One team that will surprise no one this season is the Carolina Panthers. This is a team that had some early success as an expansion team, but failed to ever build a solid core of good, young players. The Panthers are going through a complete overhaul that will probably take several years before they are serious playoff contenders.

Veteran quarterback Steve Beuerlein was released after resurrecting his career in Carolina, and Jeff Lewis will take the reigns of the offense. If he doesn't handle the job, rookie Chris Wenke will be given a shot. I believe this team will be very inconsistent this season and will finish on the bottom of the pile.

The Atlanta Falcons will begin to show signs of life again, but don't look for them to make a charge at the postseason. Rookie Michael Vick, although he is very raw, has franchise quarterback written all over him. He will probably see minimal playing time, and this season will be a learning experience.

Jamal Anderson should be fully recovered from the knee injury he suffered in 1999, and the defense should be better, but they won't be in the hunt for the division crown.

One team that could make a run is the San Francisco 49ers. Last year they brought in a lot of fresh legs on defense, and they began to play pretty decent toward the end of the season. They continued the trend toward youth again during this past off-season, and appear to be building a foundation for a quality defense.

Quarterback Jeff Garcia came into his own last season, proving he was worth the big-dollar contract he signed. The big question for the offense is at running back. Garrison Hearst is slated to start in the backfield, but he has been sidelined with an ankle injury for much of two seasons. If he can't carry the load, rookie Kevan Barlow will probably take over.

In my opinion, the New Orleans Saints are on the verge of becoming one of the powerhouses in the NFL. They have an exciting, big-play quarterback in Aaron Brooks, along with a very solid backup in Jeff Blake. Ricky Williams could become the premier back in the league this year, and the defensive line is downright scary.

The biggest problem I see with the Saints is the depth they have in the secondary. If opposing quarterbacks can make their read and get rid of the ball before being smothered, they could do some damage through the air. This could be a problem when they face their biggest competitor in the St. Louis Rams.

The Rams will be out to show the Saints who the best team in the division is, after falling to them in the playoffs last year. Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk are healthy and the offense should be as explosive as ever.

The defense was the downfall for the Rams, but they have gone through a complete reworking that should make for at least a small improvement. And a small improvement on defense is all the Rams offense needs. If the defense can hold the opposition under 30 points, they will win most of their ballgames. With eight new starters on the defensive unit, they are sure to miss assignments and blow coverages on occasion, but give them half a season to learn to play together, and they will be Super Bowl favorites again.

My Prediction