Category: NFCS News

Saints HC Sean Payton to retire

With Saints HC Sean Payton stepping away, the Panthers may now have one less obstacle to deal with in the NFC South.

A head coach in the NFC South will not be returning in 2022 and it’s not the one most Carolina Panthers fans are probably hoping for. Nonetheless, we’re sure they’ll take this just fine.

According to NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill—in news that would later be confirmed by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport—New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton will retire. Excluding the one season away due to a suspension stemming from the infamous “Bountygate” scandal, Payton has spent the last 15 years with the franchise.

The division foes, under Payton’s watch, have gone 18-13 against the Panthers—including a 31-26 playoff win in the 2017 Wild Card round. Payton’s overall run has seen the Saints chalk up a 152-89 record with seven NFC South titles and a Super Bowl XLIV win in the 2009 campaign.

Rapoport has also noted that the favorite to take over for New Orleans is the team’s current defensive coordinator in Dennis Allen. Allen does have prior head coaching experience, having led the then Oakland Raiders to a 8-28 mark between 2012 and 2014.

Payton’s departure is relatively good news for Carolina, at least from a competitive standpoint. But with so many problems that need addressing in their own house, the Panthers are still far away from potentially capturing a division that may be wide open next season.

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NFC South Week 13 review: Panthers leap from last to 2nd during bye

The Panthers didn’t even have to play a single snap this week to move from fourth to second in the NFC South.

Normally, some heavy lifting would be required to move from fourth to second place in your division. But, if we’ve learned anything about the NFC South over the past decade or so, it’s that almost nothing is normal in this division.

Thanks to a pair of head-to-head tiebreakers earlier in the year, the Carolina Panthers didn’t have to lift a finger in Week 13 to make such a jump. Here’s how that happened.

Taysom Hill throws Saints’ chances away

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton is, apparently, still trying to trick the rest of the NFL into thinking Taysom Hill can play quarterback. Well, trick’s on you, Sean.

Hill, once again, proved he isn’t much of a passer—let alone a starting-caliber one—in his first full crack under center in 2021. He completed 19 of his 41 attempts while throwing a whopping four interceptions in the 27-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The visiting victors were led by rookie sensation Micah Parsons, who notched his 10th sack of the campaign while also adding an assist on one of those Hill picks.

Tampa Bay airs it out in win over Atlanta

Carolina’s improbable chances at the division crown may have become impossible with the result of this one, but they got some help nonetheless.

The Falcons were knocked down below the Panthers following their 30-17 defeat to the defending Super Bowl champions. Tampa Bay was led by, of course, quarterback Tom Brady—who spread it around to Chris Godwin (143 yards), Mike Evans (99 yards) and Rob Gronkowski (two touchdowns).

Godwin’s 15 receptions on the afternoon set a new franchise record for the Bucs in the team’s ninth victory of the season.

Carolina Panthers: Bye

NFC South standings through Week 13

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3)
2. Carolina Panthers (5-7)
3. Atlanta Falcons (5-7)
4. New Orleans Saints (5-7)

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NFC South Week 6 review: Panthers drop to 3rd after 3rd straight loss

The Buccaneers are starting to sail away from the Panthers, who have now lost three consecutive games.

The Carolina Panthers were sent to their third straight loss on Sunday. And, based on how things have been going for them lately, they’re probably lucky only half of the division even played on the current slate.

Regardless, let’s take a look around, or just around the corner, of what went down in the NFC South here in Week 6.

Panthers fall prey to Vikings in 34-28 overtime loss

Carolina was nothing short of an utter mess for the vast majority of this game. Their offense looked as if its players were just introduced to one another minutes before kickoff and the defense paid the price for it.

So it’s a miracle (not of the Minnesota variety) that they sent this one into overtime.

Quarterback Sam Darnold put his miserable day (17-of-41, 207 yards, one interception, one lost fumble) behind him for a one-minute, 27-second span, leading the Panthers on a 96-yard scoring drive to help knot the game at 28. He found receiver Robby Anderson, then rookie tight end Tommy Tremble, respectively, for the touchdown and game-tying two-point conversion.

Fellow passer Kirk Cousins, however, put a damper on that, as he found wideout K.J. Osborn for a 27-yard walk-off score to clinch the game. Cousins didn’t divide himself on Sunday, completing 33 of his 48 throws for 373 yards and three touchdowns.

Bucs hold off Eagles, 28-22, on Thursday night

No Minnesota Miracles or Philly Specials this week, folks.

Tom Brady got the better of an old Super Bowl foe, passing for 297 yards and a pair of touchdowns to push the Buccaneers past the Eagles. The main beneficiary of Brady’s night was former roomie Antonio Brown, who reeled in nine catches for 93 yards and one of those end zone visits.

Running back Leonard Fournette was heavily involved as well. The former fourth overall pick ate up 22 carries for 81 yards and two scores. He also added in six receptions for 46 yards.

New Orleans Saints: Bye

Atlanta Falcons: Bye

NFC South standings through Week 6

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)
2. New Orleans Saints (3-2)
3. Carolina Panthers (3-3)
4. Atlanta Falcons (2-3)

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NFC South Week 3 review: Panthers in sole possession of 1st place

The Panthers have not had sole possession of the NFC South after three weeks of play since 2003. Well, so much for that.

The last time the Carolina Panthers had sole possession of first place in the NFC South after three games, Week 3 byes were still a thing. But this ain’t 2003 anymore, folks.

After another convincing victory on Thursday night, head coach Matt Rhule and his guys got to sit back on Sunday and enjoy the fruits of their labor. And, fortunately for them, their fruits came with a side of a juicy loss from the defending champs.

Here’s how the week unfolded in the division.

Panthers win, but come away hobbled from Houston

Carolina moved to 3-0 on the season with a 24-9 dog-walking of the Houston Texans. That, however, would come at a cost.

The team will be without star running back Christian McCaffrey for at least a few weeks due to a strained hamstring he sustained early in the game. They’ll also kiss rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn goodbye for what’ll likely be two to three months with a broken foot.

So, for now, they’ll have to ride quarterback Sam Darnold, who passed for his second straight 300-yard outing, and the rest of their white-hot defense. Just ask Texans quarterback Davis Mills and the four sacks he had to take, by the way.

Falcons edge Giants on last-second field goal

Unless this one ended up in a tie, which was very possible between these two teams given their odd and depressing recent history, someone was walking away with their first win of 2021. And, thanks to 2020 team MVP Younghoe Koo, it was the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta’s 17-14 win was paced by a steady performance from its defense, led by linebackers Foyesade Oluokon (14 tackles) and Deion Jones (13 tackles). The unit held Giants quarterback Daniel Jones to 266 passing yards and no touchdowns and running back Saquon Barkley to 51 yards on 16 carries.

Saints smack Mac, Patriots

One week after letting Darnold get the better of them, the New Orleans Saints defense wasn’t having any of it from rookie Mac Jones. The Patriots quarterback was held to a paltry 5.3 yards per attempt and was picked off three times in the Saints’ 28-13 win.

Hmmm . . . maybe the Panthers actually did beat a good team last week. And maybe Cam Newton actually wasn’t the problem in New Engl . . . never mind.

No Hollywood ending for Brady in L.A. debut

For all the games and seasons and wins and rings we hear about associated with Tom Brady, Sunday marked his first ever NFL game in Los Angeles, Calif. But he might not want to go back anytime soon.

The Rams’ offense was too much for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their 34-24 triumph, with quarterback Matthew Stafford chucking for 343 yards and four touchdowns. Brady was “held” to 432 yards and one touchdown.

NFC South Standings through Week 3

1. Carolina Panthers (3-0)
t-2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
t-2. New Orleans Saints (2-1)
4. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

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NFC South review: Two divisional matchups leave Panthers, Bucs at top

Two divisional matchups on Sunday left us with two teams atop the NFC South.

We came into Week 2 with a three-way tie atop this here division between the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the defending NFC South champion New Orleans Saints and the plain, old Carolina Panthers.

Now, as we begin to depart from Week 2, we’re left with just a regular tie between two of those aforementioned teams. And (*spoiler*) one of them isn’t a defending champion of anything.

Panthers bury injured, sickly Saints, 26-7

To be fair to New Orleans, they did come into Bank of America Stadium down seven coaches due to COVID-19 protocol and a sizable cast of featured players due to various setbacks. No Michael Thomas, no Marshon Lattimore, no C.J. Gardner-Johnson, no David Onyemata, no Kwon Alexander, no Erik McCoy, no Tanoh Kpassagnon.

And the Panthers? No mercy.

Carolina seemingly couldn’t care less about what New Orleans have or didn’t have on that field, smashing quarterback Jameis Winston for 11 quarterback hits and four sacks. The Panthers defense held the Saints to their lowest scoring output (7) since 2015 and their lowest total yardage (128) since 2001.

Quarterback Sam Darnold impressed again as well. The reclamation project is now off to two straight weeks of success, with a 26-of-38 completion clip for 305 yards and a pair of touchdown throws.

Brady, Bucs overwhelm Falcons, 48-25

Hey, did you guys know Tom Brady is like, really old and he’s been playing for like, a really long time? Yeah! Crazy, right?

And get this . . . he’s still good.

The 44-year-old tossed for five touchdowns on a lowly Falcons defense, spreading the wealth between tight end Rob Gronkowski and wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Atlanta’s old quarterback kinda get out of bed too, amassing 300 yards and a pair of scores after a listless Week 1 outing.

That, however, simply wouldn’t be close to enough in the 23-point rout. Bucs safety Mike Edwards made sure of that, picking off Matt Ryan twice for two (yes, two) trips to the end zone.

NFC South Standings through Week 2

t-1. Carolina Panthers (2-0)
t-1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
3. New Orleans Saints (1-1)
4. Atlanta Falcons (0-2)

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Panthers’ light start to 2021 schedule just got easier

Panthers’ light start to 2021 schedule just got easier with news of Michael Thomas injury.

The Carolina Panthers may have a real chance to begin their 2021 season with a 3-0 record. Carolina has a relatively light schedule to start the year and today it got a little bit easier.

Specifically, Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is going to miss the first month of the season as he recovers from ankle surgery.

That’s relevant news because the Panthers host the Saints Week 2. While Thomas might be overrated, obviously it’s preferable to face New Orleans without him in the lineup.

Unless some unknown star emerges early for the Saints, this will leave their stud running back Alvin Kamara carrying a heavy load once again. Kamara is one of the league’s most ridiculous running backs, but Thomas being out will enable opposing defenses to focus in much more on stopping Kamara. Combined with a step down at quarterback from Drew Brees to Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill, Carolina will be facing a far less formidable offense than the one we saw at the end of the 2020 campaign.

Before New Orleans, the Panthers start their season at home against the Jets, a matchup they are rightfully favored in. New York has a brilliant defensive coach in Robert Saleh. However, he’s got one of football’s most flawed rosters and this will be his starting quarterback’s first NFL game.

After the Saints, Carolina visits Houston, home of what will be the worst team in the league if Deshaun Watson is unavailable.

Add it all up and a 3-0 start is definitely within reach.

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What does Ryan Ramczyk resetting the RT market mean for Taylor Moton, Panthers?

By lunchtime, that idea was obselete because the Saints have given Ryan Ramczyk a massive extension, worth $96 million over five years.

This morning, we wrote about Panthers right tackle Taylor Moton finally getting some respect as part of Touchdown Wire’s ranking of the top 11 OTs in the NFL going into 2021.

On the subject of comps for a contract extension, we called Lane Johnson’s deal with the Eagles an outlier. It averages $18 million per year and there was a significant gap between Johnson and the league’s second-highest paid right tackle (Jack Conlin’s deal with the Browns averages $14 million per year).

By lunchtime, that idea was obselete because the Saints have given Ryan Ramczyk a massive extension, worth $96 million over five years. It includes $60 million guaranteed.

That comes out to over $19 million per year, resetting the market at this position.

What does it mean for the Panthers and Moton?

For one thing, Carolina’s pass rush will suffer. Ramczyk is an elite talent at his position and this extension was well-deserved, as big as those numbers sound. Pro Football Focus currently has him ranked third among all OTs, only trailing two superstar left tackles in Trent Williams and David Bakhtiari. As long as Ramczyk is healthy, getting pressure on New Orleans’ right flank will be difficult. Ramczyk is also a terrific run blocker, helping make Alvin Kamara’s job easier.

As far as the market goes, this extension should move the needle in the right direction for Moton and the other right tackles in line for a payday. If no long-term deal is struck within the next two weeks, Moton will play under the franchise tag this year. Matching Ramczyk’s guarantees and average will be tough, but if Moton continues balling throughout 2021 it’s not impossible.

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Report: Julio Jones wants to play with ex-Panthers QB Cam Newton

Very few players have experienced Cam Newton from afar like Julio Jones.

Very few players have experienced Cam Newton from afar like Julio Jones.

From watching his Alabama Crimson Tide blow a 24-point lead to Newton’s Auburn Tigers in an SEC classic in 2010, to being drafted sixth overall on the very same night Cam went No. 1 and to the decade’s worth of divisional battles between their Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, Jones has had quite the view of the superstar quarterback. Now, he may want him to be his quarterback.

On Thursday, NBC Sports Boston’s Michael Holley reported that Jones would like to team up with Newton in New England. The five-time All-Pro wideout has recently been the subject of trade talks, as the Falcons have fielded calls regarding a potential divorce in hopes of clearing up cap space.

According to Holley, he has heard that Jones wants to play with Newton as the Patriots look to keep on retooling following a disappointing 7-9 campaign a year ago.

“You know who he really wants to play with? You won’t believe this. I heard this today, I said ‘Are you kidding me?’ He wants to play with Cam Newton,” Holley said. “He likes Cam.”

Holley also noted that Jones has concerns about his longtime quarterback Matt Ryan, claiming the receiver thinks the 36-year-old has “lost a little zing on his deep ball.”

Ryan slander aside, who would’ve thought this connection could ever be possible, at least a handful of seasons ago? Two of the greatest players of the Panthers and Falcons franchises, respectively, joining forces as Patriots. Actually, sounds exactly like something the evil Bill Belichick would do!

Belichick has also done a bang-up job this offseason of giving Newton some much needed help around him, something he definitely didn’t have in 2020. Thanks to a splurge in free agency, he’ll have some brand new, actually capable targets to throw to including tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry and receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.

Adding one of the most freakishly talented players in NFL history would certainly be one hell of a cherry on top. And even in the latter half of his career at age 32, Jones still has more than enough left to help make the Patriots the Patriots again.

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Falcons restructure Matt Ryan’s deal, Saints re-sign Jameis Winston, Bucs keeping everybody

While we’re waiting for Carolina to do something, let’s check in with the other teams around the division and see what they’re up to.

The Panthers have followed yesterday’s two boring offensive line acquisitions by making no moves at all. The team has been sniffing around multiple cornerbacks and at least one under-the-radar DL but as of yet Pat Elflein and Cameron Erving are their only reported signings.

While we’re waiting for Carolina to do something, let’s check in with the other teams around the division and see what they’re up to.

Falcons restructure QB Matt Ryan’s contract

In our now-completey irrelevant NFC South QB rankings over the weekend we put Ryan at No. 2 behind Tom Brady. However, nobody could compete with Ryan’s price-tag. Up until now, he’d been carrying a $40+ million cap number into 2021 – the highest for any quarterback in the NFL.

Terry Fontenot did something about that today, restructuring Ryan’s deal to spread the cap hits out over the next three years, chopping Ryan’s 2021 cap number down to $26.9 million, per Zach Klein.

A smart move from a guy coming from a Saints front office that has officially mastered the darkest arts of navigating the salary cap…

Saints re-sign QB Jameis Winston

The NFL might as well abolish the whole idea of a salary cap given the way New Orleans has abused it for 15 years now.

The four-year, $140 million phantom extension they gave Taysom Hill was perhaps Micky Loomis’ greatest triumph. Combined with a dozen other restructures, releases and heaven-only-knows what else, it’s somehow pushed the Saints down to just $11.95 million over the cap and they’ve managed to keep an actual quarterback.

Jameis Winston has re-signed on a one-year deal that’s worth up to $12.5 million. NBA star reporter Shams Charania broke the news on Twitter last night.

We’re being told to expect a QB competition. Despite Sean Payton’s obvious affinity for Hill, if it’s an honest one our money is on Winston.

Buccaneers want to keep everybody

Life is good for the Super Bowl champions. So far, everything has broken their way in free agency. Tampa has managed to keep all of its important pending free agents, including Lavonte David, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski and Shaq Barrett.

It seems the plan is to bring the whole band back for another round. Tampa is also talking with Leonard Fournette, Ndamukong Suh, Ryan Succop and Antonio Brown, per Jenna Laine at ESPN.

Makes sense. There’s a big gap between this team and the rest of the conference right now and their window is wide open.

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NFC South Review: Bucs defense smothers Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl win

The end result was a stunning blowout championship win for Tampa Bay.

He’s the most dominant quarterback of our time. He routinely pulls off impossible plays and thrilling wins on the biggest stages. He will no doubt go down as the greatest in the history of the game. We’re talking of course about Patrick Mahomes, who got shut down by the Buccaneers in last night’s Super Bowl.

The strategy was naturally a bit more complicated, but Tampa played smothering coverage and pressured Mahomes more than any other team has done thus far in his career. The end result was a stunning blowout championship win for Tampa Bay. Here’s your NFC South review.

Bucs win Super Bowl vs. Chiefs, 31-9

Tom Brady was guaranteed to get so much attention after this game that it was the butt of a Saturday Night Live cold open joke. As comedic GOAT Kate McKinnon put it in her spoof Brady interview when he claimed getting here was a team effort, “No. No. Don’t even try it. No one believes there is anyone else on the team.”

Brady did have a strong line himself (21/29, 201 yards, three touchdowns, 125.8 passer rating) but this team wouldn’t have come close to beating the reigning champs in Kansas City if not for a flurry of big name additions over the last couple years. This Frankenstein squad got huge performances from some of them, including Rob Gronkowski (six catches, 67 yards, two touchdowns), Ndamukong Suh (1.5 sacks) and Leonard “Playoff Lenny” Fournette (one touchdown, 135 yards from scrimmage).

The addition that mattered most came when The Bucs hired Todd Bowles to be their defensive coordinator two years ago. They assembled a star-studded group of talents underneath him, but it was Bowles’ scheme that effectively put the lid on Mahomes and his insanely dynamic offense the entire game.

Even in defeat Mahomes did things no other quarterback is capable of. His 30-yard air-dart thrown sideways (dropped) was the most compelling example but there were several other gasp-inducing moments that would have gone down in Super Bowl lore if the Chiefs’ skill players had any kind of separation. They got none and their usually sure-handed receivers could only catch an awful case of the dropsies at the worst possible time.

One-sided officiating and Mike Remmers blocking Shaq Barrett didn’t help Mahomes, either. That said, this game was an excellent example that sometimes great team defense really can win championships – even with a physics-defying talent like Mahomes on the other side.

In a more sensible world, Bowles would be fielding multiple head coach offers today. That injustice is to Tampa’s gain. Who knows how long Brady and his marauding band of offensive ring-chasers will be around, but as long as Bowles is calling the shots and Devin White’s freakish speed is there to clean everything up, this is going to be the one of the top defensive teams in the NFL.

Saints restructure Drew Brees’ contract

Despite Devin White and Todd Bowles’ greatness, it’s tough to take Tampa too seriously as a potential dynasty because this wasn’t even the best team in the NFC South this year. That said, while the Bucs still have a window, the Saints’ may have finally slammed shut.

A few days ago, it was reported the Saints restructured Drew Brees’ deal to save some $24 million in salary cap room in 2021. While that helps, it’s also a sign that Brees’ retirement is imminent. They’re also still drowning in red ink. Over the Cap projects they’re at -$74.6 million right now – around $25 million more than any other team.

Jameis Winston is under contract for a few more weeks and if they can’t manage to re-sign him then Taysom Hill will become their QB1 in a year where they’ll be picking at No. 28 in the draft. Tough times may be ahead.

Falcons not moving Matt Ryan or Julio Jones

Finally, the Falcons are not expected to try to trade either Matt Ryan or Julio Jones, according to NFL Network. Practically every team that didn’t make the second round of the playoffs is expected to change quarterbacks this offseason, so it would have made some sense for this franchise to try to move Ryan – especially since they hold the No. 4 pick. Ryan is fading but he’s still an above-average QB and could be dangerous again under the influence of Arthur Smith.

Tyreek Hill may catch up some day, but for now Jones remains the game’s top wide receiver – he just missed seven games due to injuries this year. He’ll be back, and when he does this Falcons team could leapfrog over New Orleans and become the top contender to take down the Bucs within the division.

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