The times, they are a changin’, especially in the NFC South. Cam Newton looks to rebound from a fairly disappointing 2014 campaign, Drew Brees is out to prove he’s not done, Matt Ryan looks to get the Atlanta Falcons flying high again and Jameis Winston prepares for his first season as a pro.
While the NFC South was a bit of a joke a year ago (the 8-8 Panthers won the division), there is enough to go off of this summer that could have the division rising up from a competition perspective. The presence of a stable passer under center could do wonders for the Bucs (if that is indeed what Winston brings to the table), a more balanced Saints team could be better, a healthier Panthers squad could repeat as division champs and Dan Quinn could make the Falcons nastier.
A lot of “could” going on in the NFC South, right? That’s true, but no matter what happens, this is still a division with strong passing talent and one that could blow up in 2015 – in a good way. To gauge how this division fares this year, let’s focus on how each team is looking under center by ranking the top NFC South quarterbacks:
4. Jameis Winston (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Winston enters the NFL as a rookie this year and he could be a solid one right out of the gates. Winston proved to be a gamer and a winner in two years at Florida State and looks to have the arm, pocket presence and mobility to be a dangerous passer at the highest level. He doesn’t come without his flaws, however, as he turns the ball over far too much and can make questionable decisions at times. Playing on a weak Buccaneers team, Winston has the offensive talent around him to find some success, but it may come at an inconsistent rate in year one. More importantly, in reference to our NFC South quarterback rankings, Winston has to earn his stripes before he can climb the ladder.
3. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons)
A case could have been made a few years ago that Ryan was the top quarterback in this division, or at least second best. He hasn’t really regressed over the past two years and has actually been statistically sound, but something has to be said for a field general that can’t keep his team afloat. Under Ryan’s guide, the Falcons failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two years and were often a one-dimensional, inefficient offense. Ryan still has the goods and surrounding talent to blow up in 2015, but he’s yet to prove himself to be a truly elite NFL quarterback. He’s close, and perhaps he’ll use 2015 to push himself over the hump.
2. Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers)
Like Ryan, Newton has seen some regression lately, but he’s at least found a way to carry his team into the playoffs in each of the last two years. Easily one of the top dual threat passers in the game, Newton has morphed into a more than capable pocket passer that can also kill defenses with his legs and creativity. Newton still needs to polish his game as well as football uniforms but showed tremendous toughness and grit during a trying 2014 season. Now healthy, Newton could be primed for a massive bounce-back season in 2015.
1. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints)
Brees and his Saints failed to make the playoffs in two of the last three years, but little of that actually falls on Brees, who has continued to put up big numbers. Brees is without a doubt the best NFC South passer if you look back over the past decade, while he’s always kept the Saints on the cusp of the playoffs. Even in the two seasons he couldn’t get New Orleans into the playoffs recently, he still put up huge numbers and had his team on the brink. With the Saints focusing on defense and operating a more balanced offense in 2015, it’s highly possible we could see the most efficient Brees yet.
Think we got the order out of wack for the NFC South? Give us your rankings in the comments below!
