As the NFL season is right around the corner, optimism is at its finest. Every team is 0-0, tied for first place. No team has been eliminated from the postseason yet. Every rivalry’s bragging rights are still up for the taking. Every player could have THAT career-defining year. The point of these articles is to give every team’s hopeful season and every team’s disaster season. While some teams’ best scenarios involve Super Bowls, other teams are simply hoping for signs of great potential from young players. I will disregard injuries in worst case scenarios (unless talking about an injury-prone player) because obviously anyone can get injured in football. This article will focus on the four NFC South teams: Carolina, Atlanta, New Orleans and Tampa Bay.
BEST AND WORST CASE SCENARIOS IN THE NFC SOUTH
Carolina Panthers
Best Case: Cam Newton looks a lot like he did down the stretch in 2015 and carries a depleted Panther offense. Kelvin Benjamin is lost for the year, but Newton does enough with Greg Olsen and Devin Funchess to win games behind a great defense. Carolina takes advantage of a weak NFC South and wins the division at 8-8.
Worst Case: Carolina’s defense is great, but the offense literally cannot move the ball. The team was already depleted of options last season, so now having lost Benjamin for the year, teams simply double Greg Olsen and Newton is left with nowhere to throw to. The Panthers win five games in 2015.
Atlanta Falcons
Best Case: With a new coach and a new system, Matt Ryan revitalizes this Falcon offense. Julio Jones is the best receiver in 2015 while Tevin Coleman gives the team balance out of the backfield. The defense gets a lot of pressure on the Falcons led by first round choice Vic Beasley and the Falcons take advantage of weak division games to win the division at 10-6.
Worst Case: The team has no balance on offense in 2015. Despite having a good passing attack, the team struggles to run the ball and therefore defenses cheat the pass. On defense, the Falcons literally cannot stop anyone and get no pressure on the quarterback. Beasley does not look good and cannot play against the run as well. Ryan and the Falcons will head to the 2016 NFL draft with serious needs.
New Orleans Saints
Best Case: The trade with Seattle actually ends up being great for New Orleans. They acquired Pro-Bowl center Max Unger and have a great rushing season led by a healthy Mark Ingram and new-comer C.J. Spiller. Drew Brees is good enough to make any receiver look good, so Brandin Cooks and Marques Colston have solid years. The defense forces turnovers and the Saints win the division at 10-6.
Worst Case: The Saints look lost without top target Jimmy Graham on offense. Ingram and Spiller are both injury-prone players and the Saints have no offense left. Brees is frustrated as his team has a tough year and ends up getting traded after the season, officially starting the Saints rebuilding process.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Best Case: Jameis Winston looks the real deal in his first year. He has great targets to work with in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson and Doug Martin has a comeback year from the backfield. On defense, the Bucs are a lot better than expected led by Gerald McCoy and LeVante David. The Buccaneers win the weak AFC South at 9-7.
Worst Case: The Bucs watch Winston struggle and Mariota thrive, making them regret taking Winston first overall. The team has no run game and thus puts lots of pressure on Winston to make plays, a hard task for any rookie quarterback. McCoy and David are the only players making plays on defense, and the Bucs are left with another high pick and no apparent answer at quarterback.
