Rarely does a team win five fewer games than the season before and still make the playoffs, but the Carolina Panthers repeated as NFC South champions in 2014 with a 7-8-1 record following a 12-4-0 finish in 2013. The Panthers won the division because the New Orleans Saints fell four games off their 2013 pace, the Falcons only improved to 6-10, and the Bucs ended up earning the first pick in the draft.
All four teams begin 2015 with key additions. For Atlanta, it’s a head coach, as Dan Quinn becomes a head coach for the first time after putting together the great Seattle defense. Carolina hopes it has plugged a leak in their offensive line with the signing of left tackle Michael Oher, while bringing in Ted Ginn, Jr. at receiver. New Orleans added a cover corner in Brandon Browner, while Tampa Bay had the biggest addition of all–they have Jameis Winston, the league’s top pick.
This may be the most difficult division to forecast, as even the weak Bucs have improved enough and have the schedule to challenge for the division title. Atlanta has the passing game and should be improved defensively, and since 8-8 could win the division, in theory, they only need to improve by two wins. New Orleans’ defense needs improvement, and the Saints will have to score a lot of points this year. Bear in mind that Jimmy Graham has left the building. That leaves Carolina; can the Panthers three-peat? Yes, it is quite possible, but in reality, this is a team that fell to a losing record last year, and a couple game slide this year could find the Panthers in last place.
ATLANTA FALCONS
| Falcons Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Julio Jones |
| WR | Roddy White |
| WR | Leonard Hankerson |
| TE | Jacob Tamme |
| LT | Jake Matthews |
| LG | Mike Person |
| C | Joe Hawley |
| RG | Chris Chester |
| RT | Ryan Schraeder |
| QB | Matt Ryan |
| HB | Devonta Freeman |
| FB | Patrick DiMarco |
| Defense | |
| DE | Vic Beasley |
| DT | Ra’Shede Hageman |
| DT | Paul Soliai |
| DE | Tyson Jackson |
| LB | Justin Durant |
| LB | Paul Worrilow |
| LB | Brooks Reed |
| CB | Desmond Trufant |
| S | William Moore |
| S | Ricardo Allen |
| CB | Robert Alford |
| N5 | Jalen Collins |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Matt Bryant |
| Punter | Matt Bosher |
| KR | Devin Hester |
| PR | Devin Hester |
| Atlanta Falcons | |
| Head Coach | Dan Quinn |
| Off. Coordinator | Kyle Shanahan |
| Def. Coordinator | Richard Smith |
| 2014 W-L-T | 6-10-0 |
| Pts | 23.8 |
| Opp | 26.1 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 95.7 |
| Mean | 96.1 |
| Bias | 95.8 |
| Average | 95.9 |
| Grades | |
| Running | C |
| Passing | A- |
| Vs. Run | C |
| Vs. Pass | C- |
| Special Teams | A |
| Coaching + Intangibles | C |
| Predicted W-L | 7-9-0 |
| Division Rank | 3 |
| Conference Rank | 13 |
| Overall Rank | 25 |
| Postseason | No |
CAROLINA PANTHERS
| Panthers Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Corey Brown |
| WR | Ted Ginn, Jr. |
| WR | Devin Funchess |
| TE | Greg Olsen |
| LT | Michael Oher |
| LG | Andrew Norwell |
| C | Ryan Kalil |
| RG | Trai Turner |
| RT | Mike Remmers |
| QB | Cam Newton |
| HB | Jonathan Stewart |
| FB | Mike Tolbert |
| Defense | |
| DE | Charles Johnson |
| DT | Star Lotulelei |
| DT | Kawann Short |
| DE | Kony Ealy |
| LB | A. J. Klein |
| LB | Luke Kuechley |
| LB | Thomas Davis |
| CB | Charles Tillman |
| S | Roman Harper |
| S | Tre Boston |
| CB | Josh Norman |
| N5 | Bene Benwikere |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Graham Gano |
| Punter | Brad Nortman |
| KR | Ted Ginn, Jr. |
| PR | Ted Ginn, Jr. |
| Carolina Panthers | |
| Head Coach | Ron Rivera |
| Off. Coordinator | Mike Shula |
| Def. Coordinator | Sean McDermott |
| 2014 W-L-T | 7-8-1 |
| Pts | 21.2 |
| Opp | 23.4 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 100.8 |
| Mean | 100.0 |
| Bias | 101.0 |
| Average | 100.6 |
| Grades | |
| Running | C- |
| Passing | C |
| Vs. Run | A- |
| Vs. Pass | C+ |
| Special Teams | C |
| Coaching + Intangibles | C+ |
| Predicted W-L | 7-9-0 |
| Division Rank | 1 |
| Conference Rank | 7 |
| Overall Rank | 15 |
| Postseason | No |
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
| Saints Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Brandin Cooks |
| WR | Marques Colston |
| WR | Brandon Coleman |
| TE | Benjamin Watson |
| LT | Terron Armstead |
| LG | Tim Lelito |
| C | Max Unger |
| RG | Jahri Evans |
| RT | Zach Strief |
| QB | Drew Brees |
| HB | Mark Ingram |
| FB | Austin Johnson |
| Defense | |
| DE | Akiem Hicks |
| DT | John Jenkins |
| DT | Kevin Williams |
| DE | Cameron Jordan |
| LB | Hau’oli Kikaha |
| LB | David Hawthorne |
| LB | Dannelle Ellerbe |
| CB | Keenan Lewis |
| S | Kenny Vaccaro |
| S | Jairus Byrd |
| CB | Brandon Browner |
| N5 | Rafael Bush |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Zach Hocker |
| Punter | Thomas Morstead |
| KR | C. J. Spiller |
| PR | C. J. Spiller |
| New Orleans Saints | |
| Head Coach | Sean Payton |
| Off. Coordinator | Pete Carmichael |
| Def. Coordinator | Rob Ryan |
| 2014 W-L-T | 7-9-0 |
| Pts | 25.1 |
| Opp | 26.5 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 100.1 |
| Mean | 95.4 |
| Bias | 101.1 |
| Average | 98.9 |
| Grades | |
| Running | C+ |
| Passing | A |
| Vs. Run | C- |
| Vs. Pass | C+ |
| Special Teams | C- |
| Coaching + Intangibles | B+ |
| Predicted W-L | 8-8-0 |
| Division Rank | 2 |
| Conference Rank | 10 |
| Overall Rank | 20 |
| Postseason | Yes |
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
| Buccaneers Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Vincent Jackson |
| WR | Mike Evans |
| WR | Louis Murphy |
| TE | Austin Serferian-Jenkins |
| LT | Donovan Smith |
| LG | Logan Mankins |
| C | Evan Dietrich-Smith |
| RG | Garrett Gilkey |
| RT | Patrick Omameh |
| QB | Jameis Winston |
| HB | Doug Martin |
| FB | Jorvorskie Lane |
| Defense | |
| DE | Jacquies Smith |
| DT | Gerald McCoy |
| DT | Clinton McDonald |
| DE | George Johnson |
| LB | Danny Lansanah |
| LB | Bruce Carter |
| LB | Lavonte David |
| CB | Alterraun Verner |
| S | Major Wright |
| S | Brad McDougald |
| CB | Johnathan Banks |
| N5 | D. J. Swearinger |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Conner Barth |
| Punter | Michael Koenen |
| KR | Kaelin Clay |
| PR | Kaelin Clay |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |
| Head Coach | Lovie Smith |
| Off. Coordinator | Dirk Koetter |
| Def. Coordinator | Leslie Frazier |
| 2014 W-L-T | 2-14-0 |
| Pts | 17.3 |
| Opp | 25.6 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 92.1 |
| Mean | 93.4 |
| Bias | 92.0 |
| Average | 92.5 |
| Grades | |
| Running | D |
| Passing | C+ |
| Vs. Run | C |
| Vs. Pass | C |
| Special Teams | C |
| Coaching + Intangibles | C+ |
| Predicted W-L | 6-10-0 |
| Division Rank | 4 |
| Conference Rank | 16 |
| Overall Rank | 30 |
| Postseason | No |
The Pi-Rate Ratings 