August 9th, Episode 4.010 - NFC South Preview

Thought that after our glitches with the AFC South show that we would give that show a few days to breathe before releasing this one.

Give the show a listen as Dyer and Simmons try and make heads or tails of a division that has been the toughest division to call in since its inception.

The Panthers at .500, you guys are killing me. They're going to be better this year. The D-line is healthy, the LBs are going to be ok, they have 2 solids with Thomas Davis and Dan Morgan. Then they have James Anderson who will be in his 2nd year and the of course Beason who is expected to step right in. I'll admit that safety is a giant hole and that RB injuries are a threat, but they also have Eric Shelton who was the guy at Louisville keeping Michael Bush on the bench. He's more of a Stephen Davis type back. The O-line is better this year, with drating the Center out of USC, they get to move their old center to guard.

But we're all sensitive about our own teams because we read about them all the time.

Alright Manox, you want to go there then let me throw a few things back

1. Mike Minter retired (we'll mention this in an opening of our next 5th division show). Certainly can't help. Looks like Chris Harris suddenly becomes one of the top dogs in the secondary? If true, yikes.

2. Your D-line is healthy...until Mike Rucker gets hurt again. I'm starting to bank on that d-line like I bank on Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.

3. Dan Morgan. Will his head stay attached to his body? The Panthers still haven't done enough in the linebacking corps in my opinion.

4. #2 WR is a problem and I still feel you've got to have a good pass catching TE in today's NFL to help out your QB in first downs and forcing interceptions

5. They burned me bad last year. So I probably have it out for them a little bit.

they burned me to, but i always come back for more. Minter's retirement hurts more from a leadership perspective than performance, he was getting burned pretty regularly so Harris replacing him will likely be a wash/slight uprgrade. The D-line will be fine, Peppers has only missed about 3 games in 4 years, and Rucker's injury last year was the first major of his Panther career, although he's getting older and this will more than likely be his last year with the Panthers. Jenkins is back and has come in at a much lower weight so that should help his health and Kemoeatu played very well all year. They also drafted DE help out of Georgia this year, very good value in Charles Johnson. Morgan will be ok, he supposedly has some new concussion-protecting helmet, and when he's in the game he is a top 5 MLB.

They actually have 5 TEs in camp, and Jeff King is emerging as a solid pass catcher while Gaines can come in and block as that 6th O-linemen.

There isn't too much heat on Delhomme here locally, or John Fox for that matter, but they didn't sign David Carr because they think he amazing clipboard holding ability.

They have a new O-coordinator this year who has implemented a zone blocking scheme as opposed to the man-blcoking they've ran the past 6 years. The O-coordinator came from the Belicheck family, so take that for what its worth. He is a former offensive lineman, so I'm expecting much improved blocking for the three back attach they are going to run this year. They are fine at receiver, the release of Keyshawn was welcomed here, as Drew Carter really came up big in spots, he's faster than Steve Smith and he's 6-3. Jarrett will be the short-yardage first down getter.

I know I'm a complete homer, but this year they bounce back, the Saints were a flash in the pan, and the NFC South title is coming back home to Charlotte. 11-5 and another appearance in the NFC title game, I'd be a little nervous predicting further than that for them.

Great stuff - we even got sounds this time

Not too sure if Atlanta are going to be as bad as you think, come the season they might manage 5 wins...

I am also with SuperManox, I do think that the Panthers will give the Saints a good run for their money. At the start of last season there was the return to New Orleans and that emotion carried them through, it will be interesting to see if it was the whole New Orleans effect or if they are for real

I haven't heard any comments on Tampa bay. How do we all feel about them these days?

rockhoppers, if you unsubscribe and re-subscribe the corrected show is up there.

I hope you guys got my iTunes review. I think I was generous.

I think the Buccaneers could be the surprise team this year if Jeff Garcia is healthy. Cadillac will bounce back and the defense might have one more year in them. Cate June and that draft pick they got could help make the difference. This team could go 8-8 or 9-7. Beware supermanox

I'm in the Atlanta section right now, and I don't think you guys are crazy about Joey Harrington. He's not some kind of quarterbacking badass, but he's a pretty traditional pocket passer, and I think it's a lot easier to design a scheme around him that it would be for Mike Vick. I think his legal issues will turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the team. Not to say that they're going to have a totally amazing season or anything, but it's not going to be the train wreck that I thought it might be when everything started happening before.

Mike Vick is more of a WR or RB than a QB. I don't understand why they continue to let him serve in that role. There is precious little that he does well in terms of actual quarterbacking. He doesn't do well in the pocket, he's not particularly patient, and he is far too eager to solve issues with his feet. He also can't act to save his life; he telegraphs his moves so efficiently you have to wonder which team he's actually on sometimes. The Falcons' insistence of trying to make a dollar out of $.75 with him is beyond me. It's not going to happen. Let it go already.

I'm just happy Simmons threw in that stat about how every team has both been to the NFC Title game and finished last in the division.

We both concede that this division's track record makes it very tough to call. Last year, not one team finished where we thought they would finish.

So Carolina could be world beaters, or they could be looking for a new coach next off-season. Tampa could be the worst team in football, or Garcia could lead them to a division title. The Falcons will miss Michael Vick or they will have trouble remembering he even existed. And the Saints could blaze a trail to Arizona or could have the number one pick in the draft.

I have a pretty good feeling on how this division is going to turn out, but with its history being all over the place like it has been, I wouldn't be surprised to be wrong with every pick I make like I was last year.

I think Joey Harrington would have panned out in Miami. Unfortunately we didn't want to pay him. He will do ok in this league under the right circumstances. I worry Atlanta's offense is kind of Lionsesque right now. I'm not for sure if this works.

Good show. I love the 5 second broadcast bites . REGIE REGIE REGIE.

Is this division really a crap shoot or is it parody(is that the right spelling?)?

New Orleans should be the run away favorite for this division. Weak secondary or not, their offense is nice.

Carr will be starting of Delhome by the end of the year. Thats just my prediction

They'll all be 8-8.

Wow... I hadn't thought about losing Vick as being a good thing. So much negativity surrounded him as a person that it's hard for it not to bleed off onto the team. Oh man! It's so obvious! Like y'all say... so much was invested in him that they couldn't just get rid of him. This is like an easy out! Oooo... you think Arthur Blank called the police with an "anonymous tip"?

Quote :

Carr will be starting of Delhome by the end of the year.

So you're saying Jake's gonna get injured? :)

Does anyone else think that flurry of hitting noises between each team's broadcasting sound bites is too loud? I listen through headphones at work, so maybe it makes it seem worse than it is.

don't forget where New Orleans was predicted to finish last year, last. they had their emotional high for a year, and now they come back to earth, to put it bluntly, they are the "Carolina Pick" this year. Everything seems to be in place, but the Saints don't really play defense that well, and now teams have a full years scouting on the pro Reggie Bush. They may be good, but I think they will come back to the curve this year.