Anything is possible for the Dirty Birds right now given the lousy state of their division. The Buccaneers are set to host a training camp QB battle between Baker Mayfield & Kyle Trask. They’re now firmly in rebuilding mode following Tom Brady’s latest NFL offseason retirement. Meanwhile, the Panthers feature a new head coach (Frank Reich) & a rookie QB (Bryce Young). Their roster has some talent but trading away star WR D.J. Moore to the Bears wasn’t optimal. That leaves the Falcons & the Saints as realistic contenders for the NFC South division crown. Let’s take a look at why the Falcons & Saints should be considered the division’s frontrunners.
The Falcons were at the bottom of the division last year, finishing with a 7-10 record. Why in the world should they be considered amongst the division’s frontrunners in 2023 then? Well, for starters, they added a bunch of talent this offseason in the form of RB Bijan Robinson, S Jessie Bates III, DE Calais Campbell, DE Bud Dupree, WR Mack Hollins, & LB Kaden Ellis. The team should also lead the league in rushing this year after featuring a top-five-unit last year. That’s not all, as Ryan Nielsen replaces Dean Pees as the team’s defensive coordinator this year. Nielsen was with the Saints from 2017-2022, and during that time his unit recorded the second most sacks in the league (281), & consistently ranked top-five in sacks (per atlantafalcons.com). Put all of these factors together, and there’s a lot to like about the Falcon’s 2023 division odds.
The NFL is all about stellar quarterback play though, and it’s possible that the Saints have the Falcons beat there when comparing veteran Derek Carr to second-year pro Desmond Ridder. The Falcons clearly believe in Ridder, or they would’ve pushed harder to sign Lamar Jackson. That said, his growth (or lack thereof) in year two will clearly define the team’s 2023 campaign. Will Ridder make the leap this year to surpass Derek Carr as the best QB in the South division? Answering that question likely also determines whether or not the Falcons are able to win the division in 2023.
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