NFC South: Biggest question for each team in 2021

Carolina Panthers: Can QB Sam Darnold take advantage of a second chance?

It’s a franchise that as recently as 2017 was in the playoffs. And one season after reaching the postseason as a wild card entry, the Carolina Panthers were off to a 6-2 start. But in their last 40 contests, the club owns a dismal 11-29 record and is coming off consecutive 5-11 showings.

Last offseason, the team parted ways with Cam Newton and gave quarterback Teddy Bridgewater big money. The latter just didn’t get the job done and after the Panthers dealt for three-year pro Sam Darnold, the former was traded to Denver.

As for the aforementioned third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the former Jets’ signal-caller will look for a second opportunity with Matt Rhule’s club. In 38 contests, Darnold has thrown for a combined 8,097 yards and 45 scores. But there are also 39 interceptions and seven lost fumbles. Ouch.

Atlanta Falcons: Will the defense finally rediscover the elusive pass rush?

You have to go all the way back to 2004 to find the last time this team’s defensive unit totaled at least 40 sacks. To put that in perspective, it was quarterback Michael Vick’s fourth season in the NFL and the head coach of the Falcons was Jim Mora Jr.

The club’s new head coach is Arthur Smith, who comes over from the Tennessee Titans. But perhaps more significantly, veteran Dean Pees will be running the defense after a year out of football. He inherits a unit that allowed the fourth-most total yards in the league and permitted the most passing yards in the NFL in 2020.

As for the pass rush, the Falcons came up with just 29 sacks this past season. Meanwhile, the team allowed 34 scores through the air. Pees certainly has his work cut out for him.