Williams now gone, Jonathan Stewart should get the bulk of the carries. Last year I felt he was the better player running the football but Ron Rivera would not use him when Stewart was clearly better than Williams. The Falcons could be a sneaky contender for the division title with their passing attack and young defense. I would also keep an eye on the Saints who are now geared up to run the ball with the additions of Max Unger and C.J. Spiller while resigning Mark Ingram Jr. I don't expect much out of Tampa Bay even with Jameis Winston now leading the charge. My prediction: Panthers win NFC South with a 10-6 record. The Falcons or Saints will push for wildcard spot.
Caleb Wahlgren--This division still isn't one of the best divisions in football yet. They have a lot of ground to make up, but their schedule should be better this year, as they don't have the AFC North and the NFC West on their schedules this time around. Instead they get the NFC East and the AFC South. Playing the Jaguars and the Titans instead of the Ravens and the Steelers always give you an improved chance of winning historically. I still don't think that anyone quite makes it to 10 wins, and Carolina, by winning the division, has to play Seattle and Green Bay, while the Saints have the Lions and the Cardinals. I simply think that Sean Payton is going to have a big difference with Andrus Peat and Bud Dupree and be able to get their defense back in order to go 9-7 and win the NFC South.