During the month of August, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be breaking down every division in the league by position. This article contains a position-by-position breakdown of the NFC South defenses. The breakdown will contain “the best” at each unit followed by “the rest” in descending order.
2018 NFC South Breakdown by Position: The Defense and Special Teams
Defensive Line
The Best: Carolina Panthers
The Rest: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons
The Panthers have had one of the NFL’s strongest defenses the last six years. While much of the praise goes to the elite linebacker set of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis–and rightfully so–the team gets heavy productivity from its front four. The contributions are headed by the franchise’s “Mount Rushmore” pass rusher, Julius Peppers, who is still going strong at 38. Despite his advanced age, the nine-time Pro Bowler amassed 11 sacks in 2017, tying opposite bookend Mario Addison for the team lead a year ago. 2015 Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short reached six-plus takedowns for the third straight season. Adding Dontari Poe from the Falcons further bolsters this already-vaunted corps. Given that Carolina’s secondary isn’t as formidable without Josh Norman and Kurt Coleman, its front four is that more valuable.
Having Gerald McCoy makes any defensive line respectable. Finishing each campaign with at least six sacks since 2012 for an interior defender makes the perennial Pro Bowler such a rare and unique talent. McCoy is going to have some assistance now that Jason Pierre-Paul is on the roster. Though not nearly as menacing as he was in his early New York Giants days, he brings 15.5 takedowns since 2016 with him from the Big Apple. To solidify the inside moreover, Tampa Bay drafted Washington’s Vita Vea 12th overall in April’s draft. The wild cards for this front are Vinny Curry and Beau Allen, the two acquisitions from the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. If they can deliver at a starter level rather than reserves, the Bucs can potentially have a top-tier front by season’s end.
Already a two-time Pro Bowler entering 2017, Cameron Jordan reached superstardom by achieving a proverbial “triple crown” (13 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 11 passes defended) to make First-team All-Pro. Outside of the 2011 draftee, the Saints have talented, yet relatively-unproven players on the defensive line. Alex Okafor was enjoying a productive year before his season-ending injury. Sheldon Rankins and Tyeler Davidson both are promising tackles, but they need to take the next step statistically in years three and four, respectively. One of the surprises from April was the Saints trading draft ammunition to take Marcus Davenport. While it’s not the most responsible approach to judge a player within his first two pro seasons, Davenport needs to prove that New Orleans was right in the decision to bring him on.
Atlanta did have 39 takedowns last year, but a fourth of those sacks went to New England when Adrian Clayborn signed with the Patriots. Starting only eight games in 2017, the Falcons desperately need Vic Beasley to return to his 15.5-sack, First-team All-Pro form of 2016. Corralling the quarterback six times as a rookie, Takkarist McKinley should alleviate the burden of the former Clemson star. The main concern for this quartet is if defensive tackles Grady Jarrett and Terrell McClain can free up the team’s speedy edge rushers.
Linebacker
The Best: Carolina Panthers
The Rest: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints
Carolina’s second level once again reigns supreme in the NFC South with their all-world pair of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Kuechly’s 125 total tackles (his most since 2014) helped him earn his fifth Pro Bowl selection and fourth First-team All-Pro nod. Only 27, the league’s top inside backer continues to be an anchor. Although he’s suspended for the first six games this upcoming season, Davis has been equally successful on the field with three consecutive All-Star designations. Though not as heralded and accomplished, 24-year-old Shaq Thompson tallied a career high in sacks to go with his 57 tackles in 14 games. The consistencies of Kuechly and Davis, coupled with Thompson’s growth, allows Panther fans to brag about their team’s dominant front seven.
Unlike the Panthers’ linebackers, Tampa Bay’s trio is perpetually undervalued, particularly Lavonte David. Drafted in 2012–along with Luke Kuechly–David amassed 139 tackles in each of his first four NFL seasons. In 2013, he contributed seven sacks as a 4-3 linebacker. Being dismissed by the media and fans yet again after making 101 stops and obtaining a 94.2 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2017, David landed at the number-four spot on our site’s Pro Bowl Snub list. At least Kwon Alexander made the league’s All-Star game by getting 97 tackles and three interceptions in his third season. If Adarius Taylor can be more durable, the Buccaneer backers can potentially garner more national attention.
For the first time since 1998, the Falcons ranked top ten in both scoring defense and total defense. Coincidentally, that year was the franchise’s first trip to the Super Bowl. The entire defense silently stifled offenses in 2017, and that’s in large thanks to Deion Jones. Despite not being a defensive back, Jones has been excellent against the pass in his first two seasons. Voted to our Pro Bowl snubs list for the 2016 campaign, the former LSU defender obtained a trip to Orlando with 138 tackles and three interceptions last year. With six picks and 21 passes defended in 32 regular season games, Jones has been somewhat of a Drew Brees stopper by icing the future Hall of Famer two years in a row with game-sealing interceptions. The deciding factor in this group’s elevation is if De’Vondre Campbell and Duke Riley can give half of what Jones brings to the table as they all get older.
After three consecutive years of putrid play, the New Orleans Saints defense finally improved. Having an ascending star on the line, at cornerback and at safety, the franchise is in great shape moving forward. The team’s weakest position defensively, however, is linebacker. Coming from the Chargers, Manti Te’o had a surprising season of resurgence. Playing behind Kuechly and Davis in Carolina, A.J. Klein still wants to progress. The Saints did sign New York Jets free agent Demario Davis to strengthen the corps. Though they all have their useful skill sets, neither is transcendent enough to usurp the other linebackers in the division.
Cornerback
The Best: Atlanta Falcons
The Rest: New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers
As aforementioned, Atlanta boasted a top-ten defensive unit for the first time in 20 years. Even with their explosiveness within the front seven, having a cornerback tandem of six seasons boosts the overall defense. Since 2013, Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford have quietly matured into a top-tier corner duo. Although Trufant has only made one Pro Bowl (2015), he’s recorded 60 passes defended and nine interceptions in his career. Picking off a passer 10 times in times in the pros, Alford has increased his defended pass total every season, featuring a career-high 20 in 2017. Marshon Lattimore of the New Orleans is the young star on the defensive perimeter, but Atlanta’s cornerbacks are tried and true in the NFC South.
Compiling 51 tackles, 18 defended passes and five interceptions, Marshon Lattimore became the first Saints Pro Bowl cornerback of the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era. With the position being such a revolving door for the franchise, Lattimore was, in fact, the team’s first All-Star corner since Eric Allen in 1995. Him virtually eliminating one side of the football field allowed the defensive coaches to be more creative and confident with their pass-rushing schemes. Coming out of Ohio State, the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year was the most significant piece of the vastly-improved Saints defense. With 17 pass breakups in his 13 starts, Ken Crawley became more than serviceable on the opposite side in 2017.
Yet again, Brent Grimes was productive for the Bucs. After getting four interceptions and a personal-best 24 defended passes in 2016, his numbers dipped to three and 11 in those categories, respectively, during his 13-game season. Though still playing at a high level at his age, Grimes is 35, nonetheless. As a 2016 rookie, Vernon Hargreaves broke up 10 passes. Starting only seven matches a year ago, Tampa needs the former University of Florida defender to remain healthy and eventually take over for the aging Grimes.
As expected, Carolina’s secondary hasn’t been the same since Josh Norman’s departure to the Washington Redskins. That said, James Bradberry has done his best to fill that All-Pro void with 20 defended passes and four interceptions the past two seasons. If Kevon Seymour or anyone else can be a fixture for 16 games, the cornerbacks of the Panthers will turn back in an upward direction.
Safety
The Best: Atlanta Falcons
The Rest: New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers
When the Falcons had home-field advantage in 2012, they boasted the Pro Bowl safety tandem of Thomas DeCoud and William Moore. The duo combined for 152 tackles and 10 interceptions to help get Atlanta to the NFC Championship game that season. With the All-Star play of Keanu Neal, the team seemingly wants to recreate that top-notch defensive backfield. In his second season, Neal posted six pass deflections, three forced fumbles and a pick as he played a full 16-game slate for the first time. Aiding him is Ricardo Allen, who’s put forth six interceptions and 10 passes defended in his five-year career. The two aren’t as feared or regarded as Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but they’ve shown their importance to the team’s top-ten defense. With the fact of Atlanta having the division’s only Pro Bowl safety, it was a no-brainer to put them number one here.
Football fans everywhere will always reflect on the “Minnesota Miracle,” but even that iconic play should never take away Marcus Williams‘ awesome rookie campaign. After sporadic safety production in preceding seasons, Williams stabilized the position for the Saints with 71 tackles, seven pass deflections and four interceptions. He was so impressive that Pro Football Focus gave him an 89.2 overall grade, good for sixth at this position in 2017. Though not as sharp as Williams, Vonn Bell has been a tackling machine in his first two seasons. Even as a safety, Bell was noted for making timely sacks a year ago against Kirk Cousins and Cam Newton. Coming over from the Panthers, if Kurt Coleman can be anywhere close to his 2015 self, the Saints will definitely take advantage.
John Lynch won’t be found on the roster, but Tampa Bay does have steady-contributing in Chris Conte and Justin Evans. Since joining the team in 2016, Conte has surpassed 60 tackles and five pass deflections each year. In only nine starts in 2017, Evans provided 65 tackles, three interceptions and six breakups against the pass as a rookie. The Bucs are far removed from their defensive glory days, but at least they have safeties who can be remotely trustworthy.
Kurt Coleman’s exit left a void in Carolina’s defensive backfield as the team had to move forward with longtime veteran Mike Adams. Though he was a two-time Pro Bowler with 10 interceptions as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, he is currently 37 years old. While Da’Norris Searcy has made plays occasionally during his NFL career, he’s also in his thirties. At some point in the immediate future, the franchise will look to Rashaan Gaulden to hold down the position.
Special Teams
The Best: Carolina Panthers
The Rest: New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Panthers headline the NFC South Special Teams with Graham Gano, the division’s only Pro Bowl kicker. After being modest throughout his NFL days, Gano produced a career year with a 97-percent field goal accuracy mark. Of his 30 attempts, he converted 29 of them. At age 25, Michael Palardy averaged 46 yards per punt.
Along with cornerback, the kicker position has been very unsettled throughout the Payton-Brees era. Once Wil Lutz joined in 2016, consistency was found. After converting 82 percent of his field goals in year one, he improved to 86 last year, including making four from 50-plus yards out. Ten seasons in, 2012 Pro Bowler Thomas Morstead continues to distance himself as the franchise’s greatest punter.
Becoming the franchise’s all-time leading scorer a few years back, Atlanta’s Matt Bryant once again made 80-plus percent field goals at age 43, including eight from 50 yards out. The punting game for the Falcons, however, was 31st in gross and net punting yards per game in 2017.
Though their punting was better than the Falcons last year, the field goal kicking for the Buccaneers was abysmal yet again as the team placed 28th leaguewide in field goal percentage. Their 2016 second-rounder Roberto Aguayo was a disappointment. Converting 83 percent with the New York Jets in 2017, 27-year-old Chandler Catanzaro can potentially be that noticeable upgrade.
Coaching
The Best: New Orleans Saints
The Rest: Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With Drew Brees under center, Sean Payton turned the franchise into offensive juggernauts and perennial playoff contenders. The 2006 Coach of the Year has led the Saints to four NFC South Titles (2006, 2009, 2011, 2017) and the Super Bowl XLIV Championship. Since 2006, New Orleans has finished with a top-five offense every season except 2010 (six times as the league’s best offense). He is greatly responsible for bringing a historically-unsuccessful franchise, that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina, to its golden age. Holding the franchise record in career coaching wins (112), his offensive wizardry has brought the Saints to unparalleled and unforeseen heights.
After missing the playoffs his first two seasons, Ron Rivera led the Carolina Panthers to postseason play in 2013 en route to claiming Coach of the Year honors. With the team’s dominant 15-1 campaign for 2015, Rivera took home the COY distinction for the second time. In a division that never had a repeat champion from 2002-2013, he guided his franchise to a three-peat during the 2013-2015 stretch. With the assistance of Cam Newton, Rivera should have an easier time winning the division yet again.
Serving as the defensive coordinator for an historically-great Seattle Seahawks group, Dan Quinn accepted the challenge of being head coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. Going 8-8 in his first year, he went 11-5 in 2016 and clinched a Super Bowl berth. Granted, he’s been fortunate to have immense offensive pieces like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman, but the former assistant coach has constructed a top-ten defensive unit that will only get better. With two consecutive playoff appearances reaching the second round or further, his job is more than safe.
Given the Hard Knocks exposure and the hype from the football world, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers woefully underwhelmed in 2017. Entering his third season on the Tampa sideline, Dirk Koetter is on the hot seat with a challenging schedule ahead of him. Already in the league’s toughest division, thanks to the quarterback play, Koetter has to endure the disadvantage of Jameis Winston‘s suspension. If the team misses the playoffs for the 11th year in a row, the Buccaneer front office will most likely clean house.
Check out the NFC South offensive breakdown.
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