NFC Ceiling - Floor predictions

[KB_fan]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000692527/article/nfc-ceilingfloor-scenarios-packers-cardinals-can-climb-high

NFC South is posted below.

AZ has highest ceiling in NFC at 15-1.   We're in 2nd place, tied with SEA & GB at 14-2 for the ceiling.   And we're in 1st place, tied with AZ and SEA for the highest floor at 9-7

 

Quote

 

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA FALCONS

Ceiling: 11-5. Matt Ryan moves past being a good player to the premier status he was prematurely awarded after three years in the league. Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman form one of the top 1-2 punches in the league, assisting the defense with ball control.

Floor: 4-12. Seeing the same swing for the Falcons as the Bucs, although I feel Atlanta will finish behind its rival. Dwight Freeney feels his age (36) ... meaning there's no pass rush. Again. Youngster Keanu Neal's success is thwarted by his preseason knee injury. Mohamed Sanu? WR3.

 

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Ceiling: 14-2. Mike Shula retains his play-calling magic with Cam Newton running point. Jonathan Stewart = healthy. Sans Josh Norman and facing a relatively tough schedule, the Panthers' best hope is to be 14-2. Remember, in 2015, Carolina played the weak AFC South and NFC East.

Floor: 9-7. The division is not strong enough to knock the Panthers down to .500. But if the kids in the secondary struggle to fill the Norman void -- and the edge rush isn't there again -- Carolina could lose much more often in 2016. Receiver Kelvin Benjamin starting slowly after missing 2015 with a torn ACL would turn bad quickly.

 

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Ceiling: 10-6. Cameron Jordan doesn't end up having to singularly provide the pass rush. Stephone Anthony comes into his own at linebacker, receiving more than just tutelage from James Laurinaitis. Mark Ingram rushes for 1,200 yards, providing time on the bench for the Saints' dog-tired defense.

Floor: 5-11. Speaking of Ingram, Drew Brees needs help. In the 5-11 scenario, 37-year-old QB hits the career wall, leaving even more in the defense's hands. Tight end Coby Fleener is on-again, off-again, like he was for much of his career in Indy. Still, Brees and New Orleans are too good at home to only win three games.

 

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Ceiling: 11-5. A lot would have to happen here, starting with Jameis Winston continuing his progression in Year 2 to a point that would make him a top-15 quarterback. The Bucs must get something from the TE position, and Robert Ayers would provide 10 sacks in his first year in Tampa.

 

Floor: 4-12. Dirk Koetter struggles in his transition to head coach. Doug Martin resembles the 2013 and '14 Doug Martin, not the 2015 vintage. Veteran pass catcher Vincent Jackson shows his age, with Mike Evans struggling with a basic function of being a wide receiver: catching the football. Honestly, I think the Bucs go 8-8.

 

 

[outlaw4]

Matt Ryan obtaining premier status? I didn't realize there was such a level on Delta Airlines.

[Razeyfingers]

Given the volatility of the division beyond 3 years ago I can understand, but this division belongs to Boogie Inc. I believe it when I see it with those aints, same with the Falcants. The Bucs I would like to see more and welcome as our new young challengers.

[uncfan888]

Why would KB starting slowly turn bad quickly? We won 15 games without him last year

[CarolinaJami']

1. I've heard people say this and I thought it earlier also. I see Carson Palmer being Jake Delhomme after the Cardinals playoff game in 08 I believe. I just think he is gonna regress big time after how he looked in the NFC Championship game. 

2. We always hear that the NFL is a QB driven league. Then I hear we have a fairly tough schedule, rookie corners and no pass rush. Well, when I look at the QBs that we face it isn't exactly a murderers row. We will face maybe 3-4 QBs that could actually take advantage of the fact that we are playing rookie corners and have no pass rush.

Just my thoughts. It is the NFL and I could be wrong

[UpstatePanther]

I thought his analysis was pretty fair. I think we'll be on the 14-2 end of that Spectrum though...

My expectations are somewhere between 13 - 3 and 10 - 6

[saints4lifeagain]

Pretty fair. Agree with the South.

[Snake]

Lol this year for some reason the media wants to up play AZ. The same team that we totally exposed in the playoffs two years in a row. 

[Jangler]

Predicting any team to go15-1 or undefeated is nothing but a homer pick. So this is invalid 

btw, I know the floor will be clean with 3 divisional sweeps.

see that right there, homerism.

[TheRumGone]

1 hour ago, uncfan888 said:

Why would KB starting slowly turn bad quickly? We won 15 games without him last year

No one said the people that write for nfl.com are smart.

[gmonjimbo]

I think last season's schedule was harder because of the 4 game stretch of having to play Seattle, Philadelphia, Indy, and Green Bay. 3 of the 4 made it to their respective conference championship game. I think the Panthers will lose more games this year  because certain things might not go there way like an early bye week or west coast traveling. Also, I remember against Indy that Ted Ginn dropped a game winning TD but the defense held up and we got a field goal to win, this year that might not be the case.

[Omega Atrocity]

It's pretty insane saying Arizona's floor is 9-7 imo. There's real Delhomme potential with Palmer, and I don't see the going 9-7 with that level of QB play.

[Randolph Panther]

I would take 12-4 in a second.

[Dunn]

With the sad new of Bridgewater for the Vikings, I can only see us uptrending from where everyone may have thought we could be.  If we can get over the big hurdle that is the Bronco's defense for the first game, there is no reason we shouldn't be able to start out strong at 6-0 before the bye week.  The chiefs and seahawks look to be the biggest threat on our schedule all year, with the Raiders being a tough 3rd.