4 Burning Questions in the NFC South
Quarterback Tom Brady returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated offseason headlines, and the Bucs are huge favorites to win the NFC South and have short odds to win Super Bowl LVII.
The New Orleans Saints also underwent notable offseason changes, including the retirement of head coach Sean Payton after 15 years of leading the team.
Then there are the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, and they project to duke it out for fourth place in the division.
Here are the division odds at Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel Sportsbooks, followed by a burning question for each team in the NFC South.
NFC South Division Odds
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stability at the quarterback position cannot be understated, and Tampa Bay returns almost the same roster that cruised through the NFC South en route to the Divisional Round of the postseason last year.
Head coach Todd Bowles is likely an upgrade over retired Bruce Arians for the Bucs’ outlook, and the additions through the 2022 NFL Draft should provide immediate improvements on both sides of the ball.
Do the Bucs struggle early with road games against the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints followed by home matchups against the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, or does Tampa cement themselves as a Super Bowl favorite with a formidable start?
New Orleans Saints
Last year, New Orleans was without long-time starting quarterback Drew Brees for the first time, and this year, the Saints are without long-time head coach Sean Payton.
There’s no denying the individual talent throughout the roster and quarterback Jameis Winston showed promise before sustaining a season-ending knee injury last year.
So, are the Saints just a trendy pick to cover their win total, or do they have the upside to win a playoff game or two?
Also, how much — if at all — will the Saints miss Payton steering the ship?
Carolina Panthers
Seemingly stuck in limbo, Carolina failed to bring in a proven quarterback during the offseason and projects to start incumbent starter, Sam Darnold until 2022 third-round selection Matt Corral is ready to take over the offense.
The Panthers haven’t had a winning season since 2017, and there isn’t a lot of optimism or promise the current roster can break the losing trend.
Can Corral establish himself as the future quarterback, or will the Panthers be trying to chase down a franchise quarterback again following the 2022 season?
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons will be in contention for the first overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, and while wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts could provide some entertainment for fans, it’s going to be a long season in Atlanta.
Making matters worse, a quick peek at the schedule reveals a daunting start, and the Falcons could realistically head into their Week 8 matchup against the Carolina Panthers with an 0-7 record.
How well can the Falcons develop their future stars while also taking a run at picking first overall in next year’s draft?
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