{"id":12479,"date":"2009-08-15T13:55:01","date_gmt":"2009-08-15T18:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.capperspicks.com\/blog\/?p=12479"},"modified":"2023-02-07T07:40:30","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T15:40:30","slug":"2009-nfc-south-division-gambling-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/cappers\/2009-nfc-south-division-gambling-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"2009 NFL Divisional Previews: NFC South"},"content":{"rendered":"

NFC South DIVISION 2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW<\/h2>\n
\"Marc<\/a>
Marc Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2008 marked the first time in the last six years that a team from the NFC SOUTH DIVISION failed to move from the outhouse to the penthouse, or last place to first place.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say that Atlanta, the NFC SOUTH DIVISION cellar dweller in 2007, didn\u2019t deliver last season. They did. It\u2019s just that Carolina won one extra game and edged out the Falcons for division honors.<\/p>\n

Yes, the times are changing in this division and the changes appear to be for the good. That being the case, we\u2019ll keep a close eye on New Orleans and see if they can\u2019t complete the \u2018worst-to-first\u2019 run in 2009.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MARC LAWRENCE\u2019S PICKS PAGE @ <\/strong>CAPPERSPICKS.COM \u2014\u2013><\/strong><\/p>\n

Here is my take of teams in the NFC South DIVISION<\/strong> for 2009.<\/p>\n

Coming up next: the NFC West DIVISION<\/p>\n

NFC SOUTH<\/strong><\/p>\n

ATLANTA
\nTeam Theme \u2013 ONE AND DONE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following a tumultuous 2007 season, team owner Arthur Blank confided his trust and faith in new head coach Mike Smith when he informed him, \u201cYou can do it. We can help.\u201d Atlanta then went out signed prized free agent RB Michael Turner and drafted QB Matt Ryan with the 3rd pick in the NFL draft. The new triumvirate paid immediate dividends when the Falcons went from a 4-win bust to a playoff team in one fell swoop. That being the case, we will be the first to point out the fact that Atlanta has never had back-to-back winning seasons in its 43-year history. To make matters worse, the Falcons will take on the league\u2019s 4th toughest schedule in 2009, playing only two games against teams that had losing records last year. Unless the defense stiffens substantially, we can\u2019t help but believe that \u201cnever\u201d loses out again this year. PLAY AGAINST: as a favorite vs. Chicago (10\/18)<\/p>\n

CAROLINA
\nTeam Theme \u2013 FOX ON THE RUN<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thanks to a powerful running game, John Fox’s Panthers returned to their winning ways last year after wallowing through an injury-filled 2007 season. As a result Carolina is favored to win the NFC South in 2009. In order to live up to those expectations, it will need to fortify a soft rush defense that allowed more than 120 yards on the ground in seven of its final nine games last year. While it\u2019s difficult to fade the crafty Fox as an underdog (34-19-1 ATS), we have no reservations fading him when he lays points at home (18-25-2 ATS).\"<\/a> Pay close attention to Fox\u2019s weakest role: a home favorite against .666 or greater opposition (1-7-1 ATS). With only one game on the entire schedule against a team that had a losing season last year, the hunt for wins will be tougher to find in 2009. PLAY AGAINST: as a favorite vs. Buffalo (10\/25)<\/p>\n

NEW ORLEANS
\nTeam Theme \u2013 PAYTON\u2019S PACE<\/strong><\/p>\n

While most NFL teams focused on shoring up their offenses this off-season, offensive juggernaut New Orleans was busy beefing up its defense. Head coach Sean Payton learned the hard way that a good offense is rendered meaningless without a defense. He\u2019s excited about procuring the services of Gregg Williams, the former head coach with the Ravens and defensive coordinator with Jaguars, Redskins and Titans. “We targeted Gregg as the coach we wanted to hire after our first interview because he was so impressive and prepared,” said Payton. “As an offensive coach, I have game-planned against his defenses in the past, and I know the problems they create. He’s an aggressive coach, but his units are always sound fundamentally.\u201d Amazingly, the Saints were the best team in the NFL \u2018In The Stats\u2019 last year when they outstatted all but three foes, yet missed out on the post-season. If New Orleans can gain measured improvement from Williams\u2019 schemes, it will be playoff bound in 2009.\u00a0PLAY ON: vs. Carolina (11\/8)<\/p>\n

TAMPA BAY
\nTeam Theme \u2013 BOOT SCOOTIN\u2019 BOOGIE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s make one thing perfectly clear. This is not the same Tampa Bay team we\u2019ve come to admire the last dozen seasons. Those teams were coached by Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden and made it to the playoffs on six different occasions, winning a Super Bowl in 2002. Dungy and Gruden leave the coaching ranks this season, one by choice; the other by boot. Their shoes leave a big imprint, sizes of which Raheem Morris will have trouble filling. Brooks and Dunn (Derrick and Warrrick) have also moved on, hanging up their spikes in favor of an influx of new talent. Morris realizes a rebuilding project is underway, so patience becomes the operative word this season. Aside from taking on the fifth most difficult schedule this year (only three opponents were losing teams in 2008), Morris will conclude the season away from home in four of his final six games. That ain\u2019t no way to go, for a brand new man.\u00a0PLAY AGAINST: vs. Seattle (12\/20)<\/p>\n

Note: <\/strong>Marc Lawrence<\/strong> is a 30-year veteran handicapper. He finished No.1 in the nation (88-63 +25.7 Net Units) in MLB during the 2007 season as documented by Sports Watch in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

Comments are Welcome!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014-<\/p>\n

Marc Lawrence Has Been Handicapping Sports Professionally Since 1975 – Check Out His Weekly Picks & His DAILY MLB PLAYS Today Here at Capperspicks.com >>><\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Marc Lawrence brings us his 2009 NFC South Division preview and season picks. Plus an indepth preview and betting predictions. Times are changing in this division and the changes appear to be for the good…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[258],"tags":[14795,16441,16093,14442,16442,16023,463,9912,14794,16443,16444,13517,14792,827,860,16094,15926,15322],"class_list":["post-12479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cappers","tag-2009-football-previews","tag-2009-nfc-south-betting-lines","tag-2009-nfc-south-prediction","tag-2009-nfl-predictions","tag-buccaneers-picks","tag-falcons-picks","tag-free-nfl-picks","tag-marc-lawrence","tag-marc-lawrence-nfl-picks","tag-nfc-south-division","tag-nfc-south-gambling","tag-nfc-south-odds","tag-nfl-divisional-previews","tag-nfl-gambling","tag-nfl-previews","tag-odds-to-win-nfc-south","tag-panthers-picks","tag-saints-picks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12479"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":108489,"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12479\/revisions\/108489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capperspicks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}