The Ringer NFL Show - 2023 NFL Power Rankings: NFC South

Episode Date: June 13, 2023

Nora Princiotti and Steven Ruiz return to rank the teams in the NFC South from best to worst and to adjust their NFL rankings thus far. Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Steven Ruiz Associate Producer: Stefan Anderson Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopal and Conor Nevins Musical Elements: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it's Bill Simmons from The Ringer, and this is a podcast called The Rewatchables. We have been doing it. Really since 2017, it started with how much we love the movie Heat. We decided to structure a whole podcast with categories, most rewatchable scene, who of the movie, Apex Mountain, what age the best. But here's the thing. If you want the full archive, you can hear them only on Spotify for free, by the way. So make sure to follow the rewatchables on Spotify. Hello, and welcome to the Ringer NFPA.

show. I'm Nora Pinceotti. I am here for the second installation of our division by division power rankings series with Stephen. Stephen, you off air before we started recording just informed me that you've found out online that you are not invited to any potential Jets Super Bowl parade. Can you explain to the listeners what's going on? I honestly don't know. But yeah, Jetsman is apparently like keeping a list of people who aren't invited. And the listing is, includes like Tom Brady, Ryan Leif for some reason. I don't know why Ryan Leif,

what he did. Mina Kimes is on there, Stephen A. Smith. But I'm third on the list. Or I'm fourth on the list. I'm behind Jamal Adams, Tom Brady, some Packers blogger,

and then it's me. Like, what did I do where I'm almost at the level of Tom Brady, who just tormented this franchise for two decades? Like what I made, I said,

Zach Wilson isn't good? I mean, I was kind of right about that one. I don't know what I said. Yeah, the funny thing is, is like, that doesn't really have to do very much with if the Jets are going to make a Super Bowl, right?

Like, that's happening with Aaron. You're pretty pro the Aaron Rogers Jets, I think, right? I mean, as pro as you could be, I guess. I don't know. I'm not anti. I guess we'll find out when we do the AFC East pod, but I don't know what I did. I got to go back and listen to some pods, reread some articles, but like, I don't know. I'm pro Aaron Rogers, like, as a football player.

By the way, this list is incredible. I wouldn't want to go to the Jets championship parade whether it happens or not, so I don't care. Championship parades are overrated. I went to the one in D.C. when the Capitol's won, and then one when the nationals won. Not for me. I went to a Patriots won in Boston once,

and I was, like, as a reporter, I don't think I was actually working, but, like, it was when I was covering the team. It's kind of night. Like, people are happy. It's nice to see happy people. I don't want to see Jet fans happy. Except for a step,

our producer, Stephen Andrews, like, I want to see him happy. We can't rule out that, okay, so the account, not to like totally put this guy on blast, but he's got a blue check. So, like, you know, he's paying his $8 a month, so I feel like I can. It's at JR.N.Y. Sports. He's the person who's keeping this list. We haven't ruled out that this isn't producer Steph's Spurner account, a notorious Jets fan. So.

And I've had some issues sending him my podcast audio. Yeah, Stephen messes up his audio all the time. I mean, if we're looking for an explanation as to why you would be persona non grata behind only Jamal Adams and whoever else. You know what? That's canon now. It's Steph's Burner. It's Steph's burner. It's a really good list.

Stephen retweeted it asking if Zach Wilson is invited to the parade. But just like, if anyone wants to have a fun moment on the internet, like, why is Ryan Leaf on this list? Also, someone named Wyatt is on the list. I don't know who that is. I don't know. Some Jets hater. It says, if you scroll down to the bottom, it says Dolphins Tarp Guy in 1983,

and then it says Ben Baldwin in parentheses, huge nerd. That's me and spirited. That is, but I'm going to leave that one to one. Okay. We're not here to talk about the Jets Super Bowl parade. We're here to talk about the NFC South. A really chaotic.

division. And before we start, I feel like we should have like a moment of appreciation for just how this division turned out last season when anybody could have made the playoffs. We had just like four basically 500 teams stewing around with each other, trying to just trying not to make the postseason and eventually the books prevailed. But this was a really special bunch last year. And I don't want that to go, to go forgotten as we begin this. Can we read off the standings? The bucks won eight and nine. The bucks finished first.

And then the next three teams all finish seven and ten. And then the point differentials, minus 45, minus 27, minus 15, minus 21. Like, the worst point differential you had, the better you finished in the division. Just a totally backwards division. And I, like, I can't get my brain to accept that the bucks were in the, playoffs last year. Like, every time I think about them, like, oh, they're coming off a bad year,

they're way down, they got to bounce back, they want to make the playoffs. They were in the playoffs. All true. Although, I don't know if they had necessarily showed up. Like, the Cowboys just like,

walk through them and Dak Prescott had the greatest game of his career against them. Yeah, I think the Bucks would prefer to forget that they were in the playoffs as well, probably. But I would not be surprised if the staining's, like, look exactly the same a year from now. Because this division can go in any direction. I am fascinated to hear how,

you stack these teams. Because honestly, we're recording the episode right now. I should already have my order. And to be honest with you, I don't. I don't. I'm freestyling. I'm winging it. Wow.

So I did it a different way where, like, I, a couple days ago started prep stuff and, like, put together an order. And then I was this morning continuing to fill in notes and read stuff and look stuff up. And I was just like, what was I thinking? Like, I hate this order. This makes no sense. And that did not happen.

me when we did the AFC South. Like I was sort of like, yeah, no, this makes sense. I feel good about where this is. So we're going to have to, this is going to be cathartic or therapeutic or whatever. We're going to work through some things together with the good old NFC South. Do you want to kick us off? Yeah, I'll start. So I did not think I was going to pick this team.

But the more I looked at the roster, the more I looked at their offseason moves, the more I felt confident in picking them. This is the one spot that I do feel confident slotting in, and that's the Falcons on top. And I don't know when it happened, but the roster got really good. And like there are obviously some key question marks starting with the quarterback position,

which is a pretty big position. But outside of quarterback, they have the pieces to be a really, really solid, good team. They have an offensive line that, I don't know if it's like an elite unit, but I think it's up there. It could be a top. And you know, especially with-

darn good. Yeah. Yeah. Especially with Arthur Smith, like, pulling the strings and designing the run game. The wide receiver room is a little questionable, but I don't think you really need wide receivers with the way that they play. And, you know,

like the running game's going to be the focal point. And I think Drake London is an ascending player. But behind him, you have Matt Collins and Scotty Miller. And by the way, Scotty Miller, like on pro football reference in our lads, it's Scott Miller. Throw a while on there. Yeah, a little formal. I don't know if he changed his name or anything.

Or he's like, he's grown up. up a little bit, but yeah. Scotty Miller might be going and stop. He's like a shifty little white guy. That's a Scotty. That's a good point. You're telling me that that guy goes by Scott, I don't really buy it. He's like, please, Scott's my father.

Can you be a 50 year old man and be named Scotty though? I guess that's, if you, if you're an athlete, yes. Also, he's not 50. I know, but you got to prepare for your second act at some point. Scotty Pippin though. Scotty Pippin. still going to sign. Like small white receivers

use the same like naming nomenclature as hockey players. There's just like ease going on every which way. At least that's how I feel. I like the theory. I like the theory.

But yeah, like the offensive line is really good. The running back room, obviously they drafted John Robinson. You can argue about positional value. But he's a good player and he's going to make plays. He's going to make their offense a little more dynamic. But really what I was impressed with is

their defense and how they kind of rebuilt it in one offseason. They bring in a new coordinator that replaced Dean Peas with Ryan Nielsen from New Orleans. And you could like see them immediately trying to replicate what the Saints have on defense. And I know like the Saints haven't been a very good team over the last year, but Dennis Allen's defense has been very good. And when you ask offensive coordinators around the league, they hate playing against Dennis Allen because of how how good his scheme is. And now Atlanta's kind of getting a piece of that.

And then you look at the pieces. is they bring in David Anamada from New Orleans, who's a good, a good interior run defender. Talias Campbell, he's not what he used to be, but he's still a solid player. Grady Jarrett's still there. Budupree, who I think is a solid pickup for them. And then their cornerback group, I think,

really has a chance to be good if Jeff Okuda can kind of build on the flashes we saw last year. He gets paired with AJ Terrell, who's a good, good cover guy, and then Mike Hughes in the slot. You can play man coverage with that, and if that defensive line is, is good and you have a good man coverage playing secondary,

that's like the recipe for a top 15 defense. And if you have a top 15 offense, which they had last year, like they're going to win the NFC South. I'm not afraid of any of these other teams. Like maybe Carolina, but Carolina is playing a 5-10 rookie quarterback. We'll get to that later.

So you mentioned that that would be a pretty solid recipe for a top 15 defense. How many times in the last decade, do you think that the Falcons have had a top 15 defense by DVOA? In the last decade? Yeah. Zero times, I'm going to say. One time they were 14th in 2020.

Other than that, they have been a bottom half defense every year for the last decade. The 2020 Atlanta Falcons defense, who could forget that powerhouse of a unit? That powerhouse best of the decade. So I'm with you here. I put the Falcons first as well. This is great. This is like I already feel more grounded in the takes here. And for me, it actually, like, for all of the potential for this offense to be incredibly

cool and fun to watch, it started defensively for me as well. They could have, I mean, their offseason, I think we could end up saying they brought in seven at least starting caliber defensive players. And Jesse Bates, Clayys Campbell, Anyamatta, Bud Dupree, Cade Nellis, My Q. and Okuda. Like, obviously, we'll see what happens with Okuda, but, and, you know, health and all sorts of stuff is going to be determinative of all of those moves.

But they really did improve defensively. And in a way where I think when they import that sort of saincy style, like the thing about them having only one top half finish in the last 10 years, is sort of my way of grounding us in reality and just being like, all right, let's believe it when we see it. But when you look at the roster, this really should be a pretty decent defense.

And that is just like really something they have not had. For any other team, I would be more worried about the quarterback and the receiver situation, but they just don't care. Like, putting together notes for this brought me back to that game against the Saints where they had Desmond Ritter throw the ball 26 times

for a total of 97 yards. They're just going to have some of the stupidest box scores and maybe win 10 games in the division. That's my prediction for the Falcons. And that's fine. Like in the NFC South, that's totally fine. Yeah, they're going to look like juggernauts in the NFC South if they get that going.

It's like the defense is fine. They're going to look like juggernauts in the NFC South. I don't know who can match up with them unit for unit. And then they have something that they can hang their hat on the run game. And I don't think you could say that about any other team in the division. I don't know. Like, what's the Bucks strength? What's the Panthers strength?

What's the Saints strength? I don't know. But with the Falcons, they have an identity. Yeah. And their identity, like, offense and defense, like how they kind of mesh, makes sense. They could play that style of football that we know wins games. If you can run the ball well and you can play defense, like it may not help you in the playoffs, but it will get you there, especially in a weak division.

I love Stephen Reese throwing out like meathead football, run the damn ball takes. That's right. I'm back. I'm back. I've become full circle. I feel like you start out. Like, you know when you're first flirting about football, you're like, oh, yeah, run the football, play defense. And then you become more involved.

You start reading like the studies, the stats. And then you're like, oh, no, you got to pass the win. And then you're, yeah, then you see Arthur Smith. And then you're like, yeah, this guy gets, this guy knows football. And I do think that matters. Like, they do. that's a really, really good point that they are the only team in this division where it's like, you know clearly what, and they know clearly, right? Like when they're going through mini camp

and OTAs and everything right now and getting ready for training camp, they can have a clear sense of what they want to do and how they want to win games. And that's really important. Like that's, that's worth something. The thing that'll be really interesting to see is like how much and this I can't totally wrap my head around, but like how much the they are zigging when everybody else Zags thing is going to help. I don't always know how to calculate like, okay, yeah, that's great. The better part of the defenses that they're going to go against are trying to leverage their assets to stop the pass more so than the run because that's how modern football works.

Also, that's how modern football works. So it tends to be better if you put your resources into the passing game. And like how those two things are going to coalesce and add up to how good or not good the 2023 Falcons are. I don't totally know. But like there is a world in which they just have a handful of matchups where the teams that they're playing

have absolutely no answers for the things that they're awesome at. And those things that they're awesome at are going to be things that they knew that they were going to be awesome at, you know, a month ago. And have spent every second that they've got maximizing that. So we should talk about the ceiling when we get into power ranking them with the rest of the teams.

But they're one of the teams I'm most excited to watch this year. I do agree with your point about the quarterback position mattering less for them. And Marcus Marriota last year was a good proof of this. Because when we watched him play, it was like, oh, this doesn't look good. Obviously, Mariotta's not the answer. He's not playing very well. But then you look at his stats and he was like a top 20. quarterback all year long.

And it's because of like how Arthur Smith calls the offense and how he sets things up for his quarterback. And I think Desmond Ritter while he's not like the athlete that Marriota was, he didn't have the pedigree like the pre-draft pedigree that Marriota had. I do think he's a safer bet just because he's a more normal quarterback. Like he's a quarterback that you can

rely on to go through his progression to stick in the pocket. He needs to improve on his accuracy. But if that happens, I think he could be a very good quarterback in this system because he compares to like Ryan Tannahill, who we saw have a career year, a couple of career seasons in this offense. That's exactly, that is exactly what Arthur Smith wants him to be. Like they, they've, they've, Ryan Danonell is the goal. And that's, that's, that's sort of good, because that's an accomplishable thing probably. And that's fine. Who's your number two then? If the Falcons are number one for both of us, who's number two? I'm going to go with the Saints.

I think they have the best coaching staff that has already established itself. I think the Panthers on paper could have the best coaching staff in this division, but also like one of the better coaching staffs in the league. Like they've added so many guys to it this offseason when they hired Frank Wright. But like I really like Dennis Allen.

And I like what he's doing on defense. And I know they lost some guys. They lost Marcus Davenport, which I think was a, maybe a bigger loss than it sounds. But they get the most out of their guys. And like Marshawn Latimore wasn't at his best last year. I think he'll bounce back,

especially if he's healthier. I like their secondary. Tyron Matthews like on the wrong side of 30s. I don't know. He's not the player he used to be, but he's still a good guy to have in your huddle, in your locker room. And then if Cameron Jordan can bounce back from last year

and become that Pro Bowl level player, he doesn't need to be an all pro. I really think this defense has a chance to be top 10 again. It was a very good unit last year. They almost made the playoffs with like no receivers, Andy Dalton playing quarterback. Yeah. An unsettled offensive line, I guess.

There is a defensive DVOA last year. Yeah. So, I mean, if they can just maintain that. This is a very good team. And I think Chris Olive, and I'm pretty sure, didn't you vote for Chris Olive for rookie of the year? Indeed. You know ball.

He did not win. He should have won. He was a fantastic receiver. And I think if Michael Thomas is just anything, if he can just give them something. With Derek Carr, stepping in there for Andy Dalton, this has a chance. This has a chance to be, like, a decent team.

Like the Saints, we, not the Saints we saw when they were, like, at their peak, but the Saints we saw when Teddy Bridgewater stepped in and they were able to stay afloat. What do you think Carr needs to be for this to work? Because that's, so I'll spoil. I put the Panthers second. And we can talk about that. But this was one of the things as I was going through,

I was like, I think I might be underrating the Saints. Just because their quarterback play last year was pretty darn bad. And Derek Carr particularly, he had a very high interception season relative to his career performance last year. And if that comes back to normal and he's just Derek Carr, they should be substantially better offensively than they were based on what they got out of quarterback last year. And I had a whole thing. about the offense is old and they're counting on all of these guys who are coming off down years and just hoping that, you know, okay, are they going to get anything out of Michael Thomas? Alvin Kamara had negative rush yards over expectation over the last two seasons, might get suspended.

What is realistic to think about there? How much can Cam Jordan bounce back? As you said, he was the lowest ranked player by Pass Rush win rate last season. Andrews Pete can't stay healthy. like what's, you know, people have heard of these players, which I think sometimes gets the saying it's a little bit overrated. Right, yeah, that's good point. A lot of them haven't been effective in like multiple years.

And you lose Davenport, you lose K. Nellis. That said, even without Derek Carr being anything particularly special, I think they could be gaining a big jump, at least a meaningful jump in production at quarter. back. So I ended up being like, all right, I might be underrating them a little bit. But what do you think Carr needs to do

to kind of make this thing go if, say, Olavai continues to look pretty special, but Michael Thomas is not on the field very much or just not doing all that much? I honestly don't think he has to be that good. I think he needs to be what he was two years ago. Like, just hover around that top 10 range,

like in terms of like individual play. And I think if they do, get some of the brakes we've talked about in like some of the like I don't think Michael Thomas has to be great again especially if Olave takes another step but if the receivers are good enough and then Carr can just be and Carr's like a good quarterback. I'm very hard on car just hover on top 10. He could be like

12th it'll be fine. Yeah that's the nice thing about hovering is like you can be 14th and you're hovering around the top 10. That's a good you could be like 70th and you're still hovering but he's a good quarterback. I feel like we're kind of Like, I certainly underrate Derek Carr just because I wouldn't want him to be, like, my team's quarterback, just because, I don't know. I don't think he, I think he needs to take more ownership of the offense. And I don't mean that, like, calling plays and, like, commanding the huddle. I mean, like, when a play breaks down and the play's not working, he needs to utilize that athleticism that he does have.

Like, this guy tested as a good athlete, and you would never know it because he never scrambles. He's afraid to get hit. I don't know what other way to put it. Like, that's just the book on him. And until he changes that, I don't think he's ever going to be able to capitalize on all the talent he has. Because the dude is talented.

Like when Devande Adams was comparing him to Aaron Rogers, it was like laughable, but he kind of was on to something because they do have like similar skill sets, but Derek Carr just doesn't really capitalize on it. I mean, could have been a Hall of Famer if he'd been a jet. Do you think Derek Carr is invited to the parade?

Yeah, why not? If you have an opportunity to have a future Hall of Fame at your Super Bowl parade I guess you go for it. Why not? You have it? Yeah. You had the Panthers at two? I would like to hear the

Panthers at two. I kept pounding. I didn't like. And I didn't. I don't know what to, I really don't know what to make of Bryce Young. Like I don't, I don't know what is a reasonable expectation to have there.

I just don't. But if it's good and like my worry with him, right, is more like, I don't know if this dude can hold up over the course of a career. but like one season should be fine, right? Like Is it?

That's my question. Is this safe? No, none of this is safe. Are you kidding me? It's football. What am I talking about? But I mean, I'm not going to over, yes, I am going to overact

to these like mini camp clips of him where he is just disappearing behind his teammates and it's just, it's like, now you see me, now you don't. That is a young man playing football. He should not like, a young boy, child playing football with grown men. That's what it looks like.

I know he's obviously an adult man and he's very good at football and it's very fun to watch. But like you said, how can you confidently project what he's going to be when he is literally a historical outlier? We have never seen someone that tiny go first overall and have those expectations

put on him. So I can't. I'm projecting without confidence. I'm usually projecting without confidence. I'm projecting. insecurity, but also the Panthers to finish second in the division. I think that's true. It's a real unknown.

At the same time, this is a really good and developing young defense. I think the coaching staff is really exciting and should be really solid and should get the most out of those guys. And look, I wish they'd been able to do a little bit more at receiver.

I don't quite know how much, you know, I think we'll learn something about where Adam Thielen is at this point, just based on, okay, he seems like he is on the wrong side of 30 and losing a step and not able to offer what he once was. At the same time, he also played with Justin Depperson and like that's going to take away some of your production no matter what. So like, we'll see. I have a feeling he probably can offer them something not thrilled about the move. The one that I love is DJ Chark, I think could genuinely be a good part of this offense. But more so than that, I do think that they will be able to,

like they're going to win a few games defensively. I really feel like that's going to happen for them this year. Yeah, I can definitely see that. I'm now, I'm waffling a little bit. I think you might have, you know, last week, last week you were gracious enough to allow the Colts

to leap the Titans which was my list and not your list. I'm willing to do the same year. I think I may have been swayed that the Saints should be second.

This is sort of an L for you though, Stephen, because you're a Panthers fan. It is. It is. But now I win no matter what. Either they come in third or fourth and I was right, or I was wrong and they make the playoffs. So, you know, I'm playing both sides. Also, I'm very concerned about Leviscoe-Schanal getting the dreaded,

oh, we're going to use him like Debo Samuel, comment from Frank Wright. Never has worked. It never will work. It only works for Debo Samuel. It's actually, like, the 49ers have broken so many people. It's just like, stop saying that anyone is going to be Debo Samuel or Fred Warner. Just like, it's not going to happen. Or Brock Purdy somehow.

Dude. Brock Purdy has broken this league. Every, like, Sam Howell is going to be Brock Purdy. Like, the 49ers are just in the weirdest. They're just like, no, no, Brock Purdy is going to, we're good with Brock Purdy. And Brock Purdy's like, my arm doesn't work. Like, the mass psychosis. And I like Brock Purdy.

I'm happy for Brock Purdy. like the Niners could win a lot of games with Brock Purdy. I'm not sure he has a working elbow. Like that's just the only thing. And I also feel like you're taking the wrong lesson. Why isn't it that no one can be normal about Brock Purdy? Right. Let's just call it.

Like he was a surprising player who I don't even, why this turned into the Brock Party pot? Because I needed to get this off my chest. Like during the draft, the number of like, ooh, he could really be the Brock Purdy of this. Like, what does that mean? he played six games in the best situation known to man and was pretty good

and now might not have a working elbow. Like that's the Brock Purdy of... What? I don't know. Every quarterback who got drafted outside of the first two rounds has like Brock Purdy-like potential. None of this makes sense. Rock Purdy is so impressive that Tom Brady has been replaced as the like the late round. Seriously?

example. Now it's Brock Purdy. Tom Brady is seven Super Bowls. Brock Purdy, like, what are we doing? Rock Purdy couldn't win the Big 12. Okay, let's move on. Let's talk about the Panthers, I guess. I just want to talk about Brock Purdy. I have like, now I'm losing my mind because of Brock Party just in a different way. What did you say? Let's talk about the Panthers some more. Yeah, because I do think like the defense has a very good chance of being, like you said, a very good unit that wins them games. I need to see Brian Burns like take that next step.

Like he's shown it. He had a lot of sacks last year. His pressure numbers were a little, you know, kind of screams a little regression because if the sack numbers don't really match the pressure numbers, usually the sacks go down. I want to see him take that next step.

He's the best player on the defense. He's one of the most versatile edge defenders in the league. But there's, he leaves something to be desired with his pass rush, just as a pure pass rusher. Four down, no blitzes, no stunts. none of that stuff. I don't, he's not a difference maker in those situations.

And until he gets to that point, I think there is a clear ceiling on this defense. Like the, they bring in Von Bell, Xavier Woods, Jeremy Chin's still there. He's kind of a, he's kind of similar to Brian Burns where it's like,

oh, we see the talent. Yeah. You haven't really put it all together. And then J.C. Horn is another guy that I think needs to be, he needs to be a top five corner, a top 10 corner this year.

And I think he definitely has a talent. He definitely has a talent. obviously had the injury during his rookie year, but he needs to be that top 10 cornerback that they thought they were drafting a couple years ago. While he's been good, he needs to take the next step. So if those young guys take the next step, I mean, I would be with you in putting them second.

I just don't know if that's going to happen. And then I don't know what's going to happen with Bryce Young, just like how he's going to translate. That's why I have him third. It's going to be a fun team. I'm very excited to watch this team as a fan. The Jeremy Chin thing is really interesting, just because, like, okay,

getting Adjira Averro in there seems awesome I mean all credit to him for being like the one person who managed to get to survive

the 22 Broncos without like massive reputational damage so that's great but the chin question is just fascinating to me

because they did sign those new safeties in Bell and Woods So they, like, I'm, I would imagine that he's going to play a little bit of like a hybrid, almost linebacker-esque in passing down things sometimes. Yeah, yeah. But he's such a talented player that you're looking at it and going like, okay, it's going to matter for him to take a, to take a step. But like, I always feel like with these quasi sort of hybrid.

guys were going, oh my gosh, he's going to be like this totally, I don't want to say chess piece because I forget who this was, but I saw somebody point out on Twitter that it's really stupid when we call versatile players chess pieces because chess pieces have like completely preordained ways in which they can move and we're trying to make the opposite point. But he's one of those guys and I'm always sort of like, we always end up being, we as the football commentariat, end up being a little bit Lucy with the football. with those players. However, I'm excited about the coaching and if that hits, it could be really, really, really cool. But yeah, there's a lot of projection with the Panthers.

Yeah, it's funny how the solution to those guys is always just like, play them at the position at one position that makes the most sense. And I think with Jeremy Chin, it's like nickelback. Put him in the slot and where he could play

like a hybrid linebacker slot, type of role. I feel like if you're in 4-3 and the team comes out and spreads it out, the linebacker is the one that's walking out to the slot to cover the receiver. If you have chin there and he can hold up against the run,

I think you really have something special. And that's kind of been a common theme with like the Fangio guys. It's finding that like... Yeah. Really the star of the secondary, basically, in putting him in the slot and letting him do damage

and wreak havoc on running games and like quick passing plays. And I think that's how you get most out of Jeremy Chin. And Evereaux, like, we only have a one-year sample size, but he got a lot out of that Denver defense before they kind of like started trading guys away and injuries hit him.

I also love his decision-making. Like, he was offered the interim job after Hackett was fired. He's like, not for me. I don't want this. I'm good. Good. All right. So we're locking in Falcons number one,

Saints to Panthers 3. Yeah. that leaves last year's division winners, the sub-500 Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Sans Tom Brady. Tom Brady has been replaced by Baker Mayfield. Right, right, right. One of the most jarring quarterback changes,

maybe in the history of the NFL. Just the complete opposite of Tom Brady. And I'm fascinated to see what this offense is, like what they aim to be and what they end up being. Because I guarantee whatever. whatever they think they're going to be, it's not going to be the case. It's going to be worse and it's going to be weirder.

And there might be a lot of Kyle Trask involved. John Mulford is on this roster, by the way. He's going to get a start. I guarantee you right now he's going to start a game. Hold me to do that. If he doesn't, I will buy a Baker-Mayfield bucks jersey. Oh, wow. Oh, wow.

I hope nobody remembers this. Unfortunately, I'm going to make sure. that there is absolutely no chance of that. So if John Wolford starts a game, you're buying a Baker-Mayfield-Bucks jersey? No, if he doesn't start a game. Oh, he doesn't start a game. Wolfie's starting a game.

Wow. Wow. What about, so like, so in this situation, both Baker and Trask have been benched for performance reasons and or injuries? Yeah. You can leave injuries. They're getting benched.

Yeah. Because you have Dave Canales coming over from Seattle, and he was like, you know, he coached under Waldron, who was a McVeigh guy. And like it seems like McVeigh has this fascination with undersized white guys who can kind of move around. Like they love John Wolford. They started him over Jared Gough in a playoff game when Jared Gough could have played.

I think this Cody's... Although it is like it feels necessary to remind that I believe the relationship between McVeigh and Jared Gough at the time was unbelievably bad. That is a good point. It was so bad that he started John Wolford in the playoffs game. And they won. They won the game. I mean, they also had a weird time with Baker Mayfield last year.

Yeah. The Dave Canales thing is interesting. I, like, you know, everybody loves to throw a little sprinkle of Shanahan McVeigh tutelage into the mix. That said, this guy has never called plays. he's going to do it for Kyle Trask, Baker Mayfield, and John Wolford in some combination, or stacked up on top of each other and wearing a trench coat. So, like, this feels like maybe a time to mention

that the rest of his roster is pretty good, but I just don't think it matters. Okay, if they do the trench coat idea, who's the top, who's the middle, who's the bottom? I don't even know. So Baker, like, you would, I think Baker would, would advocate for him to be the

top. But he's like the stockiest. Right. He's the best foundation. He's like your base, I feel like. If you can get Baker Mayfield to like, you know, be a team player in this moment, I think you put Baker on the, you put Baker on the bottom.

And then I don't know. I don't know anything about Kyle Trask. So I will put him in the middle. And like, I've seen John Wolford complete a pass. So. he gets to be the top. It's not that I've never learned anything

about Kyle Trask. It's just that like my brain can't retain information about Kyle Trask. It just knows like this is not going to be relevant to you. Yeah, that's a good, that's a good decision. I would put Wolford bottom. Because Baker Mayfield, like he likes to scramble even though he's not that good at. He does that little

high step thing that has never worked when he tries to like outrun defender. So you don't want him. You don't want him controlling like what you're doing on the ground. No, I'd put him up top. I'd give Baker what he wants. give him a spotlight. And Kyle Tras, he's a sturdy middle. All right, we solved it.

We solved the bucks problems. I feel better about, I feel better about our trench coat order than I do about the finishing order of the NFC. Is the trench coat like red in practice because you can't hit them? Can you imagine? I guess it would be orange.

The bucks were the orange room. They put the non-contact jersey on the, like this would be like, it would be the ultimate example of the old issue with like, gronk where he'd get taken out of the knees all the time, but then it would be just like, well, his knees are so high up.

Poor Kyle Trass. He would be the one as the middle. He'd be taken all the hits. Kyle Tras is just getting absolutely pummel. He can't even brace himself. He's just like, all right? No one even knows he's in there and giving him credit for it. Maybe we should analyze this team. They should absolutely do this.

This team was the worst watch in football last year. Like, put some butts and see. stack the quarterbacks on each other's shoulders, call it a day. It would be like, it would be like the dolphins running the wildcat. Like no one's ready for it. No one's expecting it. The trench coat offense.

But like, I'm kind of disappointed that the quarterback room isn't better. Like, why not sign Jacoby Bresset and put him into this offense? It's a good, it's like a decent team around them. Like, Mike Evans, Chris, I know Chris Dodman hasn't really been Chris Dodwin in a But, I mean, he's dealt with injuries. If he can bounce back from that ACL injury two years ago, the line still has some pieces on it. Like Ryan Jensen is here.

Tristan Worf's is still a good player. I know the rest of the line isn't very good. And then the defense, like, I don't know, there's still dudes on the defense. They kept Devin White. They kept Levanta David. Vita Vaya is still there. I mean, the secondary is whatever,

but they retained it. And I think Antoine Winfield is a good player to have back there, a good leader. I, like, we're making fun of the Bucks because of the quarterback situation, but like around the quarterback situation, I think this is like an eight, nine one team. Yeah, no, it's like a really decent, it's a totally decent team. But I, I, do you want to be that team right now if you're the Bucs? No, it makes no sense.

It makes literally no sense. And the most troubling thing about it is that there's sort of two options. One, they're just doing like a series of weird chaotic things that don't fit into any given plan or philosophy, or, two, they like those quarterbacks. That's depressing. I'm going for the trench coat. I like the trench coat. Yeah.

I mean, I'm sorry, Bucks fan. You have, like, Bucks fans, you have, like, a very decent team. I just can't get past the quarterback situation. And in a division where we have, you've asked so many questions about the quarterback position, yours is undoubtedly the worst. Of the four. And I think like we've had the same kind of takeaway for each team. It's like, yeah, there are a lot of good pieces here.

This roster is better than you think. But the quarterback thing is kind of a question mark. The coaching thing is kind of a question mark. It's just I feel like they have maybe the highest floor, but the lowest ceiling just because of the quarterback position. It's the one team where like with the Panthers like Bryce Young, he's the first overall pick. He could blow away the league in his first year.

There's a situation in which Bryce Young is like really like lives up to every hope and expectation and it's awesome. And they and the Panthers have a top five defense and they're like the Super Bowl contender. I'm not saying I think that's going to happen, but that's like that is within the range of outcomes. And then Derek Carr be a top 10 quarterback before. We saw him almost win at MVP the one year when he got hurt. And then Desmond Ritter, like we said in that offense, if Desmond Ritter is just Ryan Tannahill, which is not a terribly high bar in that offense. like that's going to be a good, good offense. I can't see any of that happening for the bucks on their offense.

Unless like Chris Godwin is just like all pro Chris Godwin again, which I mean, if you're, the odds aren't likely. Well, things like they don't have, they don't really have, they have to lean on the passing game offensively because those receivers are the strength and they don't have anything particularly exciting in the running game. The Falcons are totally different, right? Where it's just like, Desmond Ritter is a bit player.

Like, Desmond Ritter is like the ninth most important person in this offense. He just happens to play quarterback. The bucks are built to throw the ball. These guys are going to throw 500 passes combined this year. Like 550. It's going to be weird. It's definitely going to be weird. I'm looking forward to it.

In a really sick, disturbing way, I'm looking forward to it. And I don't feel that bad because, you know what, Bucks fans, you got a Super Bowl. You got to watch Tom Brady, like, throw things off a boat and stick it to the Patriots. And that was, like, one of the most awesome things that's happened in the recent NFL. So, like, it's fine. Just now it's Kyle Trask, Baker Mayfield, and John Wolford in a trench coat. Right. It's the circle of life.

Yeah. Could be worse. I had to watch Baker Mayfield as a Panther without a trench coat, without trench coat. He needs the trench coat. Like, that's what we've arrived at is just, that's his superpower. That's how things,

that's how we turn this whole thing around for Baker. A lot of people don't remember, but that's what happened in 2020. He was wearing the trench coat the whole time in Jacoby percent was under there. That's why they were so good. Go back and watch the tape. Okay. So we've lined up the.

NFC South, Falcons 1, Saints 2, Panthers 3, bucks 4. Now, let's get him into the overall power rankings. Okay. Let's start this way. Number one on my overall list is still the Jaguars. Does anybody in the NFC South eclips the Jaguars for you? No, no. I'm there too.

Where do you think the Falcons fit in? I'm putting them ahead of the Colts. Me too. I had that. That's, okay, we're in agreement there. And I honestly think there's like a significant gap between those two teams. Like, I really feel strongly about the Balkans. The Panthers, I think, honestly, like, as much as we made fun of this division during this process and we were really optimistic about the AFC South, I think I'm putting all four teams ahead of the Colts. Wow.

Maybe not the Bucs. You're putting the Bucks ahead of the – No, I'm not putting the Bucks ahead of the – I'm not putting the Bucs ahead of the – That was insane. No, no, I'm not. I don't know what I was talking about. We just said that Kyle Trass, Baker Mayfield, and John Wilford are going to combine for 550 throws. No, I'm dead wrong.

But I would put the Panthers ahead of the Colts. So then you're putting the Panthers and the Saints ahead of... So the Panthers would be three. The Panthers would be four. And then the Colts would be five. Yeah. Wait, no, the Saints would be two, right? No, the Falcons are two.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then it would go. Saints three, Panthers four, Colts five. Yeah. I'm trying to think of I agree with this. I think those three teams are really close, though. So I wouldn't have any problem with putting the Colts over the Panthers. Or the Saints, actually.

Like, I'm high on Anthony Richardson, too. I think we're both thinking that he could be a useful player this year. And if Stuyken is a good coach, then I think that's a decent team and a bad division. Yeah, I'm fine with keeping the Colts. Colts number three then, if you are. I just trust that Richardson is going to make a positive impact. Like, his athleticism is just such a safety net where, like, they are going. going to be able to do something with that.

At a certain point, like, he is just, you know, going to be able to beat whoever he's lined up against in physicality and physical ability. And they will be able to lean on that no matter what. Like, even if he's not ready to do everything that I think he can do in the passing game, that's just so safe. And I really do believe that it's going to help solve their offensive lining. issues. I think it's going to help Jonathan Taylor as long as he stays healthy, get back to what he was doing two years ago, at least most of the way. And like,

I feel very safe projecting those things happening. I feel less safe being like Bryce Young is going to be great. If Bryce Young is great, the Panthers are probably better than the Colts. I just am a little bit like, I just have no idea what this is going to be. You've convinced me. I'm there. You don't have to sell them anymore. Colts number two. Yeah, Colts number three. Jaguars, Falcons, Colts.

Saints, Panthers. Titans. Titans, for sure. And then, Bucks Texans, that's a doozy. That's a game I don't, I do not want to watch. I'm taking the Bucks.

I think the Bucks just have more proven talent. Me too. Outside of the quarterback position. And then you still have the same question marks, about the quarterback in Houston. Like I like C.J. Stroud as a player, but he's a rookie quarterback with a bad supportive cast around him with a rookie head coach

and a rookie play caller. Yeah, I'm putting, yeah, Texans are still last for me. Texans are still the worst team, Jags are still the best team, and then the NFC South kind of just, you can just pepper them in there. Okay. So two weeks in, we've got eight teams ranked,

and the NFL is going to finish like this. Jaguars, Falcons. Colts, Saints, Panthers, Titans, Bucks, Texans. Jaguars Falcon Super Bowl. 2021 Nora is ascending into heaven right now. That's never wrong, just early. Just early. Just early.

Can you imagine Las Vegas Super Bowl, Jags, Falcons. God, I hope that happens. It would be electric. The league would be furious. I would be thrilled. Desmond Ritter at the main podium. That ball of fire. And hours and hours of Desmond Ritter media availability.

He's throwing 12 passes a game. It's just incredible stuff. Oh, I love it. Absolutely love it. Looking forward to it. Looking forward to it. Unfortunately, that'll postpone the Jet Super Bowl parade. But maybe, you know, we can get that in there at some point.

All right. This has been the Ringer NFL show. I'm Nora Prenciotti. As always, he is Stephen Ruiz. We will be back next week. Stephen and Ben are going to have you covered on Friday right here on this very feed. Thank you to Stefan Anderson for production on this episode and to Connor and Evans and Arjuna Ramgapal for additional production supervision.