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Conference's Rise A Surprise

Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

Carolina is 7-2 and sits atop the NFC South, while Atlanta and Tampa Bay are 6-3.

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By ANWAR RICHARDSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 12, 2008

TAMPA - There was no reason to believe the NFC South had much to offer this season.

Atlanta was still recovering from the Michael Vick debacle and starting a rookie quarterback. Tampa Bay went to the playoffs last season, but Coach Jon Gruden has never had consecutive winning seasons with his team. Carolina finished 7-9 in 2007 after quarterback Jake Delhomme suffered an elbow injury, while New Orleans had the same record last season.

Many experts predicted another down year for the NFC South, but those forecasts proved to be wrong.

"If some of the analysts were hired and fired on their won-loss record, some of those guys would be out of jobs today," Gruden said. "I don't think anybody expected much from our division."

Most expected the NFC East, which has Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia and the New York Giants, to be this year's top division. The Cowboys had Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Pacman Jones, while New York was prepared to defend its Super Bowl title.

Instead, New York is 8-1, while Romo has been injured, Owens is struggling, and Jones has been suspended. Meanwhile, the remaining teams could miss the playoffs if forced to compete for a wild-card spot.

Carolina is 7-2 and sits atop the NFC South, while Atlanta and Tampa Bay are 6-3. Although New Orleans is 4-5, the Saints are poised to make a run if running back Reggie Bush returns this week.

"We might not be able to deliver what we've started, but if you see Matt Ryan play, or know anything about the Falcons' personnel on defense, you know they've got a lot of talent," Gruden said. "And the Saints, you know they've got talent. And Carolina, just write the player's names down that they have in their locker room. They've got a good football team.

"Can we deliver? Can we all finish? It will be a sprint to the finish, and it will be exciting."

With seven games remaining this season, each NFC South teams has three division games on its schedule. Atlanta and New Orleans travel only once, while Tampa Bay and Carolina have two road games.

It is difficult to predict which NFC South teams will emerge.

"Everybody always talks about how tough the NFC East is, but the NFC South is just as tough, if not better," Bucs linebacker Barrett Ruud said. "It's a real tight race we've got here, with real good teams competing every week."

Reporter Anwar S. Richardson can be reached at (813) 259-8425.

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