The NFC South: Football’s Worst Division

What has happened to these teams?

Their combined record is 9-20-1. Their combined road record is 2-12-1. Tampa Bay gives up the most yards of any team in the NFL. The Falcons are second. The Saints are fifth.

It feels like forever ago when Matt Ryan led the Falcon’s to the best regular season record in the NFC in 2010, only to lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the first round.  Or when the Saints won the big game in 2009. Or when the Carolina Panthers went 12-4 last year.   

The most disappointing of the bunch is undoubtedly the Atlanta Falcons. Finishing 4-12 last season, many picked them as a rebound candidate. After starting 2014 at 2-1, the Falcons have dropped 5 consecutive games. Matt Ryan and the Falcons used to be one of the scariest teams to play at home, but now opponents see Atlanta on the schedule and start to salivate.  And just when you thought they might save their season and beat Detroit in London, they choked and dropped a 21-point first half lead.  The Falcons can once again kiss their playoff hopes goodbye.  Okay, so it’s just that Atlanta is really bad, you say.  Maybe the rest of the division isn’t so bad.  Well my friend, you should know that Atlanta’s only 2 wins were in the division.

And don’t even get me started on Tampa Bay. They are going to be the NFL’s new Raiders and Jaguars. This team has no quarterback and a baaaaad defense. Doug Martin teased everyone years ago and now no one believes in his ability. Not to mention the Vincent Jackson trade rumors. This says it all.

When the playoffs roll around, it’s expected that you are going to see Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees, but the latter is in serious jeopardy at the moment. The Saints can’t stop anybody on defense and are 0-4 on the road.

Drew Brees is fourth in the NFL in passing yards, but too many times
this year he has watched his defense lose games for his team.

If Carolina’s offense can finally start to click, the Saints are in serious trouble. They have had terrible injuries to their running backs and lack offensive firepower. The Panthers' lack of talent at receiver has been a concern since the offseason. No one is surprised at their struggles.

Cam Newton is completing on 60.1% of his passes this season.

This Thursday night matchup is a HUGE game for these two teams.  The winner could very well be a 7-9 playoff club.      

Colt McCoy

Last night on Monday Night Football, Daniel Colt McCoy led the Washington Redskins to a win over Jerry Jones' team in their palace of a football stadium, 20-17 in overtime.

I am here to tell you that Colt McCoy should become Washington's franchise quarterback.

While Kirk Cousins has been a solid fantasy player in a 2 QB league, he has been awful where it matters and is clearly not the long-term answer for Washington.  His audition is over. 

The outlook for the Redskins began to change last week.  McCoy came in for Cousins in the
opening possession of the second half against the Tennessee Titans.  Then this happened.  (If you're too lazy to click on that, just know it was a 70-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon.)  The Redskins came back and won a game they so desperately needed.

And then last night happened.  Mr. McCoy passed for 299 yards, completing 25 of 30 passes, setting a franchise record for completion percentage for QBs who attempted at least 30 passes in a game.  He made plays with his legs and had a lot of success in play-action.  He inspired his offensive line and defense with plays like this one, which helped lead to a tough night for Tony Romo and his blockers.  McCoy lead his team to its second straight win against the previously 6-1 Dallas Cowboys. 

Now, you may think I'm crazy since McCoy is only 6-15 as a starter and is a small quarterback with small hands who lacks arm strength.  This is understandable.  However, McCoy started those 21 games with the Cleveland Browns, who were not good.  McCoy has weapons in Washington, including two athletic tight ends in Niles Paul and Jordan Reed, Garcon, Alfred Morris, Roy Helu, and DeSean Jackson (lord knows why in the world Philly ever cut this guy).   

McCoy is going to be successful because he is a flat-out WINNER.  He was the 2008 Heisman Trophy runner-up and was a 2009 Heisman finalist in college.  McCoy is second in NCAA Division I history for wins by a quarterback. 

You can't tell me that he can't be successful at the NFL level because he is an exceptional leader and he makes his teammates believe in his ability.  His arm strength clearly did not hold him back last night - he completed 6 passes of over 20 yards.  And besides, there are a few quarterbacks in the NFL that don't have the strongest arms but are pretty damn good.

We've seen this before in Washington, when RGIII took the NFL by storm and led his team to 7 straight wins after starting 3-6 to make the postseason.  If RGIII can't stay healthy, which I don't think he can, and be effective and consistent, I believe Colt keeps the Skins in the hunt until the very end.

Watch out, Washington.  The Real McCoy is coming.