NFC South Schedule Breakdown
New Orleans Saints
The Saints are coming off a tremendous 13-3 season, but they collapsed in the playoffs to a familiar foe in the Vikings. The Saints are coming back with the same veteran squad, but should be worried about the improvements all three division opponents have made, as well as a tougher schedule ahead of them compared to 2019. The NFC south is stacked up against some of the best divisions in football this year, including the AFC West and NFC North. The Saints have enough offensive firepower to compete with every team on their schedule, and the additions of tight end Adam Trautman and center Cesar Ruiz solidifies that QB Drew Brees and coach Sean Payton have a truly elite offense. But Brees and company won’t be able to walk over their divisional rival Buccaneers this season. The addition of Tom Brady with their loaded group of weapons will create a huge Week 1 battle. The combination of the Eagles, Vikings, and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks at the end of the season creates obstacles at the beginning and end of their season, so the Saints cannot afford to lose too many games against less-talented teams. The Saints have a good unit, and more experience on their defense may result in a successful regular season. They are set for Drew Brees to try for the Super Bowl one last time.
Record Prediction: 11-5
Week 1: Sept. 13 vs. Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Week 2: Sept. 21 at Raiders, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN, MNF)
Week 3: Sept. 27 vs. Packers, 8:20 p.m. (NBC, SNF)
Week 4: Oct. 4 at Lions, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Week 5: Oct. 12 vs. Chargers, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN, MNF)
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: Oct. 25 vs. Panthers, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Week 8: Nov. 1 at Bears, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Week 9: Nov. 8 at Buccaneers, 8:20 p.m. (NBC, SNF)
Week 10: Nov. 15 vs. 49ers, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. Falcons, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Week 12: Nov. 29 at Broncos, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
Week 13: Dec. 6 at Falcons, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Week 14: Dec. 13 at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Week 15: Dec. 20 vs. Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Week 16: Dec. 25 vs. Vikings, 4:30 p.m. (Fox/NFL Network/Amazon, Friday)
Week 17: Jan. 3 at Panthers, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers may be the most exciting team in the NFL. Tom Brady finally has the weapons that he dreamed of for years in Foxborough, including WR Chris Godwin, WR Mike Evans, TE OJ Howard and TE Rob Gronkowski. But the Tampa defense was abysmal last season, surrendering 29.3 points per game. They addressed it with a second-round pick in a promising safety by the name of Antoine Winfield, a former Minnesota standout who should provide some youthful energy to this Bucs team. In the first round, they were able to add another luxury for Brady in Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs, who could have been taken even earlier. He fell to the Bucs, though, who are now going to try to do everything they can to protect their new 42 year-old quarterback. But Brady will face a bit more competition in this division than the AFC East provided while he was in New England. This Bucs team is new, and it may take them multiple weeks to build chemistry, which will be exacerbated by a lack of offseason activities. Tampa also has a tough schedule beyond their division, but they lucked out with two home games vs some of their toughest opponents, like the Packers and Chiefs. Arians and the Bucs will be tested early and often: they have 5 primetime games, ranking among the most in the league. The Bucs will have some bright lights shining on them in 2020: can they live up to it?
Record Prediction:10-6
Week 1, Sept 13: at Saints (4:25 p.m. ET on Fox)
Week 2, Sept. 20: vs. Panthers (1:00 p.m. ET on Fox)
Week 3, Sept. 27: at Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET on Fox)
Week 4, Oct. 4: vs. Chargers (1:00 p.m. ET on CBS)
Week 5, Oct. 8: at Bears (8:20 p.m. ET on Fox, NFL Network and Amazon - Thursday Night Football)
Week 6, Oct. 18: vs. Packers (4:25 p.m. ET on Fox)
Week 7, Oct. 25: at Raiders (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC - Sunday Night Football)
Week 8, Nov. 2: at Giants (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN - Monday Night Football)
Week 9, Nov. 8: vs. Saints (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC - Sunday Night Football)
Week 10, Nov. 15: at Panthers (1:00 p.m. ET on Fox)
Week 11, Nov. 23: vs. Rams (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN - Monday Night Football)
Week 12, Nov. 29: vs. Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS)
Week 13: BYE
Week 14, Dec. 13: vs. Vikings (1:00 p.m. ET on Fox)
Week 15, Dec. 20: at Falcons (1:00 p.m. ET on Fox)
Week 16: TBD: at Lions
Week 17, Jan 3: vs. Falcons (1:00 p.m. ET on Fox)
Carolina Panthers
The Matt Rhule era has begun in Carolina, and the Panthers revamped their whole franchise to fit what the former Temple and Baylor head coach prioritizes. Carolina was able to move the ball last season with QB Kyle Allen, and have one of the most explosive players in the league in Christian McCaffrey. The addition of Teddy Bridgewater will only stabilize this offense, as it eliminates the inconsistencies of Allen and QB Cam Newton.
The Panthers selected 7 defensive prospects in their seven rounds of drafting, and the selections of DT Derrick Brown and DE Yetur Gross-Matos should help the lack of secondary players they have in Carolina. The Panthers are going to take a while to become a playoff team, especially in one of the best divisions in football. They are a young team who will be tested with trips to both Green Bay and Kansas City, but their tough schedule immediately may end up being great exposure for a young and upcoming team who has a whole new coaching staff. Expecting ten wins out of this Panther squad in 2020 is a pipedream. But if they can find a way to compete in games, look out for their explosive weapons to help pull off some upsets.
Record Prediction: 6-10
Week 1: Sept. 13 vs. Raiders, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 2: Sept. 20 at Buccaneers, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 3: Sept. 27 at Chargers, 4:05 p.m., CBS
Week 4: Oct. 4 vs. Cardinals, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 5: Oct. 11 at Falcons, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 6: Oct. 18 vs. Bears, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 7: Oct. 25 at Saints, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 8: Oct. 29 vs. Falcons (Thursday Night Football), 8:20 p.m., Fox
Week 9: Nov. 8 at Chiefs, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 10: Nov. 15 vs. Buccaneers, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. Lions, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 12: Nov. 29 at Vikings, 1 p.m., Fox
Week 13: BYE WEEK
Week 14: Dec. 13 vs. Broncos, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 15: Dec. 19 OR Dec. 20 at Packers, TBD
Week 16: Dec. 27 at Redskins, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 17: Jan. 3 vs. Saints, 1 p.m., Fox
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons, like the Panthers, may have a tough 2020 season. Their schedule gives them no favors, starting the year with 4 straight teams who are legitimate playoff contenders. Their draft picks in 2020 won’t be able to succeed in the league day 1, either, but players such as CB A.J Terrell from Clemson, DT Marlon Davidson from Auburn and C Matt Hennessy from Temple provides a young core to build around. Ultimately, this team will likely rely far too much on QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones. Owner Arthur Blank and the rest of the Falcons front office may need to think about tearing down and playing for the future before they are caught in the middle.
Record Prediction 4-12
Week 1, Sept. 13: vs. Seahawks
Week 2, Sept. 20: at Cowboys
Week 3, Sept. 27: vs. Bears
Week 4, Oct. 5: at Packers (Monday Night Football)
Week 5, Oct. 11: vs. Panthers
Week 6, Oct. 18: at Vikings
Week 7, Oct. 25: Lions
Week 8, Oct. 29: at Panthers (Thursday Night Football)
Week 9, Nov. 8: vs. Broncos
Week 10: BYE
Week 11, Nov. 22: at Saints
Week 12, Nov. 29: vs. Raiders
Week 13, Dec. 6: vs. Saints
Week 14, Dec. 13: at Chargers
Week 15, Dec. 20: vs. Buccaneers
Week 16, Dec. 27: at Chiefs
Week 17, Jan. 3: at Buccaneers
Sam Kirk