Still soaring: led by the most exciting player in football��Michael Vick��the Falcons once again will be looking down on the rest of this division

ALTHOUGH THOSE WHO DON'T closely follow the NFC South may not know it, the Atlanta Falcons are a lot more than just Michael Vick. Certainly, Vick is the Falcons' primary talent. He rips opponents apart not only with his arm but with legs that scampered to 902 rushing yards last season. But Atlanta advanced to the NFC Championship Game last season in large part because its defense got much better, and it managed to win nearly every close game it played.

The primary threats to the Falcons' pole position in what is sometimes called the NFL's NASCAR division will be the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints. Both teams finished out of the playoffs by an eyelash in 2004. New Orleans spoiled Carolina's shot at a wild card by beating the Panthers in Charlotte on the final day of the regular season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, meanwhile, have been in the doldrums ever since winning the Super Bowl in 2002 under Jon Gruden. The Bucs have coughed up two straight losing seasons and are now restructuring.

It wouldn't be a shocker for this division to finish in alphabetical order this season: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay. Then again, Atlanta never has had back-to-back winning seasons, and the whole division could be jumbled up if the Falcons falter.

Here's a look:

1. Atlanta Falcons

Where they left off: The Falcons made huge strides under first-year coach Jim Mora Jr., winning the division with an 11-5 record and advancing all the way to the NFC Championship Game, where Vick was stymied and they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

New faces: Atlanta didn't change much. It added middle linebacker Ed Hartwell via free agency and drafted a wide receiver at No. 1 for the second year in a row, Roddy White out of Alabama-Birmingham. White should help Vick stretch the field and improve his TD-interception rate (14-to-12 last season). New linebacker Ike Reese should help the defense's depth.

X's and O's: The Falcons' switch to the 3-4 defense last season was a huge success. Defensive linemen Rod Coleman and Patrick Kerney (a combined 24.5 sacks) blossomed in the system. The Falcons hope to ease the load a bit on running back Warrick Dunn. He had 265 carries compared to T.J. Duckett's 104 last season, but Atlanta would like Duckett to absorb more of the carries (and big hits) in 2005. Vick's comfort level in his second year of Mora's West Coast offense should also be better. Look for second-year receiver Michael Jenkins to get more involved.

Coaching/management: Mora inherited Vick from Dan Reeves, so he started way ahead of the game. But since then, he and general manager Rich McKay have melded the Falcons into a fine team that has no glaring weaknesses. The Falcons finally have major fan support, too, something they haven't enjoyed for much of their history.

Why they'll finish first: Solid everywhere, the Falcons have the game's most dazzling player in Vick and an extremely talented defensive front four.

2. Carolina Panthers

Where they left off: Mere months removed from the Super Bowl, the Panthers stumbled to a 1-7 start. Then they rebounded, needing only to beat the Saints in the final game to qualify for the playoffs. Instead, Carolina lost, 21-18, and finished 7-9.

New faces: Cornerback Ken Lucas, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, tied with new teammate Chris Gamble for the NFC lead in interceptions last year with six. He should shore up the secondary. Guard Mike Wahle is supposed to do the same with an offensive line that was disappointing in 2004. First-round pick Thomas Davis was considered the best tackler in the draft and will start either at safety or linebacker.

X's and O's: The Panthers have moved Travelle Wharton to left tackle, where he will protect quarterback Jake Delhomme's blind side. (They switched Jordan Gross from left tackle to right tackle to make room for Wharton.) Carolina really needs wide receiver Steve Smith to return to his 2003 form (he missed nearly all of 2004 with a broken leg) because they lost game-breaker Muhsin Muhammad in free agency. Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and running back DeShaun Foster also need to return to full strength.

Coaching/management: Coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney make an effective team. Their philosophy-to run the ball on offense and stop the run on defense--isn't sexy, but it generally works. This is a critical season for both men, as that Super Bowl appearance was sandwiched between two 7-9 seasons.

Why they'll finish second: Carolina isn't likely to have the horrible injury luck of 2004, when it placed 14 players on injured reserve. Delhomme is a great leader, but the Panthers have never beaten Vick.

3. New Orleans Saints

Where they left off: The Saints didn't do anything to change their reputation as one of the NFL's most mysterious teams. They were 4-8 at one point, and coach Jim Haslett seemed sure to get fired. Then they won the final four games to finish .500 and nearly reach the playoffs.

New faces: Jermaine Mayberry and No. 1 draft pick Jammal Brown should help solidify an uneven offensive line that caused issues of all sorts for quarterback Aaron Brooks last season. Free safety Dwight Smith should improve the secondary. Two early-round defensive choices--safety Josh Bullocks and linebacker Alfred Fincher--will get a chance to play from the beginning.

X's and O's: New Orleans' main problem last season was terrible starts; the Saints were outscored 117-29 in first quarters. The Saints are trying to light a fire under quarterback Aaron Brooks this season, hoping he will be more of a leader. They also want to use running back Deuce McAllister more. And their defense has to improve for this team to reach the playoffs. The Saints statistically had the NFL's worst defense in 2004, although they held opponents to 18 points or fewer in their four-game winning streak.

Coaching/management: Haslett is fiery, but he needs to show results. This could be a make-or-break year for him, as the Saints are having a hard time selling out games and also selling the city on a new stadium to replace the Superdome.

Why they'll finish third: Brooks remains a quarterback who is loaded with potential but still doesn't make enough good decisions in the course of a season. Like last year, New Orleans will finish just shy of the playoffs.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Where they left off: The Bucs suffered through a dismal season that started and ended with four-game losing streaks. Tampa Bay's 5-11 record has probably kept Jon Gruden awake for six months now. This team is a long, long way from the group that won the Super Bowl in Gruden's first season in 2002.

New faces: Cadillac Williams could be a high-impact rookie for the Bucs; the first-round draft choice is a complete back. He does, however, enter a crowded position, as the Bucs still have Michael Pittman, Charlie Garner, and Mike Alstott. Williams will shoulder a good bit of the load if he's impressive in training camp, though. Barrett Rudd, the second-round pick from Nebraska, is a fine inside linebacker who should inject the Bucs with a needed dose of defensive youth. The Bucs believe new tight end Anthony Becht (formerly of the New York Jets) can help them in the passing game.

X's and O's: Gruden will use what he calls his "rocket package" a good bit this season to take advantage of the Buts' depth at running back. In that package, he puts two halfbacks on the field at the same time. If the offensive line gets better after a major reshuffling--and it could hardly get worse--expect quarterback Brian Griese and second-year wideout Michael Clayton to develop even more chemistry. New offensive coordinator Paul Hackett may also help jazz things up. The defense will include a lot of new faces, but it still will be based around veterans like Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, and Ronde Barber. That defense was No. 5 overall last season, although it will be in transition in 2005.

Coaching/management: Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen tried for a quick-fix last season, bringing in a number of veteran free agents with little success. Now they have changed their approach and are going young. Gruden's job is safe--a Super Bowl win buys you a lot of time--but there are some rumblings of discontent in Tampa.

Why they'll finish fourth: The Bucs are very young. There will be some growing pains this year, but this could be a team primed to do good things in 2006.

Five Players to Watch

Michael Vick, quarterback, Falcons. Although you wouldn't know it by his commercials, Vick actually has a lot of room to improve (except as a scrambler). The Falcons hope he will do more with his arm this season.

Julius Peppers, defensive end, Panthers. One of the few players in the NFL who can challenge Vick in athleticism, Peppers has become a major force at left defensive end. The Panthers will continue to line him up as a receiver occasionally.

Joe Horn, wide receiver, Saints. Aaron Brooks' favorite target (1,399 yards, 11 TDs in '04) is a game-changer. Teams will have to pay a bit more attention to the Saints' other wideouts in '05, so Horn is due for another big year.

Brian Griese, quarterback, Buccaneers. Griese resurrected his career last season in Tampa, posting a passer rating of 97.5. He will get better protection in 2005 and has a first-rate target in Michael Clayton.

Alge Crumpler, tight end, Falcons. Vick's favorite target has helped to make up for Peerless Price's flop (so far) in Atlanta. For a tight end, Crumpler really can stretch the field; 17 of his 48 catches last season were for more than 20 yards.

2004 Results

Team          W     L   T   Pct.   PF    PA    Home

Atlanta       11    5   0   .688   340   337   7-1
New Orleans   8     5   0   .500   348   405   3-5
Carolina      7     9   0   .438   355   339   3-5
Tampa Bay     5    11   0   .312   301   304   4-4

Team          Road   AFC   NFC   Div.   Streak

Atlanta       4-4    3-1   8-4   4-2    Lost 2
New Orleans   5-3    2-2   6-6   3-3    Won 4
Carolina      4-4    1-3   6-6   3-3    Lost 1
Tampa Bay     1-7    1-3   4-8   2-4    Lost 4

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