Atlanta – Super sub

For a second straight year, the Falcons were the NFL's best rushing team and quarterback Michael Vick led the league in yards per carry (5.9). As a passer, however, he still has substantial room for improvement. Vick's 13 interceptions were a career high, and for the first time when he played at least 15 games, Atlanta failed to make the playoffs.

Hidden Truth: Backup Matt Schaub's passer rating (98.1) was 25 points higher than Vick's (73.1). Granted, Schaub only attempted 64 passes, but four of them went for touchdowns and he didn't throw an interception. Despite his limited action, he also accounted for more successful two-point conversions than any other player, completing all three of his passes in those situations.

 

Outlook for 2006: Schaub had several suitors looking to acquire him in the offseason, but the Falcons smartly retained him. He provides a nice insurance policy for Vick, who remains the team's confident field general.

 

Carolina – Ball hawks

In their four seasons under John Fox, the Panthers have twice finished 11-5 and played in the NFC championship. While the offensive exploits of quarterback Jake Delhomme and wideout Steve Smith have garnered most of the attention, their counterparts on the other side of the ball have been equally responsible for the team's success. The Carolina defense has not only been stout, but opportunistic.

 

Hidden Truth: With 23 interceptions and 19 fumble recoveries, the Panthers forced the most turnovers in the NFC. They also rank at the top of the takeaway list for the last several seasons:

This opportunistic defense is one of the major reasons why the Panthers finished high up on the Bendability Index in 2005.

Outlook for 2006: Revelations regarding steroid use during their 2004 Super Bowl season have taken some luster off the Panthers' accomplishments. As they distance themselves from the controversy and focus on the coming season, stealing the ball from their opponents will continue to be a priority.

 

A year after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the city and the team are both in the rebuilding process. The Saints have added playmakers at quarterback (Drew Brees) and running back (Reggie Bush), but there remains a veteran presence in the locker room. At 42, kicker John Carney is actually the same age as his new coach, Sean Payton.

 

Hidden Truth: Carney has moved into third place on the all-time list for made field goals. By converting 25 of 32 attempts last season, he passed Nick Lowery and raised his career total to 390. Carney has made more field goals than any American-born kicker, and he only trails two men with the same last name – South Africa's Gary Anderson (538) and Denmark's Morten Andersen (520).

 

Outlook for 2006: Carney has successfully withstood the preseason challenge of Connor Hughes, an undrafted rookie from Virginia who was released last week. A better offense should provide more field goal opportunities for the veteran kicker.

 

Tampa Bay – Three decades of drought

The Buccaneers went 11-5 and reached the playoffs after a two-year absence. Although they suffered a 17-10 loss to Washington in the wild-card round, it marked the team's first postseason appearance since defeating Oakland, 48-21, in Super Bowl XXXVII. Through 30 years of existence, the franchise has seen almost everything – with one glaring exception.

 

Hidden Truth: The Bucs have never returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Including the playoffs, that's a string of 482 consecutive games. Last season, Tampa Bay was the only team in the conference that didn't register a kickoff return of at least 40 yards.