Notes From Lombardi: NFC South

FROM MICHAEL LOMBARDI:

In today’s installment of our division-by-division breakdown of team needs, we examine the NFC South. Here are five questions each team must answer heading into April’s NFL Draft:

Click HERE for a breakdown of the NFC North

Click HERE for a breakdown of the NFC East

Click HERE for a breakdown of the AFC East

Click HERE for a breakdown of the AFC North

Click HERE for a breakdown of the AFC South

NFC SOUTH

             ATLANTA

1.    The Falcons were a one-man wrecking crew, with John Abraham getting 16½ sacks, half the team’s total.  Who is going to emerge as another rusher?

2.    Will Curtis Lofton and Mike Peterson help the Falcons’ run defense?  Atlanta gave up almost five yards per carry. 

3.    Do they have enough cover men? The Falcons struggled to win in the two-minute drill, ranking 29th in the NFL.  Excluding Abraham, they struggled to make plays.  

4.    Do they have enough quality tacklers in their secondary? The Falcons allowed big plays last season, ranking 27th in allowing plays of more than 20 yards.  Can Thomas DeCoud handle the starting job? 

5.    Do the Falcons have enough depth in their offensive line to overcome injuries?  Losing Sam Baker hurt them last year. 

       CAROLINA

1.    Can quarterback Jake Delhomme win back his teammates and regain the confidence of the coaches and front office after his poor playoff game? The Panthers ranked 30th in overall passing in the NFL. 

2.    Who is going to be the Panthers’ third wideout?  With Muhsin Muhammad as their starter, it would be hard to project him holding that job for another year.  Dwayne Jarrett was not impressive with his 10 catches last season. 

3.    The Panthers need to win with their defensive front, but do they have enough talent on the line to win? 

4.    How will they improve their red-zone defense? They were one of the worst teams last season, ranking 28th in allowing positive plays in the red zone. 

5.    Do they have enough depth and quality in their offensive line?  If they lose anyone for an extended period, they’re in trouble. 

            NEW ORLEANS

1.    Will the Saints finally get a big back to complement Reggie Bush and help one of the worst teams in the NFL in converting third-and-short? 

2.    Do the Saints have enough talent in their secondary to make plays?  Small corners will always lose match-ups to bigger wideouts.  The Saints seem to love smaller corners. 

3.    Are they physical enough in their offensive line?  Can they control the line of scrimmage when the game is on the line? 

4.    Can Darren Sharper make plays on the ball and give New Orleans some range and interceptions in the secondary? 

5.    Who’s going to rush the passer?  The Saints play in a Dome and had 28 sacks last year. They need to get better play from their two high-priced ends, Charles Grant and Will Smith, who combined for six sacks. 

            TAMPA BAY

1.    New era in Tampa, so who’s going to be the new QB?

2.    The Bucs struggled down the stretch on defense, in large part because they could not get any pressure on the passer.  Who is going to put pressure on the passer? 

3.    Can they change the dynamics of the style of linemen they acquire? A new scheme on defense will require big strong defensive tackles.  

4.    Third and short was a tough down for the Bucs last year.  How can they improve this area, and is it the line or the back?

5.    How many of the old-regime players can adapt to the new schemes on both sides of the ball?  The Bucs will be going through many changes, especially at corner. 

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