What’s up, guys! With training camps underway and the NFL season just five weeks away, we will do a series that we did last year, called “Sneaky Big Questions.” We’re going to cover all 32 teams and pick a question that’s flying under the radar. Today, we’re starting with the NFC South, a division that boasted two playoff teams and the eventual Super Bowl champion. Enjoy!
Atlanta Falcons
Q: Did the Falcons really have to give into Julio Jones’ demands?
In last year’s Sneaky Big Questions article, I posed the question: ‘Is Dan Quinn a sneaky bet for “The first Coach Fired” and damn it, I was so close as he was the second coach on the chopping block after Bill O’ Brien ran Houston into the ground. It was time for a change after the 28-3 debacle and several losing seasons beyond that…it was time for a change. The players in that locker room who were part of that 2016 team had to have some animosity towards Quinn, and the Falcons really lost their mojo after that game. My favorite coaching hire of the offseason was Arthur Smith heading to ATL. The son of FedEx founder Fredrick Smith is an offensive mastermind who plays into the strengths of the teams he coaches.
My question for Atlanta is unrealistic and selfish, but I just wish we could have seen this offense with Matt Ryan, Julio, Calvin Ridley, Kyle Pitts, and Russell Gage. Julio pulled an Anthony Davis and basically told the Falcons that he was not re-signing next year, so get what you can for me. The NBA is notorious for players like James Harden, Kevin Love, and AD being unhappy and requesting a trade. As a sports fan, it definitely bothers me because they put pen to paper on a contract and agreed in writing to play for this city for the next 4-5 years. Now, many would say Julio was doing them a favor, and he probably was, as it was a long shot for Atlanta to make a deep playoff run. However, as a fan of high-powered passing offenses, I would have loved to see this accumulation of talent with Arthur Smith at the helm…even if it was for just one season.
Carolina Panthers
Q: What exactly are the long term plans in Carolina?
One of the more intriguing teams in the NFL in my eyes has to be Carolina. Most people, including myself, assumed the Panthers would tank for Trevor Lawrence last year, but under Matt Rhule this team was really competitive, especially considering the injury to Christian McCaffrey. I think Matt Rhule and OC Joe Brady are an excellent coaching combo. The question remains, where is this team going exactly? Most assumed they would try and grab Fields or Lance with the 8th pick, but they flipped the script and traded for Sam Darnold, which was a pretty eye-brow-raising move.
I suppose the thinking behind this trade is that Darnold isn’t that bad, but just like Ryan Tannehill, Darnold became a prisoner of Adam Gases’ offense. I’m not really a Darnold believer; he hasn’t thrown for more than 3,100 yards in a season and he has thrown just as many interceptions as he has touchdowns in his career. The Panthers have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball with Christian McCaffrey, Robby Anderson, DJ Moore, Terrace Marshall, Jeremy Chinn, Derrick Brown, JC Horn, and Brian Burns, but what if Darnold continues to suck next year? Then where do you go? Darnold feels like a bridge quarterback at this point, but we’ll see what Joe Brady can do with him this year.
New Orleans Saints
Q: Is Sean Payton secretly excited that Brees is now gone?
Drew Brees had a hell of a career, and it was pretty sad to see his tenure in New Orleans end the way that it did. The future HOFer played with 11 broken ribs, couldn’t throw the ball downfield, and lost to Tom Brady in the divisional round. It was tough to see him go out like that, but Father Time is undefeated. The Saints doled out $140 million to Taysom Hill in the offseason, and when I got the ESPN notification, I practically spit out my drink. It’s still unclear on who will start for New Orleans…but c’mon they just gave Taysom a small island.
Hill was a lot better than most expected, filling in for Brees, going 3-1 while rushing for 209 yards and 8 total touchdowns. The loss of Drew Brees cannot be understated, but I think Sean Payton is secretly excited to try some… just new creative shit. I’m not sure what it’s going to look like but, as someone who is a fan of fake punts, trick plays, and wide receivers throwing passes…I’m here for it.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Q: Was last year a complete fluke?
With all of the craziness that went into the COVID-filled 2020 NFL season, we were still able to crown a Super Bowl champ at the end of the year. However, sometimes the best team from a particular year doesn’t always win the big game (i.e., the 2005 Colts or the 2015 Panthers). When it comes to the 2020 season, I do not believe the best team in the league won the title. The Bucs finished 11-5 with wins against Denver, Carolina x2, Atlanta x2, Detroit, New York, and the Chargers. In their six games against actual playoff teams, they went 1-5, which included a 38-3 shellacking against New Orleans. Tampa was able to get hot at the right time, and Brady added another Lombardi trophy to his resume.
The Bucs were the most inconsistent team in the NFL, and they struggled in primetime games. I feel very strongly that the Bucs weren’t even one of the three best teams in the NFL in 2020. I think the Bills, Chiefs, and Packers were all more complete teams than Tampa Bay, who struggled against the Washington Football Team with Taylor Heinicke under center. I think last year was kind of a fluke, but fortunately for Tampa, they were able to retain virtually all of their starters in free agency. They come into next year with the second-best playoff odds at +500, but I’m just skeptical of the Buccaneers next year.
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