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Let's take a look at the top headlines from around the NFC South.

Check out this Insider piece by Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders. No argument that the Falcons are looking for a return man, and the Saints could use some depth at cornerback. But I’m not so sure the Panthers are as much in the market for a No. 2 receiver as a lot of people think. I believe the Panthers are ready to let Brandon LaFell, David Gettis, Joe Adams and Kealoha Pilares compete for the spot opposite Steve Smith, and are hoping one of them will step up. I also think the Tampa Bay coaching staff is intent on going with Jeremy Zuttah at center. But it doesn’t sound like Tanier is a big Zuttah fan.

The sister of Tampa Bay defensive tackle Brian Price reportedly died from injuries she suffered in a car accident.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank used the carrot of being a potential Super Bowl and World Cup host while discussing the new open-air stadium he wants with season-ticket holders.

Willie Roaf, who will be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, reflects on why he left the New Orleans Saints for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Atlanta coach Mike Smith admitted in this radio interview that the Falcons are doing some “soul searching’’ after failing to win a playoff game the past four seasons.

Peter Finney writes that it’s time for Saints owner Tom Benson to get quarterback Drew Brees signed to a long-term deal. I couldn’t agree more. This situation has dragged on way too long. The Saints have dealt with a lot of turmoil this offseason, and getting their team leader signed to a new contract would accelerate the healing process.

Scott Fowler writes that the Panthers’ decision to put rookie Luke Kuechly at outside linebacker and keep Jon Beason in the middle for the moment is best for team chemistry. That’s true. Beason has been the leader of this defense for several years. It makes sense to at least let him open training camp in the middle. If a move needs to be made, it can come later.

The NFL announced Monday that 33 former players will get to announce picks during this week’s draft.

For the most part, the retired players will announce second-round picks. The New Orleans Saints don’t have a second-round pick, so Willie Roaf, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer, will announce their third-round pick.

Former tight end Alge Crumpler will announce Atlanta’s second-round pick. Retired defensive end Mike Rucker will announce Carolina’s second-round pick.

Dexter Jackson will announce Tampa Bay’s second-round pick. To be clear, that’s the Dexter Jackson that was a safety and was the Most Valuable Player in Super Bowl XXXVII and not the wide receiver by the same name who was taken by the Bucs in the second-round in 2008, but didn’t last long.

There was a time -- like pretty much the last 50 years -- when a Heisman Trophy wasn’t a very good thing for a quarterback to have on his résumé as he entered the NFL.

When Baylor’s Robert Griffin III gets taken early in next week’s NFL draft, he could be the latest piece in the trend of turning around the apparent curse on quarterbacks who won the Heisman. It has started to change only recently, but all of the sudden it’s looking like the trophy isn’t an anchor guaranteeing NFL mediocrity or obscurity for a quarterback.

Look back at 2010 winner Cam Newton. He was last year’s offensive rookie of the year for the Carolina Panthers and set all sorts of rookie passing (and rushing) records. There’s big hope in St. Louis that 2008 winner Sam Bradford can get back to the promise he showed as a rookie after struggling through a rough 2010 season. Then there’s 2007 winner Tim Tebow. He couldn’t throw spirals in Denver, but he won games. That at least created a market for Tebow to get traded to the New York Jets, where it remains to be seen if he’ll ever be able to win the starting job away from Mark Sanchez.

But there’s at least hope that Griffin, Newton, Bradford and Tebow can go on to have long and prosperous NFL careers. Before they came along, there were decades of evidence that suggested quarterbacks should just quit the game after winning the Heisman.

Remember Troy Smith, Eric Crouch, Danny Wuerffel, Charlie Ward and Gino Torretta? How about Ty Detmer, Andre Ware or Pat Sullivan?

They had little to no success in the NFL.

And remember Jason White?

I honestly did not at first. I had to go back and look up White, who won the trophy not all that long ago. He won it in 2003 while putting up some gaudy numbers at the University of Oklahoma. White didn’t even get drafted and quit football altogether after a short training-camp stint with the Tennessee Titans. He never even played in a regular-season NFL game.

Guys like White, Smith, Crouch, Wuerffel, Ward, Torretta, Detmer, Ware and Sullivan all had some things in common. In general, they were able to win the Heisman because they put up big statistics at programs where they were surrounded by elite players. They also had limitations -- usually in size, speed or arm strength -- that prevented them from being taken very seriously by NFL talent evaluators.

But those same evaluators also missed on some Heisman winners who seemed to have what the NFL wanted. Remember Matt Leinart?

He came from one of those football factories (USC), where he was surrounded by guys like Reggie Bush, but Leinart was supposed to be the one whose college success could transfer to the NFL. That’s why the Arizona Cardinals drafted him in the first round. But Leinart was nothing short of a tremendous disappointment.

When he flopped, it looked like there really was something to the Heisman Curse.

Prior to Tebow, Bradford, Newton and Griffin, you’ve got to look at a list of 18 quarterbacks who won the Heisman before you find one who really made it big. You’ve got to go all the way back to Roger Staubach, who won it for Navy in 1963. He went on to have a great career for the Dallas Cowboys and earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Since Staubach won the Heisman, other quarterbacks have had to settle for just getting into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Sure, there have been a few Heisman winners to come out and have some success. Jim Plunkett won two Super Bowls, but his career didn’t really take off until he landed with the Raiders after mediocre stints in New England and San Francisco.

Vinny Testaverde had an extremely long NFL career and the longevity led to some impressive career statistics. But Testaverde never had the kind of career so many people imagined when he was coming out of the University of Miami and taken No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987.

Guys like Steve Spurrier and Doug Flutie bounced around and had some success. Then there’s Carson Palmer, who has had some bright moments, but still is trying to fully live up to the Heisman hype.

But Newton, Griffin, Tebow and Bradford finally might be able to put a stop to the near-half-decade drought of Heisman Trophy winners truly excelling in the NFL.

“Cam Newton is the best thing to ever happen to Robert Griffin III,’’ former NFL quarterback Chris Weinke said as we discussed this year’s crop of quarterbacks back in February. “Just like Drew Brees is the best thing to happen to [Wisconsin draft prospect Russell Wilson]. Cam showed that a big, athletic quarterback that can run can be great in the NFL. Brees showed that a guy that’s not 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5 can throw for 5,000 yards in an NFL season. We all know the NFL is a copycat league. Cam’s success and Drew’s success helps the draft stock of guys like Robert and Russell.’’

Ironically, Weinke’s name is another one on that Heisman list. His story might be the most unique of all the Heisman-winning quarterbacks. Weinke enrolled at Florida State after giving up a minor-league baseball career. He won the Heisman in 2000 and seemed to have the talent of a classic drop-back passer, but the fact he would turn 29 in his rookie training camp, pushed him into the fourth round of the 2001 draft. The Carolina Panthers took him and he started under coach George Seifert as a rookie, but never could quite won over John Fox, who took over the next year.

Weinke spent the next five seasons as a backup in Carolina and finished his career in 2007 with San Francisco.

These days, Weinke has carved a niche as a quarterback guru. He is the director of football operations at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla. He has worked extensively with Newton and some other quarterback prospects over the past few years.

Weinke says he’s seen the game change just since his playing days ended. Like just about everyone else, he says the NFL has become more driven by quarterbacks. He says natural talent is a prerequisite for NFL success and he points to guys like Newton and Griffin, saying they could be a new prototype. And he goes back to his point about the NFL being a copycat league.

“People are always looking for what works,’’ Weinke said. “Cam obviously had a fantastic rookie season. So people look at Robert and say he can do the same thing because the skill sets are similar.’’

For Griffin, Newton and Bradford -- and perhaps even Tebow in his own way -- maybe the skill sets are so good that it no longer matters if a quarterback is lugging around a Heisman Trophy.

Time for a trip through some NFC South headlines.

There has been some talk about how the Saints’ woes could open the door for the rest of the NFC South. Here’s some more and it focuses on the Panthers and Buccaneers. The Panthers clearly are a team on the rise. I like what the Bucs have done so far and Greg Schiano seems like the kind of coach that could build a winner. I also think the Falcons have a loaded roster and might be motivated by the fact they underachieved. Oh, by the way, I’m not ready to count out the Saints. As long as they have Drew Brees, you know they’re going to score points.

Speaking of the Panthers, Seattle coach Pete Carroll was singing the praises of Carolina quarterback Cam Newton.

Bill Parcells said he’d be a hypocrite if he doesn’t consider coaching the Saints. He obviously has strong ties to and a friendship with Sean Payton. Here’s one other thought I had on this. If Parcells doesn’t want to return to the rigors of coaching, maybe he could step into some sort of special assistant role like Butch Davis did in Tampa Bay. Davis has said he’ll work with the coaching staff and front office. Parcells easily could do the same because he has experience in coaching and in the front office. That kind of role also could keep Parcells eligible for immediate election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Detroit coach Jim Schwartz called “the Race to 10’’ that former Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris talked so much about foolish. Schwartz said it doesn’t make sense to lock in on a specific number of regular-season victories. Schwartz said getting to the postseason is important, but what really matters is what a team does once it’s in the playoffs.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said the Buccaneers did not violate the “spirit of the rule’’ by spending so little on payroll in the uncapped 2010 season. The Cowboys and Redskins have been penalized for using too much cap space that year. Goodell said the Bucs and any other teams that had low payrolls are not facing any consequences because they didn’t gain any competitive advantage from their approach.

Let's take a look at the top Tuesday morning headlines from around the NFC South.

We mentioned Monday that legendary Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Furman Bisher had died at 93. I knew Bisher only vaguely, having sat in the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting room with him a few times and met him at various Super Bowl gatherings while with one of my mentors, legendary Tampa Tribune columnist and sports editor Tom McEwen, a Bisher contemporary. I read a lot of Bisher columns through the years, but didn’t know the man well. That’s why I strongly suggest you read this heart-felt tribute from his long-time colleague, Jeff Schultz.

Here’s an item that says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t a great fit for Tim Tebow because they don’t need fans screaming for him any time Josh Freeman makes a mistake. Agreed because the Bucs are trying to re-establish Freeman as their quarterback. But there are more reasons why Tebow wouldn’t fit in Tampa Bay and the biggest is he’s not a pure passer. We’ll have a chart later Tuesday that gauges each NFL team as a landing spot and I did the NFC South portion. Let’s just say it’s a real long shot that Tebow ends up anywhere in this division.

The agent for fullback/running back Mike Tolbert said his client signed with Carolina even though San Diego offered a bigger contract to keep him because he wanted to come “home." Charlotte technically isn’t Tolbert’s home, but it’s much closer to that than San Diego. Tolbert grew up in suburban Atlanta and went to college at Coastal Carolina.

Former Carolina tight end Dante Rosario has signed with San Diego. Ironically, Rosario had the biggest catch of his career against the Chargers, a game-winning touchdown in the last second of a 2008 game.

The New Orleans Saints hosted free-agent linebacker Curtis Lofton and defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley on Monday. There’s no definitive word on if a contract was offered to either. But the Saints are going to have to trim some cap room if they’re going to sign many more players.

New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter will make a free-agent visit to Tennessee on Wednesday. Porter already has visited the Bengals. It’s highly unlikely he’ll return to the Saints, who used draft picks the past two years on cornerbacks Patrick Robinson and Johnny Patrick.

Willie Roaf is going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August and the New Orleans Saints are joining him.

The Saints reportedly will open their preseason Aug. 5 by playing in the annual Hall of Fame Game. Their opponent hasn’t been determined yet, but the Saints volunteered for the Hall of Fame Game because it coincides with Roaf’s induction.

This means the Saints will play five preseason games this year instead of the traditional four. In the past, teams that appear in the Hall of Fame Game have been allowed to open training camps before other teams.

Roaf will become only the second player to spend the majority of his career with the Saints to go into the Hall of Fame. Linebacker Rickey Jackson was the first.

We talk all the time about how the Pro Football Hall of Fame doesn’t follow the same protocol as the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In football, a player goes into the Hall of Fame representing only himself. In baseball, a Hall of Famer has to declare what hat he wants on his plaque if he has played for more than one team.

Willie Roaf, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, played for the New Orleans Saints from 1993 through 2001. He then joined the Kansas City Chiefs and finished his career with them in 2005.

In this radio interview, Roaf was asked, hypothetically, which hat he would wear if the Pro Football Hall of Fame required players to make that choice. While Roaf praised his Kansas City experience, his answer was pretty clear.

“I’m wearing a Saints hat,’’ Roaf said. “You know things happen for a reason in life and I had to go through what I had to deal with and I needed a fresh start anyway, went through the knee surgery, went to Kansas City and played hard, and I think the experiences made me a better person. I think if I had to stay on that turf I wouldn’t have made it but another year or two but the fact that I went and played on that grass and played well in Kansas City with that real good group of players for those three of four years, I think that’s what solidified and helped me get in this early.”

Like you would expect from any proud franchise, the New Orleans Saints just sent out a massive media package moments after it was announced that offensive tackle Willie Roaf has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The packet included a long list of quotes on Roaf. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights.

Team owner Tom Benson: “We’re glad to congratulate William Roaf in his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He meant a great deal to our team during his career with us. He was the best player on our team during his time with us, one of the top players in the history of our franchise and one of the NFL’s greatest at his position.”

Former coach Jim Mora: “Willie Roaf had an outstanding career and definitely belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He possessed exceptional physical talent and a great work ethic. He was blessed with high quality character and a team oriented attitude. He was a team leader, always positive, upbeat, and a fun guy to coach and have on the team. Without question Willie was one of my best and favorite players ever.”

Former Saints defensive lineman Wayne Martin: “I think Willie was Pro Bowl-ready when he got to the league. He had great feet and the other intangibles you look for. He was the best tackle I played against in the league period. The only guy that I played against that came close to him was Anthony Munoz.”

Former Saints offensive line coach John Matsko: “What separated William from the rest is his tremendous desire to be the best. His determination to make himself better was reflected in the way he prepared and the way he played. He practiced like it was game day and never let down. You take that desire, that motivation and then add the great physical skills he possesses – size, speed, quickness, strength and length – you have a Hall of Fame tackle. There was no defender he couldn’t handle. And, when he played the best, he played them better every time he faced them.”

Louisiana Tech offensive line coach Petey Perot, who coached Roaf in college: “When Willie got here, the thing that is the most unique is that he came to us from Pine Bluff as a 220 pound kid that was a raw athlete. We weren’t sure where he would play on the line or at d end. We kept him on the line. He worked, was persistent, continued to do the things that great players have aspirations do and grew to a 315-pounder and an unbelievable player.’’

It should be a quiet morning, followed by a busy late afternoon and evening around these parts.

That’s because we’ve got a couple of major events coming later Saturday. Late this afternoon, we’ll find out who has been selected to the Class of 2012 for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former New Orleans offensive tackle Willie Roaf appears to have a good chance to get in. If he does, I’ll be back with full analysis.

In a new twist, the NFL’s major awards will be announced Saturday night. I’m expecting Carolina quarterback Cam Newton to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Most Valuable Player also will be announced. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees may be a long shot because Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers appears to be the favorite.

As soon as the awards are announced, I’ll be back with analysis.

By the end of the day Saturday, Rickey Jackson could have some company.

At the moment, Jackson is the only player to have spent most of his career with the New Orleans Saints that is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That could change very soon because offensive tackle Willie Roaf will be a finalist when the voters gather Saturday.

Roaf also was a finalist last year and reportedly came very close to selection. But Roaf’s chances in this class might be even better than they were last year. There is no slam-dunk first-time candidate and that could open the door for Roaf.

His resume already does a pretty good job of that. Roaf played for the Saints from 1993 through 2001 and finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, from 2002 through ’05. During those 13 seasons, Roaf was an All-Pro seven times and a Pro Bowl choice 11 times. He also was a member of the All-Decade Team for the 1990s.

The biggest obstacle I see for Roaf’s selection this year is that Dermontti Dawson and Will Shields also are on the ballot. That makes three strong offensive-line candidates from the modern era, but I’d take Roaf ahead of the other two.

It’s hard to quantify offensive linemen because you can’t trace their statistics as easily as you can those of skill-position players. You look at things like longevity, All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections and how their teams fared.

If you go by that, I think it backs up my belief that Roaf is the best candidate. First off, he was a tackle. That’s a more difficult position than center, which Dawson played, and guard, which Shields played.

Dawson and Roaf each played 13 seasons and Shields played 14, so the longevity issue is basically a draw.

Roaf’s seven All-Pro selections might be the strongest argument for his candidacy. Making All-Pro is a much bigger deal than making a Pro Bowl squad because it means you’re among the best in the league, not just in your conference. Dawson was All-Pro six times. Shields got the honor three times.

Roaf also made 11 Pro Bowls, while Shields went to 12 and Dawson six.

Some people may look at the fact that Dawson played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and give him a big edge over Roaf and Shields. The Saints and Chiefs were far from dominant teams when Roaf played for them. He was part of a division champion only twice. Shields, who spent his entire career in Kansas City, is in the same boat. Shields played for four division champions. But the Chiefs never won a Super Bowl or an AFC title while he was there.

But the fact Dawson played for Pittsburgh shouldn’t give him as much of an edge over Roaf and Shields as some people might think. Although the Steelers have been good for most of their history, they weren’t particularly dominant during Dawson’s time. They did win five division championships and one conference title. But Dawson never was on a Super Bowl champion.

So the fact Roaf didn’t play on great teams shouldn’t hurt him. The fact he was one of the best tackles ever should land him in the Hall of Fame.

Former New Orleans offensive lineman Willie Roaf and former Carolina linebacker Kevin Greene are this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists most often identified with NFC South teams. But there’s another tie. That’s seniors candidate Dick Stanfel. He did two stints as New Orleans’ offensive line coach and also was interim head coach for the Saints in 1980. But his main claim to fame was as a player. Stanfel was an offensive lineman for Detroit and was selected to the All-Decade team for the 1950s.

The Atlanta Falcons filled out their coaching staff with two moves that were expected. Glenn Thomas was promoted from offensive quality-control assistant to quarterbacks coach and Joe Danna was hired as defensive backs coach. Thomas has been with the team since 2008 and has a good relationship with quarterback Matt Ryan. Danna previously worked with new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan in Miami the last two seasons and was a defensive assistant in Atlanta for two years before that. The Falcons also made Andrew Weidinger an offensive assistant. He spent the last four years in Atlanta, providing administrative help for the coaching staff.

Although the Panthers have unveiled a new logo, which is only slightly different from the past, there won’t be any major changes to their uniforms, Scott Fowler writes. The new logo will be incorporated into helmets and jerseys, but the uniforms will remain the same otherwise.

Former NFL coach Steve Mariucci said he believes Carolina quarterback Cam Newton is on his way to greatness. I don’t think Mariucci is the first to have that thought.

The Buccaneers reportedly haven’t given up all hope of bringing in Arizona receivers coach John McNulty as their offensive coordinator, even though the Cardinals refused to grant permission for an interview. The Bucs may make a plea straight to Cardinals ownership. I suppose a trade also would be a hypothetical possibility, but it’s hard to imagine a team giving up a draft pick for an assistant coach.

» Wild-Card Final Word: Bengals-Texans | Lions-Saints | Falcons-Giants | Steelers-Broncos

Three nuggets of knowledge about Sunday’s Falcons-Giants playoff game:

Not a hard road. The Falcons aren’t known as a great road team, especially when they have to play outdoors. But traveling to MetLife Stadium shouldn’t be as frightening as many people think. The home-field advantage isn’t as big a deal as one might consider. Since 2004, home teams are 13-15 in wild-card playoff games.

Protecting Matty Ice. It already has been established that one of the biggest matchups in this game will be Atlanta’s offensive line against New York’s pass rush. The Falcons had a tough time protecting Matt Ryan early in the season, even against base defenses. But Atlanta’s offensive line has been better of late. In his past seven games, Ryan has 12 touchdowns and no interceptions against four or fewer pass rushers. But, with Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul, the Giants are one of the league’s best at generating a pass rush from their front four.

Gonzo’s unlucky streak. Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez probably will be a first-ballot selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He already holds virtually every receiving record for tight ends. But there’s one thing Gonzalez never has done. He’s gone through his entire career without winning a playoff game. Gonzalez’s 238 regular-season games without a playoff win are the most by a position player in the Super Bowl era. Gonzalez played in three playoff games with Kansas City and was with Atlanta last season when the Falcons lost to the Packers.

Time for a look at the top Wednesday morning headlines from around the NFC South.

Drew Brees’ uniform from the day he broke Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season is now on display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

With Stephen Nicholas still banged up, it looks as if Spencer Adkins could make his second straight start at outside linebacker for Atlanta.

No big surprise here, but the Saints went ahead and officially placed running back Mark Ingram and linebacker Will Herring on injured reserve. Offensive lineman Eric Olsen and linebacker Nate Bussey are filling the roster spots.

As he reflected on the season, Carolina general manager Marty Hurney said it became apparent early on that the Panthers got “who we thought we drafted’’ in rookie quarterback Cam Newton. The Panthers did a ton of homework on Newton and believed they were getting a player who was potentially special. But I don’t think even the Panthers knew how quickly Newton would explode and put up huge numbers.

Martin Fennelly writes that Raheem Morris’ downfall ultimately was due to his inability to separate himself from the players. That’s very true. Morris had many positive qualities, but he never established himself as an authority figure with the Tampa Bay players. The Bucs were a young team with virtually no leadership and that’s why they fell apart.

Time for a look at the top headlines from around the NFC South.

— Atlanta receiver Roddy White tried to sound like the elder statesman when he said rookie Julio Jones will have days like he did Sunday. Jones had some key drops and some key penalties. But White also had a couple of drops in the loss to Houston.

— Although Atlanta safety William Moore has returned to practice after missing time with injuries, James Sanders has remained in the starting lineup.

— The ball Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was carrying when he broke the season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback is going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

— New Orleans coach Sean Payton said his team is a work in progress when asked if the Saints are better than they were last year. Coaches aren’t supposed to say their team is better than last year, so I’ll do it for him. The Saints are better than last year. They’ve got a better defense and a stable of healthy running backs to go with Drew Brees and the passing game.

— Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris said he’ll simplify the defense to make it easier on the young players. At this point, anything is worth a shot.

Earlier Wednesday, I ran my weekly league-wide QB Watch column. This week, I focused on how the Bears and Texans still can make the playoffs even though they’ve lost their starting quarterbacks to injury.

My point on this was the Bears and Texans are good teams. They’re both 7-3. Even with Caleb Hanie and Matt Leinart now moving into starting roles, it’s not a given that the Bears and Texans suddenly will fall apart. If Hanie and Leinart simply can be adequate, the players around them are good enough to get those teams to the playoffs.

But let’s take the time to get NFC South specific now. Let’s take a look at the backup quarterback situation for each team and think about what would happen right now if Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman or Cam Newton went down with an injury.

Saints. There's no question Brees is the most important player on the Saints. He’s on pace for record numbers and he’s well on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Backup Chase Daniel has been in the NFL for three seasons and has attempted precisely three passes. But I don’t think the Saints would simply crumble if Daniel suddenly had to play. Just like the Bears and Texans, the Saints are 7-3. They might not have a defense as good as the Saints or the Bears. But I think you could plug Daniel into New Orleans’ system and the Saints still could win enough to get into the playoffs. Sean Payton’s offense is mapped out so well that Daniel wouldn’t have much of a problem getting the ball into the hands of someone who can make a big play at any time.

Falcons. Chris Redman is – by far – the division’s most seasoned backup. He’s 34 and first arrived in the league in 2000. Redman is not Ryan. But the Falcons are 6-4 and the rest of their schedule isn’t that difficult. If Redman had to play, he could hand the ball to Michael Turner and occasionally find Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez enough to keep the offense moving. I could see the Falcons getting to 10 wins if Redman had to step in.

Buccaneers. Let’s be clear that Tampa Bay isn’t in the same situation as the Texans, Bears, Saints and Falcons. At 4-6, the Bucs probably aren’t going to make the playoffs even if Freeman stays healthy. They’d suddenly have to instantly fix a lot of flaws that have held them back all season and run the table. During Tampa Bay’s current four-game losing streak, I’ve had readers suggest the Bucs should turn to backup Josh Johnson. Really? Trust me, that’s not the answer. Johnson’s very athletic. He throws the ball better than Tim Tebow and can run pretty well. But the Bucs have so many other issues that they probably wouldn’t win again this season if Johnson had to play the rest of the way. That’s saying a lot because Carolina’s on the schedule twice.

Panthers. Like the Bucs, the Panthers aren’t in a situation where a backup could step in, play reasonably well, get some significant help from his team and still make the playoffs. But let’s say the Panthers were 7-3 right now and Cam Newton couldn’t play. In that scenario, the Panthers wouldn’t necessarily be headed for disaster. They’ve got Derek Anderson, a relatively experienced backup, and he might be able to get them a few wins in a pinch. But, at this point in the season, I doubt the Panthers would turn to Anderson if Newton couldn’t play. In their current situation, it would make more sense to take one last look at Jimmy Clausen, just to see if there’s even a remote chance he can figure into the team’s future plans. I’m thinking the team already feels Clausen won’t be around long and it’s significant to note that he can collect a roster bonus of nearly $1 million if he’s still with Carolina in March. But, right now, it would make more sense to play Clausen than Anderson.