A Reason to Love and Hate Every NFL Team This Season: NFC South

In Part 7 of my preseason punditry, we take a look at reasons to love and hate every team in the NFC South this season:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Love- Watching the Schiano Experiment Go Live

Given the instantaneous rise and fall of recently-ousted TB head coach Raheem Morris, newbie Greg Schiano's prospects may look just about as inviting as a drummer gig with Spinal Tap.  Still, early training camp reports suggest that Schiano has already done wonders reigning in his talented and "youngry" Buccaneers.  With superb free agency acquisitions and an enviable draft class, Tampa may prove more than respectable in 2012 under new management.

Hate - A Rushing Defense Only a Mother Could Love

Although much attention has been given to the recent explosion of the passing game in the NFL, running the ball still matters, especially if you want to open up said explosive passing game.  Tampa ranked dead last in rushing defense in 2011 in yards per game and TDs allowed, and there's no indication that this will improve dramatically in 2012.  Given that the Bucs will have to face Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, Stephen Jackson, Willis McGahee, Michael Turner (twice), DeAngelo Williams (twice) and the Saints' 3-to-4-headed monster (twice) this year, the Bucs better take special care with that Achilles' Heel.

Atlanta Falcons

Love - A Budding Ryan/Jones Bromance

Up to now, Matt Ryan hasn't exactly been the flashiest QB in the NFL, but he gets the job done on a consistent basis with a receiving corps that includes Mr. Dependable Tony Gonzalez and mouthy-but-clutch Roddy White.  We also saw a lot of promise in 2011 with the addition of rookie WR Julio Jones whose relationship with Matty Ice will be key to Atlanta's offensive success this year.  Ryan might not have the chops to mimic the Stafford-Johnson connection in Detroit, but it'll be close enough for the Falcons to keep winning.

Hate - A Business-As-Usual Playoffs Collapse

Of course, there's the regular season Atlanta Falcons that have looked like legitimate NFC contenders for the past four years, and then there's the postseason team that couldn't even make it out of the gate against the Cardinals (2009), Packers (2011) and Giants (2012).  It'll be tough for the Dirty Birds fanship to move past a less than enthusiastic wait-and-see mentality until the Falcons can prove their mettle after December.  Otherwise, coach Mike Smith's seat is going to start getting real toasty.

Carolina Panthers

Love - The Maturation of Cam Newton

Cam Newton took a doubting sports punditry world by storm in his rookie year and turned it into record-shattering glory [and tons of endorsement deals]. Clearly the talent to make it in the big leagues is there, so who's to say where the Panthers could go when No. 1 matures into an experienced leader who can make the rest of the Panthers look just as good as his individual accomplishments?

Hate - It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superego!

If Cam Newton has a legitimate reason to fear a sophomore slump, he needs only to look in the mirror.  This is a guy barely old enough to buy himself beer who now describes himself "not only as a football player but an entertainer and icon."  Assume for a minute he goes the way of Sam Bradford instead of Peyton Manning in his second year.  An ego that size is pretty hard to bring back to sea level once it sinks-- just look at the Titanic.

New Orleans Saints

Love - The "Us Against the World" Mentality

It would be an extraordinary understatement to say the the Saints have had a tough offseason.  Although many would agree that this team is still loaded with athletic talent and has accumulated some decent prospects on defense under the care of new DC Steve Spagnuolo, this season will be an uphill battle for a team that has without a doubt fallen from the public's good graces.  If you are cheering for the Saints this year, you are cheering for an unlikely underdog that has a little less to lose than it used to.  That chip on the shoulder could lead this team to the playoffs since Sean Payton cannot.

Hate - "Us"

What's not to hate about the Saints?  Between Bountygate, the subsequent severe laundry list of player and coach suspensions, lost draft picks and fines, a criminal investigation of GM Mickey Loomis' wiretapping allegations, Rita Benson's hiatus from the front office and a never-ending contract battle between Drew Brees and management that few people in the 99% can sympathize with, most will be rooting for "the world" instead of "us" with good reason this year.