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Bucs Report
Bucs should be favored in NFC South


The Saints appear to be the trendy pick to win the NFC South this fall, but there are real concerns in New Orleans about whether Sean Payton’s club can recapture its magical 2006 form.

An 0-4 start doomed New Orleans to a 7-9 finish last year and the defense was awful, yielding at least 31 points six times. The defense wasn’t very good in 2006 either, but the NFL’s No. 1 offense routinely bailed out the Saints as they reached the NFC title game at Soldier Field.

The Saints have made some significant defensive pickups, signing free agent LB Jonathan Vilma and drafting DT Sedrick Ellis, but the secondary is still lousy. DE Charles Grant, who underperformed last year, is facing legal woes and the retirement of free agent LB Dan Morgan doesn’t help.

Compounding the problem in New Orleans is the uncertainty surrounding RB Deuce McAllister, who was the offensive hammer in ‘06. While flashy Reggie Bush was more exciting, it was McAllister who provided the tough inside yards that opened things up for Bush and WR Marques Colston. McAllister is still recovering from a devastating knee injury that ripped the guts from Payton’s playbook in 2007.

Bush has already proven he is not a stellar No. 1 back, so if McAllister struggles, the burden will be heavy once again for Drew Brees, who led the league with 652 pass attempts. The defection of C Jeff Faine to Tampa hurts up front, where the Saints do an outstanding job protecting Brees.

Payton’s a sharp coach, but the Saints have some huge question marks, particularly on defense.

The Bucs boast the best defense in the division, by far, and Tampa Bay has done a nice job of retooling on the fly. The only returning defensive starters from 2006 are DT Chris Hovan, OLB Derrick Brooks, CB Ronde Barber and S Jermaine Phillips. That’s quite an overhaul in a short period of time for Monte Kiffin’s proud unit.

While the Falcons rebuild under a new coach and GM, Carolina faces a season of desperation.

Coach John Fox and GM Marty Hurney survived a second straight disappointing season and the Panthers gambled in the draft by trading a future No. 1 pick to move up for T Jeff Otah. The Panthers have been a conservative organization, so the draft-day deal illustrates a new sense of urgency in Charlotte.

If QB Jake Delhomme returns fully from elbow surgery, the passing game should improve markedly, but the Panthers still don’t run effectively and a once-feared pass rush has withered away. DE Julius Peppers went AWOL, frustrating owner Jerry Richardson, who had hoped Peppers would embrace a more visible leadership role.

Add it all up and the Bucs have fewer issues than their division peers as they seek to become the first NFC South champion to repeat.

—Ira Kaufman
 

Send Us Your Comments

Posted by  Jesse, Biloxi,MS on 09/09  at  10:26 AM

... flags in the 1st quarter, and missed a lot of open tackles. If you guys still dont think we have a better and more talented football team i dunno what to tell you. Im sure ill here plenty of excuses but fact is yall got beat by a better team… period…


Posted by  Jesse, Biloxi,MS on 09/09  at  10:25 AM

That finally shut your ##### up? I was at the Dome and that place was rockin. We beat yall in every aspect of the game even without playing McKenzie, Duece, and Meachem. Wow yalls offensive line sure was one of the best in the league. If thats the case then our D line must be better then the Giants had last year cause we completely DOMINATED your O line. Even our star center that you picked up looked clueless against our reshaped D line. Shouldnt have even been that close of a game - Brees threw a ball he knows better then to throw just cause he was trying to make something happen, we had a lot of stupid ..


Posted by  todd, PSJ on 07/31  at  09:18 AM

Fleur,

How do you know this ? Are you just full of wishfull information ? You Saint fans are something else. What a bunch of delusional idiots !! This artical is going on 3 weeks old. Can’t you guys move on with your lives ? Its not week 1 yet are you really this worried about it ?


Posted by  FleurdeLis, WI on 07/31  at  12:49 AM

ref813, memphis,

We ranked in the top five for protecting the QB last year, but our run blocking was horrible. There is a difference. Our run blocking should be much improved by the time we have to play the Bucs.


Posted by  ref813, memphis on 07/29  at  10:18 AM

Jesse, in case you have forgotten running is part of the game, too.  We were 11th while you were 28th last year.  If your line is so much better, how do you explain the poor running?  We had to use back-up RBs, too, in case you forgot.  Our line is young and steadily improving, so it will be about as good as your line this year.  I never said we had one of the best lines, but, given that it’s been our weakness for a long time, it’s looking a lot better.  I think most would put it in the top 10.  Our middle 3 are exceptional and our Ts are pretty good, too.


Posted by  Jesse,  on 07/28  at  11:40 AM

Excatly.  No stats.


Posted by  BigBucFan, Sarasota on 07/28  at  09:24 AM

I rest my Case.


Posted by  Jesse,  on 07/27  at  08:38 PM

And i dont have a sister but if i did why would i want to watch anything with her when i have your mom here keeping me company? Dont worry ill have her back in time to make your dinner and tuck you in ok?


Posted by  Jesse,  on 07/27  at  08:35 PM

Do i need to email you some articles and stats since you cant even say the right things about your hometeam and dont have the ability to look anything up? Surprised you can use the keyboard to type all this stuff about me (again not about football).


Posted by  Jesse,  on 07/27  at  08:33 PM

And please tell me what was bs about my “report”. Oh wait thats right you dont talk football, just make uneducated remarkes about nothing but complete bs. And i have about 4 laptops and definetly no trailer since i live in a 3 million dollar home k bud.


Posted by  Jesse,  on 07/27  at  08:30 PM

Once again i broke down one of your bs stats or statements and all you have is something to say about me. I stopped commenting because of that but i keep reading about how our line allowed the fewest sacks in the league last year while Brees attempted more passes then anyone. God you guys crack me up….hmmm whats the matter i proved you wrong again and you have nothing to back it up with. I mean you guys are hilarious. But i will enjoy watching us beat you on my 150 inch projector screen or my 55 inch flat screen k…..then watch the replays on my tv in my denali. Do yall write comedy as well, cause you damn sure dont talk about football.


Posted by  BigBucFan, Sarasota on 07/26  at  09:56 AM

Jesse, it took you almost a week to come back with that BS retort, or did your parents just now let you back on their computer? or did you lose power to your FEMA trailer for a week? Hey Brokeback, Inbred moron, Elvis has left the Building. You truly are an idiot. You, your sister & your kids have fun watching those Saint games on your portable B&W TV. Be sure to get a new set of rabbit ears before the season starts. Kmart might even let you use your food stamps to buy them.


Posted by  Jesse,  on 07/25  at  12:34 PM

Just came back for one thing. You guys are so off on everything you say. Do you not know your stats or facts about your own team. You dont even have the best o line in our division . Here i broke it down - Between both your QB’s that played combined you had 466 attempts and 34 sacks. NO’s stats are 652 attempts and 16 sacks. WOW. That means we threw the ball 185 more times then you but somehow got HALF has many sacks. God you are the stupidest people on earth. How can you possibly say your O line is one of the best??


Posted by  ref813, memphis on 07/23  at  02:39 PM

Cali, yes I got a doctorate after studying clowns and freaks.  That’s why I’m here arguing with a bunch of clowns.  Who’s more fit for the job?
Saints R Better, you are calling me an idiot after you failed to keep up with your roster?  1st, Faine was “out a good bit of the season. Goodwin took over…”  Now, Goodwin was in the rotation?  We have a lot of D-linemen who rotate in, but I wouldn’t mistake that for the starters being out a good bit of the season.  Read your own writing before you step up and call someone else an idiot.  Who dat nation?


Posted by  Saints are Better, NOLA on 07/23  at  01:12 PM

ref813, memphis ,

You idiot, Goodwin was in the rotation… So does it matter. People think he played for half of the season because they saw him play a lot. He got a lot of playing time.


Posted by  CaliSaint, So Cal on 07/23  at  12:46 PM

I know you all are waiting for this one. My last post on this article. I will say that this is what makes the NFL great. Super passionate fans. I hope I haven’t ruffled any feathers, and in all seriousness, I do appreciate the vigor with which you support your local teams. Even the Rays are starting to fill the Trop. Anyway I wish you all the absolute best no joke. Especially BigBucFan, Todd PSJ, Ref813 and BucsRule. You guys rule. Thank you for keeping ma and every reader of the blog entertained.


Posted by  CaliSaint, So Cal on 07/23  at  12:39 PM

Ref813 I am proud that you could complete your courses at Barnum & Bailey’s Clown College….Thats a tough doc to get


Posted by  Shawn Golan, Los Angeles, CA on 07/23  at  12:37 PM

Cali, I’m in my final year of law school, so, yes, I’ll keep my eye on it…

By the way…the POLICE brought in 7 people for questioning, but only Grant got CHARGED with manslaughter.  There is a big difference between being question and being indicted.  When they haul you into court and formally charge you - they mean business.  Criminal trials are expensive, and if we learned anything from the Jerramy Stevens fiasco in Seattle, its that the authorities won’t charge you unless they think they can get a conviction.


Posted by  ref813, memphis on 07/23  at  12:35 PM

Lunch and I had to check and found that one of you supposed Saints fans doesn’t know crap about your own team.  I just checked and Faine missed 2 games, not “a good bit of the season.”  Many believe we have one of the best interior lines in the league, if not the best, since acquiring your former C.  We’ll see in Sept.  I just can’t believe some of you have the nerve to come to our site being as uneducated about football as you are.  You can’t spell your former player’s name and you end your postings with “Who dat nation!”  I guess I shouldn’t have expected much.


Posted by  CaliSaint, So Cal on 07/23  at  12:34 PM

BigBucFan, go fishing. As for Shawn Golan and Charles Grant, they’re so confident he did it that they have brought in 7 other people along with Grant. They are so sure he did it they brought everybody in. He goes to court Aug. 15th. Im sure you will keep an eye on it….


Posted by  Saints are Better, NOLA on 07/23  at  10:26 AM

ref813, memphis,

Fain was out for a good bit of the season last year. Goodwin took over without any problems, and we still managed to rank in the top five for protecting the QB. Brees doesn’t have anything to worry about. Goodwin has proven to be just as good.
Well, I guess I’ll check back in after our win on September 7th. Good luck Buc Fans.

Who Dat Nation!


Posted by  BigBucFan, Vero Beach on 07/23  at  10:19 AM

Good call Dr. Ref. No instant replay needed on that one. Back to work for me too.


Posted by  ref813, memphis on 07/23  at  10:07 AM

Faine’s one of the better centers in the league.  A franchise guy is one who can play at a high level for a few years.  Faine should do that and your QB will be in more danger without him.  Since you’re too lazy to do some research and too busy criticizing things you don’t know about, I’ll fill you in.  Haye had 6 sacks and a FF last year at DT.  Not bad.  I hope your replacement C is ready.  We have a bunch of young D-linemen who you don’t know about. 
I have to get ready for my licensing exam so I must quit wasting time here.  Keep running your mouth cali.  We’ll see you in Sept.  By the way, college only has one g, not 2.  Go finish school.


Posted by  Saints are Better, NOLA on 07/23  at  09:58 AM

Shawn Golan, Los Angeles, CA,

I understand. And you know, I can’t argue much with that. I noticed that Grant had gotten doubled teamed a lot last year. I am really expecting Grant and Smith to have an above average season with the help of the additions. Looks like Grant will be going to criminal court on Aug. 15th. I really doubt he will face time, but you never know what else could be going on. Bobby McCray will take his spot if anything happens. It would/should only become more of a depth issue, which could be problematic in certain situations.


Posted by  ref813, memphis on 07/23  at  09:54 AM

Calisaint, I think everyone wants some “high character” guys on their team.  That doesn’t mean they all must be.  This is the NFL and these are grown men.  If they choose to be role models, great.  If they get in some trouble, oh well.  I don’t care if you went to college with Stevens.  Do you want a medal?  He can play and he was never even charged, so get over it.  By the way, I just got a doctorate, so I wouldn’t be questioning my intelligence.  Who’s dumb enough to come to an opposing team’s site to waste his time attempting to argue with real Bucs fans?  I read what you wrote, but I think I’m done wasting my time with you degenerate Saints fans.


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