Playing the numbers game:NFC South versus the NFC West and AFC East

[Brees#1]

This is the last one however, i have decided to make some tweaks to my predictions. Which I will do after this.

Atlanta versus the outside NFC divisions(NFC West this year)
08-4-0
09-1-3(win:Washington)
10-4-0
11-2-2(wins:at Detroit, Minnesota)
12-4-0
13.....................................................................3-1. Numbers say 1-3 or 2-2. But I think Atlanta will have the easiest wins against SF and St.Louis but think they can pull it out against one of those other two. Zona gets Atlanta again off a little rest and this time at home. It could yield the same results as last year but Atlanta not getting so lucky. However Seattle could end up beating Atlanta but I'm leaning towards them losing at Zona.

Atlanta versus interconference play(AFC East)
08-3-1(loss-Denver)
09-3-1(loss:at New England)
10-3-1(loss:at Pittsburgh)
11-3-1(loss:at Houston)
12-4-0
13.................................................................3-1. Last year what gave them 4-0 was getting Denver week 2 and playing three other teams that went on to finish under .500 in division. This year they will not be able to do that against the pats who actually match up well against Atlanta's weakness, the slot and if Gronk is healthy that game forget about it. I debated also on the Miami game as I think that could have been a loss but Atlanta's been good against teams that lack serious balance.

Atlanta within the NFC South
08-3-3
09-3-3
10-5-1
11-3-3
12-3-3
13................................................2-4 or 3-3 again. They will either end up sweeping or getting swept by the saints. However, if they sweep, I think they run into trouble with TB whose improved secondary is not good for Atlanta's passing game considering the amount of success bucs have had keeping games close with them. I think they split with panthers, sweep or split with bucs, sweep or get swept by saints(and its not impossible if saints win at home week 1).

That leaves Atlanta at either 9-5 or 8-6 pending the swing games. They lose at the packers and beat the redskins in those two weeks. 10-6 or 9-7 final record. Atlanta I am predicting finishes third in division.

 

[Brees#1]

Carolina versus the outside NFC divisions
08-3-1(loss:at Minnesota)
09-2-2(wins:at New York Giants, Washington)
10-2-2(wins:Arizona, San Francisco)
11-0-4
12-2-2(wins:at Philadelphia, at Washington)
13....................................................................3-1. They will beat Seattle or Zona. I have it being Seattle they lose to and beating Zona off of their bye week. St.Louis is a win and I stand by the week 10 upset at SF.

Carolina versus interconference play
08-4-0
09-0-4
10-0-4
11-3-1(loss:Tennessee)
12-2-2(wins:at San Diego, Oakland)
13...................................................................1-3. I see them losing to Miami and at home against both New England and New York. When analyzing that matchup, the jets running game could cause Carolina problems as well as Cromartie against Smith. Also this matchup is sandwhiched between two crucial division games against the saints. Pats have the benefit of getting Carolina off of a bye week and an extra day of rest. Miami gets them at home but after whats looking like a easy home game against San Diego.

Carolina within the NFC South
08-4-2
09-4-2
10-0-6
11-2-4
12-3-3
13..........................................................4-2. They sweep either the bucs or falcons(if I didnt rule that a possibility). And will split with one of them and the saints. The bucs and panthers have been in a back forth sweeping affair for four years and that could likely continue. In the NFC South, division games are unpredictable all over. Just go by who's angrier the more. They get first dibs against bucs based on that. The other upside for them is Atlanta and New Orleans are not even focused on them as much as each other which could help Carolina out in division games.

This leaves panthers at 8-6 pending the swing games. But I have changed my stance on the giants and now think Carolina wins. But they will lose at Minnesota. This takes Carolina to a 9-7 final record and it could still be enough for the division believe it or not.

 

[Brees#1]

New Orleans versus the outside NFC divisions
08-2-2(wins:at Detroit, Green Bay)
09-3-1(loss-Dallas)
10-3-1(loss:at Arizona)
11-3-1(loss:at Green Bay)
12-2-2(wins:at Dallas, Philadelphia)
13............................................................They have been either 2-2 or 3-1 every year. I have us(my team) going 3-1, losing only to SF.

New Orleans versus interconference play
08-3-1(loss:at Denver)
09-4-0
10-2-2(wins:at Cincinatti, Pittsburgh)
11-4-0
12-2-2(wins:at Oakland, San Diego)
13........................................................3-1. They only lose to Miami, I think they have what it takes to win in Foxborough and can most definitely beat the bills and jets.

New Orleans within the NFC South
08-2-4
09-4-2
10-4-2
11-5-1
12-3-3
13......................................................4-2 or 2-4. I think this confirms my suspicion that the result against falcons decides this division.

So it puts the saints at 10-4 or 8-6 pending the swing games. I think Dallas is a win and the bears game is another toss up game. This leaves the final record ranging from 9-7 to 12-4. But I am going 11-5 or 9-7 coming to the decision that they will lose at the bears to prepare for the pats game the week after. If 11-5 its enough for the division. 9-7 it won't be.

 

[Brees#1]

Tampa Bay versus the NFC outside division
08-4-0
09-0-4
10-4-0
11-1-3
12-0-4
13.........................................................2-2. I think SF's a loss and Seattle gets them week 9 after much debating on that.

Tampa bay versus interconference play
08-1-3(win:at Kansas City)
09-0-4
10-2-2(wins:at Cincinatti, Cleveland)
11-1-3(win:Indianapolis)
12-3-1(loss:at Denver)
13.....................................................2-2. They win both home games against dolphins and bills but end up losing both road games at pats and jets. They do not have the balance to beat the pats and they get the jets at the worst possible time, opening week.

Tampa Bay within the NFC South
08-3-3
09-1-5
10-3-3
11-2-4
12-3-3
13.................................................2-4 or 3-3. Another complicated mess. Numbers say 3-3 or 4-2. But they are last in division and get last dibs here. They will regress back to 2-4 by splitting with saints and falcons only or stay 3-3 by splitting with all three or getting swept by Carolina and sweeping Atlanta.

Tampa Bay is either 6-8 or 7-7 before the swing games. TB can actually beat both eagles and lions and I think they will taking them to a 8-8 or 9-7 final record.

 

[Brees#1]

I'm pretty much come to conclusions. No one has won division back to back years. All the flaws have been pointed out with Atlanta and it remains to be seen if they are running a vanilla offense in preseason as they still have the tendency to get drives going then stall. There is no way Atlanta can pull this off two years straight. So with that said.

Falcons will go 2-4 in division(no way am I picking us to be swept)
Panthers will go 4-2, sweeping the bucs back.
Saints will go 4-2
Bucs will go 2-4.

New Orleans 11-5
Carolina 9-7
Atlanta 9-7
Tampa Bay 8-8

Call me biased but its how I see it.

 

[USCDoom]

I dont get this Carolina beating the Bucs so easily. The Bucs match up vs the Panthers better than any other team in the South.

 

[catchbluefish]

I have to say this is more thought and effort than I put into my posts. That said, I think you are being a little bit wishful about the saints. They are moving in the right direction but still have some rebuilding to do especially on offense and I think their running game is going to be a problem.

They are going to be a better and more dangerous team than last year but atlanta is still the class of that divsion as far as I am concerned and I don't see the saints going better than 8-8 or 9-7.

 

[nebearsfan70]

Saints 11-5... The Packers going 7-9.

Wow. Dude, lay off whatever Kool-Aid it is you are drinking.

 

[bravesfan]

Falcons will go 4-4 on the road and 7-1 at home

They're @ miami, @ arizona, @ buffalo, @ TB, @ Carolina. they will find 4 wins out of that

People overlook how good Atlanta is at home, they've only lost 7 home games in the past 5 seasons (Matt Ryan/Mike Smith era), with the most in one season being 2 home losses.