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FALLING

1. LeGarrette Blount, Buccaneers running back. He lost a fumble on Tampa Bay’s first offensive play against Carolina and coach Raheem Morris benched Blount, who has had fumbling problems all season, until the second half. Tampa Bay has all sorts of problems, but if you asked me to single out the biggest culprit among the players, I’d go with Blount. He ran for 1,000 yards as a rookie in just about half a season and probably won’t do that for this full season unless he runs wild in the finale against Atlanta. Yeah, like that’s going to happen. My main gripe with Blount is that he’s held back the entire offense because the coaches won’t use him as a pass-catcher or pass-blocker. If you haven’t learned to pass block by the end of your second NFL season, you probably never will pick it up.

2. Atlanta’s defense. I’m sure some members of the Falcons’ organization aren’t happy the Saints were still throwing the ball late in Monday night’s game. Understandable because the Saints did push the limits of decorum a little bit. But there’s an easy way for a defense to prevent that. Play better earlier in the game and you won’t put yourself in a situation where a team is blowing you out.

3. Michael Turner, Falcons running back. He carried 11 times for 39 yards Monday night. I know the Falcons had to go away from the running game after they fell behind. But this was the fifth straight game in which Turner has failed to rush for 100 yards. He has been on the injury report with a groin problem in recent weeks. Makes you wonder if the injury might be holding him back.

RISING

1. Drew Brees, Saints quarterback. His stock has hit an all-time high and that’s saying something. He broke Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season and he did it in a victory. Brees is having a season for the ages, but he has made it clear it will only be meaningful if it culminates with a second Super Bowl title.

2. Brandon LaFell, Panthers receiver. He had his first career 100-yard receiving game against Tampa Bay and that included a 91-yard touchdown catch, the longest in franchise history. A lot of people say the Panthers should draft a receiver early and pair him with Steve Smith. I say that’s not necessary. They invested an early pick in LaFell last year. It often takes receivers some time to develop. Plus, Carolina put in a whole new offense this season. LaFell seems to be picking it up and the coaches are happy with his progress. David Gettis, who missed his second season with an injury, also will be back next year. Put LaFell and Gettis with Smith and the Panthers might already be set at receiver.

3. Darren Sproles, Saints running back. He sort of got lost in Brees’ shadow, but Sproles had another huge all-around game Monday night. He rushed five times for 67 yards, caught two passes for 22 yards and a touchdown and added a 92-yard kickoff return. The biggest difference I see between last year’s Saints and this year’s team is the addition of Sproles. He has brought different elements to the offense and the special teams.

NEW ORLEANS -- I’ll be in and out throughout the morning and afternoon. But our main event of the day will be the “Monday Night Football’’ game between the Saints and Falcons.

I planning to get to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome about three hours before kickoff and will bring you pregame notes, inactives and analysis. Also, once the game gets rolling, we’ll be doing our Monday Night Live chat. Feel free to stop by for that. You’ll be able to find it on the NFC South Blog before the game.

I might be checking in before then if there’s anything of note out of the Buccaneers or Panthers. Meantime, I’m going to try to get a jump on our Stock Watch feature for Tuesday and my QB Watch for Wednesday, because I’ll be traveling Tuesday and will have to jump into Pro Bowl results when I get home Tuesday night.

We’ve got the playoff races heating up and the holidays. That’s going to make for an interesting week in the NFC South.

But the good news is we should be pretty much on our normal routine. Unless I hear otherwise from chat control in Bristol, the NFC South chat will be held in its normal slot, Friday at 1 p.m. ET.

We’ll have our usual Stock Watch and Power Rankings on Tuesday, my weekly QB Watch on Wednesday and Final Word on Friday. On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers will be playing. I’ll be watching that from NFC South Blog headquarters and writing a wrap-up as soon as the game is over.

On Sunday night, I’ll be flying to New Orleans to get in position to cover the Monday night game between the Saints and Falcons.

At, at some point this week, I might actually get out for an hour or so and do some Christmas shopping. It's looking like gift cards might be the standard this year.

Oh, and looking a little beyond the one-week time frame, Pro Bowl selections will be announced Dec. 27.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

Sean McDermott, Panthers defensive coordinator. He was hired by first-year head coach Ron Rivera, who comes with a defensive background. Plus, McDermott and Rivera were following a head coach (John Fox) who was all about defense. But the Panthers have been terrible on defense, and it seems they keep getting worse. They rank No. 27 in the league in total defense and allowed 49 points to Detroit on Sunday. This isn’t all on McDermott by any means. Carolina’s defense has been depleted by some big injuries that started way back in training camp. But even with injuries, a young defense should show some improvement as a season goes on.

The defensive coordinator in Tampa Bay. Yep, that’s head coach Raheem Morris. The Bucs are No. 31 in total defense and much of the blame for that should fall on Morris. There is some talent on the defensive side, but the Bucs seem to be regressing in this area. Since Morris bounced defensive coordinator Jim Bates in the middle of the 2009 season, it has been difficult to figure out Tampa Bay’s defensive identity, although the word “mediocre’’ would be a fitting term. The Bucs don’t stop the run well, generate very little pressure up front and, and despite some talent in the secondary, give up some big pass plays.

Kellen Winslow, Buccaneers tight end. If you look only at the numbers (nine catches for 132 yards), Winslow had a good game against Green Bay on Sunday. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Winslow had a touchdown called back because he was called for offensive pass interference. He also dropped a pass that should have given the Bucs an easy two-point conversion.

RISING

Sean Payton, Saints coach. We use the term "rising" literally here. Although Payton was back on the sideline in the last game before the bye, he was on crutches and trying to stay out of harm’s way. But the leg and knee injuries that caused Payton to sit in the press box for three games are healing nicely. On Monday night against the Giants, Payton should be much more mobile, and that should help him get a better feel for the game.

Matt Ryan, Falcons quarterback. Ryan threw for 316 yards in Sunday’s victory against Tennessee. That gave him the first back-to-back 300-yard games of his career. Ryan struggled with consistency – a common theme for everyone in Atlanta – earlier in the season. But he seems to be on a good path right now, and that could come in handy as the Falcons try to make a playoff push.

Roddy White, Falcons receiver. He played his best game of the season Sunday, with a season-high 147 receiving yards. With White seemingly getting on track and the possible return of Julio Jones from a hamstring injury, Atlanta suddenly could have the high-powered passing game that many of us expected at the start of the season.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Raheem Morris, Buccaneers coach. There’s a strong perception by some members of media and fans that the Bucs “quit’’ on Morris in Sunday’s loss. When you’re considered the ultimate players’ coach, that’s a horrible sign. The Bucs already have picked up Morris’ contract option for 2012. But it’s tough to see them extending him if things continue going the way they are. Ask the Carolina Panthers how well it works when you let a coach go into a season as a lame duck. Morris bristles when there’s talk about him being on the hot seat. But guess what? He just might be on the hot seat if things don’t improve dramatically in a hurry.

2. Josh Freeman, Buccaneers quarterback. I still think he is an enormous talent. But the Bucs are running the risk of ruining him. Freeman already has thrown 13 interceptions, which is more than he threw all of last season. There’s no doubt Freeman deserves some of the blame. But I think he has been hurt by a supporting cast that has been more than disappointing, and the coaches haven’t put Freeman in positions where he can succeed.

3. Roddy White, Falcons receiver. I’m trying really hard to figure out how White has gone from being perhaps the best receiver in the league last season to a mistake machine this season. He had a pass go off his hands that turned into an interception and was called for two key penalties Sunday. When Julio Jones went down with an injury, the Falcons didn’t even look to White as their go-to guy. Instead, they went to Harry Douglas.

RISING

1. Marques Colston, Saints receiver. Colston was incredible on third downs Sunday. He caught four passes on third downs and turned each of them into a first down. He doesn’t get the full credit he deserves because the Saints have so many other weapons on offense and they use them all nicely. But there’s no question the Saints wouldn’t have won Sunday if they didn’t have Colston.

2. Will Smith and Shaun Rogers, Saints defensive linemen. They’re the two players who were the first to get to Michael Turner on the infamous fourth-down play that won the game in overtime for the Saints. Rogers hasn’t had a huge impact most of the season. But he seemed to get a good jump on the snap count and moved right into the hole where Turner was supposed to go.

3. Roman Harper, Saints safety. Yeah, I know people like to say Harper is a liability in coverage and there probably is some truth to that. But Harper is a strong safety, and they often are the weakest member of the secondary when it comes to coverage. He also dropped what should have been an easy interception against Atlanta. But hey, at least he was in the right place in coverage for once. Harper compensates for his shortcomings in other ways. He had a sack and was in on 10 tackles Sunday. Harper has a team-high 6.5 sacks. When’s the last time you saw a safety with 6.5 sacks through 10 games?

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Gerald McCoy, Buccaneers defensive tackle. He suffered a season-ending arm injury Sunday. This is the second straight year McCoy has had his season cut short by an injury. There will be rumbles that McCoy is injury-prone, and some people will call him a draft bust. McCoy already was very sensitive to comparisons to Ndamukong Suh, who was taken just before him in last year’s draft. McCoy needs to put all of that out of his mind as he goes through his rehab. When he's been healthy, he has shown signs he can play. McCoy needs to come back next year and put it all together. Otherwise, that bust label might start to fit.

2. Garrett Reynolds, Falcons guard. Reynolds had won the starting right guard job in training camp. But he had struggled through much of the first half of the season. The coaching staff decided to start Joe Hawley in his place in Sunday’s victory against Indianapolis. Hawley played well, and this doesn’t look like a short-term move. Reynolds had his chance as a starter, but those days appear to be over.

3. LeGarrette Blount, Buccaneers running back. Blount said he was hoping to become more of an every-down back after Earnest Graham went down with a season-ending injury. But that didn’t happen Sunday in New Orleans. The Bucs simply plugged Kregg Lumpkin into Graham’s role on passing downs, and Blount was limited to playing mostly on running downs. Blount hasn’t been able to convince the coaches he’s ready to handle pass protections. If he can’t do that by the midpoint of his second season, it makes you wonder whether he ever will be able to handle that role. Blount also hurt his team with a costly unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.

RISING

1. Julio Jones, Falcons receiver. The rookie came back after missing two games with a hamstring injury and did exactly what the Falcons envisioned when they had drafted him. Jones made explosive plays. He caught two touchdown passes -- one for 80 yards and a second for 50. He also got a couple of carries on reverses. Jones wasn’t playing badly before the injury, but the Falcons weren’t coming up with the explosive plays. While he was out, the Falcons re-evaluated their offense, and it looks like they’re starting to figure out how to maximize Jones’ talent.

2. Pierre Thomas, Saints running back. It’s tough to stand out in a New Orleans backfield that uses a three-man rotation. But Thomas stood out Sunday against Tampa Bay. He had his best game of the season, carrying eight times for 66 yards and a touchdown. Thomas averaged 8.3 yards per carry and caught four passes for 25 yards.

3. Curtis Lofton, Falcons middle linebacker. With Carolina’s Jon Beason out for the season and New Orleans’ Jonathan Vilma dealing with a knee problem, Lofton has emerged as the NFC South’s best middle linebacker. He was in on 12 tackles Sunday as the Atlanta defense didn’t allow a point against Indianapolis. Lofton also forced a fumble that led to an Atlanta touchdown.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. The New Orleans offensive line. Drew Brees was sacked six times and the running game never got going in Sunday’s loss to St. Louis. Right tackle Charles Brown struggled mightily and it’s likely he’ll be back on the bench soon because Zach Strief is coming back from injury. But the problems weren’t all due to Brown. New Orleans has some highly regarded players across the rest of the line, but none of them played well Sunday. Guard Carl Nicks had a bad game and fellow guard Jahri Evans also appeared off. Jermon Bushrod has developed into a dependable left tackle, but he wasn’t dependable against the Rams.

2. Jonathan Vilma, Saints linebacker. He has been one of the top players in the NFC South the past few years. But Vilma doesn’t look the same this year. Part of it might be because of a knee injury that’s been bothering him all season. Against the Rams, I saw Vilma miss a couple of tackles he never would have missed a few years ago.

3. Olindo Mare, Panthers kicker. Carolina cut veteran and fan favorite John Kasay to make room for Mare, who landed a huge contract. Mare has kicked well most of the season. But he missed a 31-yard field-goal attempt that would have sent Sunday’s game with Minnesota into overtime. Yeah, Kasay was old and couldn’t kick off, but I don’t recall Kasay ever missing very many 31-yard kicks.

RISING

1. Kregg Lumpkin, Buccaneers running back. He’s 27, but this reserve has all of 14 career carries and has never scored an NFL touchdown. Ready or not, Lumpkin’s about to get an increased role. With Earnest Graham lost for the season to injury, Lumpkin is going to be the top backup to LeGarrette Blount. He also is likely to be used as the third-down back. The Tampa Bay coaches are high on Lumpkin and they better be right because he’s only a Blount injury away from being the feature back.

2. Jason Snelling, Falcons running back. Fullback Ovie Mughelli has been lost for the season with a knee injury. The Falcons did sign Mike Cox and he could be used as the lead blocker for Michael Turner at times. Snelling is the top backup to Turner at tailback, but he has filled in at fullback from time to time. Don’t be surprised if the Falcons decide to let Snelling and Cox share the duties at fullback. At 237 pounds, Snelling might be a little light for a fullback. But he’s a good blocker and his ability to run and catch passes could add a new dimension to Atlanta’s offense if he’s playing fullback.

3. Julio Jones, Falcons receiver. The rookie was off to a pretty good start before missing the past two games with a hamstring injury. The bye week helped Jones get healthy and he returned to practice Monday. I’m expecting a big second half of the season from Jones. Remember, he was thrown right into the starting lineup and didn’t have a true offseason because of the lockout. He seemed to catch on pretty quickly, but this little break has given Jones a little time to really process everything.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Aqib Talib, cornerback, Buccaneers. He was called for a costly personal foul in the final minutes. Talib’s had problems controlling his emotions throughout his career and that doesn’t seem to be improving. The Bucs have gone out of their way with Talib because he is a rare physical talent. But their efforts have rarely been rewarded this season. In the past, Talib’s physical talent often outweighed his mistakes. This season, that hasn’t been the case.

2. Raheem Morris, coach, Buccaneers. His team has been wildly inconsistent all season. One week, the Bucs go out and play great against the Saints. The next, they’re flat as can be against the Bears. Tampa Bay is a very young team and inconsistency should be expected. But it’s ultimately up to the head coach to get his team to play with consistency. The Bucs haven’t shown any progress in this area.

3. Sam Baker, left tackle, Falcons. He sat out with a back injury. Will Svitek filled in and did not allow a sack to Kyle Vanden Bosch. Baker’s been shaky most of the season. It will be interesting to see what the Falcons do at left tackle coming out of their bye week.

RISING

1. Pete Carmichael, offensive coordinator, Saints. With Sean Payton nursing his injured leg up in the press box, Carmichael got to call the plays for the entire game for the first time in his career. He obviously did pretty well as the Saints scored on their first nine possessions. Carmichael has kept a low profile and he’s a quiet guy. But he’s known and respected throughout the league. It looks like he’ll continue calling the plays for some time. That should only raise his profile and his name could start coming up in some conversations about head-coaching jobs.

2. Antwan Applewhite, defensive lineman, Panthers. This guy was a late pickup for the Panthers after they suffered a number of injuries on the defense. Coach Ron Rivera had history with Applewhite in San Diego. But this guy is contributing much more than you’d expect from a guy who was signed off the street just a few weeks ago. Against the Redskins, Applewhite had a sack, forced a fumble and made five tackles.

3. Corey Peters, defensive tackle, Falcons. The second-year pro has quietly been Atlanta’s best defensive lineman. He was stout against the run last season, but his skills as a pass-rusher have improved this year. That showed through Sunday when he came up with a third-quarter sack that stalled a Detroit drive and forced the Lions to kick a field goal.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Cam Newton, quarterback, Panthers. His stock remains very high, but it’s dipping a bit. Newton’s put up fantastic numbers and given the Panthers lots of hope for the future. He’s angry that the Panthers are losing, but he can help change that. Newton threw three interceptions against the Falcons and you’re not going to win many games when you turn the ball over that much. Newton needs to discover the fine line between forcing and not forcing throws. When he does that, the Panthers will start winning some games.

2. Drew Brees, quarterback, Saints. Again, the stock was sitting pretty high, but there’s been a little drop. Brees threw three interceptions in a loss to Tampa Bay and it’s time to start wondering if the career-high 22 interceptions he had last season were something more than a fluke. Brees didn’t throw an interception in the first two games of this season. But he’s been intercepted eight times in the last four games.

3. Darren Sproles, running back, Saints. He had his quietest game since joining the Saints against the Buccaneers. Sproles had just one rushing attempt. He did catch eight passes but they added up to just 46 yards.

RISING

1. Michael Turner, running back, Falcons. As they try to find their offensive identity, the Falcons went back to basics in Sunday’s win against Carolina. They ran Turner 27 times and he produced 139 yards and two touchdowns. Not every run defense is as soft as Carolina’s, but this was a good reminder that Turner still needs to be the backbone of this offense. If he’s running well, it’s going to open the way for those downfield passes the Falcons so desperately want.

2. Josh Freeman, quarterback, Buccaneers. He seemed out of rhythm early in the season, but everything came together Sunday against New Orleans. Freeman threw for a season-high 303 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Freeman talked before the game about how he needed to tone down his confidence and not try to force passes when the play wasn’t there. He got that part right against the Saints and it resulted in the biggest win of his career.

3. Earnest Graham, running back, Buccaneers. With LeGarrette Blount out with an injury, the Bucs turned to Graham, who has done a little bit of everything throughout his career. He took over as the feature back and carried 17 times for 109 yards. He also caught three passes for 22 yards.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Mike Smith, coach, Falcons. For the first time since his arrival in 2008, Smith truly is taking heat and getting questioned. It’s deserved. The Falcons were supposed to be a Super Bowl contender, but they’re 2-3. You look at the roster and there’s plenty of talent. That’s when you start looking at the coaching. Smith has defended the play calling of both coordinators and said he ultimately is responsible for everything. He’s right about that. It’s time for Smith to decide if his system might need some tweaking on both sides of the ball. If he stays stubborn and conservative, he runs the risk of becoming what John Fox was in his later years in Carolina.

2. Josh Freeman, quarterback, Buccaneers. He remains a marvelous talent with all sort of potential. But the Bucs went out to San Francisco and scored only three points. That should never happen when you’ve got a quarterback like Freeman. His teammates certainly deserve a large part of the blame. But, so far, Freeman really hasn’t gotten into the same rhythm he was in last year. He’s already thrown six interceptions -- the same amount he threw all of last season.

3. Matt Ryan, quarterback, Falcons. Much like Freeman, Ryan’s not playing the same way he did last season -- or the two seasons before that. He came out hot Sunday night, but didn’t do much of anything after the first two drives. That shows the ability is there and it makes you wonder about how the Falcons are using Ryan. It’s time to take the gloves off this guy and simply let him go out and do what he does best.

RISING

1. Jimmy Graham, tight end, Saints. This guy now has three straight games in which he’s had 100 or more receiving yards. You can see coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees putting more trust in Graham each week and he’s getting better every time out. How long before we start talking about Graham as the NFL’s best pass-catching tight end? He’s already in the conversation.

2. DeAngelo Williams, running back, Panthers. It wasn’t too long ago that people were saying Williams was washed up and Jonathan Stewart should take over as the featured back. Sunday’s performance by Williams showed that time hasn’t come. He rushed for 115 yards on just nine carries. There’s plenty left in Williams’ tank. The Panthers would be wise to continue getting him more involved. Rookie quarterback Cam Newton is off to a wonderful start, but he’s only going to get better if the running game can take some of the pressure off him. The Panthers need Williams involved in the offense. Other than receiver Steve Smith, he’s the team’s next option as a big-play threat.

3. Patrick Robinson, cornerback, Saints. The first-round draft pick from a year ago is making an impact in his second year. He intercepted Newton on Sunday and has held onto the starting job even after Tracy Porter returned from injury. Sound familiar? Just like Malcolm Jenkins, New Orleans’ first-round pick in 2009, Robinson didn’t do much as a rookie, but is becoming a very solid starter in his second season.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Ron Rivera, coach, Panthers. I like just about everything this guy has done since he arrived in Carolina and he’s got the Panthers on a good track. But I think Rivera flashed a little of the stubbornness John Fox was so famous for on Sunday in Chicago. Rivera had his team kick and punt to Devin Hester and it cost the Panthers dearly. Rivera used to be an assistant coach in Chicago. As much as anyone, he should be aware that it’s not a good idea to feed the ball to the most dangerous return man in NFL history.

2. Brian VanGorder, defensive coordinator, Falcons. It’s still early and things can straighten out, but Atlanta’s off to a very rocky start. Sunday’s near disaster in Seattle is being viewed by fans as being almost as bad as a loss. This is a team that entered the season with huge hopes and so did the fans. Most important, owner Arthur Blank also felt that way and he’s not the world’s most patient man. If things don’t straighten out, there will be a scapegoat for this season and, so far, VanGorder is looking like the leading candidate. Atlanta’s defense has talent, but the results have not been there.

3. Ray Edwards, defensive tackle, Falcons. Speaking of Atlanta defensive talent that’s not producing, you’ve got to start with this guy. It’s not like Edwards has been a complete bust. He plays the run quite well and has shown he can pick up a fumble and make a nice return. But the Falcons paid him a lot of money and a lot of people thought he was the missing link. He was supposed to help generate a stronger pass rush. Through four games, Edwards has not produced a sack.

RISING

1. Steve Smith, wide receiver, Panthers. You don’t have to like everything about him and he does have some of the diva traits that so many great receivers have. But a lot of those guys are still happy if their team loses, as long as they put up big individual numbers. Smith put up big numbers against the Bears (and has been doing that all season), but he was extremely frustrated in the locker room after the game because his team didn’t win. You have to respect his competitive desire.

2. New Orleans’ offensive line. Right tackle Zach Strief and center Olin Kreutz were out with injuries and Charles Brown and Brian De La Puente had to take their places. Yes, the Saints did allow Drew Brees to be sacked three times, but he still had enough time to throw for 351 yards. More important, the running game really worked well with Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram. The Saints finished with 177 net rushing yards. The offensive line has to be doing something right for that to happen.

3. Adrian Clayborn, defensive end, Buccaneers: Lots of people are talking about Washington’s Ryan Kerrigan as the potential defensive rookie of the year -- deservedly so. But I think Clayborn at least belongs in the conversation at this point. This guy is showing up every week and getting better. So is second-year defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. It might not be too long before Tampa Bay has one of the league’s better defensive lines.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Matt Bosher, punter/kickoff specialist, Falcons. The rookie has struggled mightily. But at least for the moment, it appears as if the Falcons will stick with him. They invested a draft pick in Bosher, so they may be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But this team can’t afford too many more 18-yard punts like the one Bosher had Sunday night. If things don’t straighten out quickly, he could be gone.

2. Thomas Davis, linebacker, Panthers. This one’s tragic. Davis tore his ACL for the third time in less than two years. He’s a great player and an outstanding locker room guy. But Davis’ contract is structured so that the Panthers have the right to exercise an option for the remainder of the deal on the first two days of the 2012 league year. There’s an $8 million bonus tied to that option. I can’t see any way the Panthers pick up that option now.

3. Thomas DeCoud, safety, Falcons. Atlanta started veteran James Sanders in DeCoud’s place Sunday night. That came after DeCoud had struggled throughout the preseason and in the season opener. He still got some playing time against the Eagles, but didn’t do anything outstanding. Sometimes benching a young player can serve as a wakeup call. But if Sanders is a steady influence in the secondary, DeCoud might just fade away.

RISING

1. Peria Jerry, defensive tackle, Falcons. During the preseason, the Falcons talked a lot about how they had seen bursts of explosiveness from their first-round pick in 2009. Jerry’s career had been stalled by a knee injury in his rookie season. But we all got to see one of those bursts Sunday night. He blew past a blocker and hit Michael Vick before he could hand off. Jerry’s hit forced a fumble that defensive end Ray Edwards picked up and returned a long way to help set up an Atlanta touchdown.

2. Jimmy Graham, tight end, Saints. He had six catches for 79 yards against the Bears. With top receiver Marques Colston out with an injury, Graham is giving the Saints a presence in the middle of the field. He also is showing incredible raw athletic ability and should only get better as his first season as a starter goes on.

3. LeGarrette Blount, running back, Buccaneers. After barely using Blount in the opener, the Bucs kept him involved against the Vikings. He carried 13 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Just imagine what this guy could do with 20 or 25 carries.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. The “hot’’ coordinators in the NFC South. New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Greg Olson all got outcoached badly in their openers. These are guys whose names come up in conversations when you talk about potential head coaches. If they keep coaching this way, they’ll stay as assistants.

2. Tampa Bay’s pass rush. The Bucs have known for a couple of years they needed to get better on the defensive line. That’s why they drafted tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price in the first two rounds in 2010 and ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers this year. It didn’t make a bit of difference Sunday. The Bucs didn’t record a sack and allowed Matthew Stafford to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns.

3. New Orleans coach Sean Payton. There was a time when there was no room to question Payton’s play calling. But fans started doing it after his decision to run rookie Mark Ingram and take the ball out of Drew Brees' hands on the final play of Thursday night’s loss to Green Bay. New Orleans fans are passionate and they’ve been spoiled by success the past couple of seasons. If the Saints get off to a slow start, they’ll start questioning Payton’s decision to move his family to Dallas.

RISING

1. Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney. Who’s making a huge mistake now? Not Hurney. Although fans and some members of the media said Hurney was asking for catastrophic results if he drafted Cam Newton with the No. 1 overall pick, that suddenly is looking like a very smart move. Yeah, Hurney also drafted Jimmy Clausen and Armanti Edwards. But if Newton’s record-setting debut is any indication of the future, he’s going to make things a lot brighter for Hurney and the entire organization.

2. The possibility of a Week 4 local television blackout in Tampa Bay. That’s the "Monday Night Football" game against the Indianapolis Colts. Once upon a time, it was thought the presence of Peyton Manning would guarantee a sellout at Raymond James Stadium. Now, Manning’s hurt. Speaking of hurting, the Bucs’ performance in the opener isn’t going to help sell many tickets.

3. Atlanta owner Arthur Blank. Could he have known about or prevented Michael Vick's downfall in Atlanta? It’s possible. But that’s the past and Vick and Blank made their peace long ago. That will make things a lot smoother Sunday night when Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles come to Atlanta. Blank kept in touch with Vick while he was in prison and told commissioner Roger Goodell he believed the quarterback deserved another shot in the NFL. The game between the Eagles and Falcons might bring back memories, but it’s not a grudge match.

We won’t start our leaguewide Stock Watch feature until next week. But I’m going to go ahead and do one for the NFC South this week because we have more than enough to work with.

FALLING

Aqib Talib, cornerback, Buccaneers. We’re starting his stock low because he had a turbulent offseason and he’s going to be under the microscope. This guy can’t afford a wrong move on or off the field. He’s got to stay focused on football and get his career on a good path.

Mike Peterson, linebacker, Falcons. All indications are the veteran has lost his starting job to Stephen Nicholas, who got a big contract to stay with the team. Peterson re-signed for the veteran minimum and Nicholas got first-team work throughout the preseason. But the good news is Peterson’s the kind of guy who can handle a backup role and be a mentor. He also still might be able to step in and play a little bit, if needed.

John Kasay, kicker, Saints. He starts off the season on the hot seat after missing a field goal and an extra point in his preseason debut with New Orleans. Released by Carolina earlier this summer, Kasay’s a proven veteran who has made many big kicks throughout his career. He was signed to fill in while Garrett Hartley is out with a hip injury. But coach Sean Payton isn’t the most patient guy in the world when it comes to kickers, so Kasay better get on track in a hurry.

RISING

Garrett Reynolds, guard, Falcons. He won the starting job at right guard by beating out Mike Johnson. This is a chance for Reynolds to pave the way to a nice, long career. He’ll be playing next to right tackle Tyson Clabo and that will help. Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau is a master at working with guys who were drafted late or not at all and turning them into reliable players.

Sione Fua and Terrell McClain, defensive tackles, Panthers. Ready or not, the two rookies are going to play extensively. The Panthers tried to buy them some time by signing free agent Ron Edwards, but he got hurt. The Panthers tried a few other veterans, but they either couldn’t play or were hurt. The Panthers are just going to have to throw McClain and Fua out there and hope they grow up in a hurry.

Julio Jones, receiver, Falcons. We’re going to start this rookie’s stock very high because that’s exactly what the Falcons have done in the preseason. They’ve showcased their first-round draft pick, throwing to him often and letting him run reverses. You generally like to save those things as surprises for the regular season. But my guess is the Falcons wanted to go ahead and make opposing defenses very aware of Jones because that may free things up for some other offensive players.

We won't officially start our Stock Watch feature until the regular season. But there's plenty going on right now, so let's give you an unofficial preseason version of Stock Watch.

FALLING

Aubrayo Franklin, defensive tackle, Saints. There was a buzz early in camp about Franklin and Shaun Rogers, who both were added to help the Saints get stronger in the middle. Hopes remain high that Franklin will have a big impact, but those hopes might have to wait a bit. Franklin has a sprained knee and could miss a little time at the start of the season.

The Falcons and their Super Bowl chances. Veteran Sports Illustrated writer Peter King has picked the Falcons to win the Super Bowl. That may be music to the ears of fans. But, believe me, it’s not what coach Mike Smith wants to hear. Like a lot of coaches, the guy is very superstitious and probably thinks his team has been jinxed. I've seen and heard Smith plead with writers not to pick his team to win the Super Bowl or the division. On the bright side, King was right last year when he picked Green Bay and Pittsburgh to reach the Super Bowl.

Corvey Irvin, defensive tackle, Panthers. A third-round draft pick in 2009, Irvin continues to be listed as a starter on the depth chart the Panthers sent out for their final preseason game. But Irvin is in jeopardy of not even making the 53-man roster. The Panthers thought they had improved themselves a lot at defensive tackle when they signed free-agent Ron Edwards. But he’s going to miss the season with an injury. The team also used a pair of third-round picks to get Terrell McClain and Sione Fua. The rookies could end up starting right away. The Panthers recently picked up Kentwan Balmer and they’re probably not done yet. They’ll keep an eye on who becomes available elsewhere because they’re not sold on Irvin.

RISING

Michael Bennett, defensive end, Buccaneers. The team used its top two draft picks on defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers. The Bucs remain high on both, but Bennett has been a star this preseason. He likely will start opposite Clayborn and Bowers and will be used as a situational pass rusher at the start of the season.

Joe Hawley, center, Falcons. Veteran Todd McClure had what the team called a minor procedure on his knee. It’s unknown if McClure will be ready for the opener. If he’s not, the Falcons likely will have to start Hawley, a second-year pro. Hawley hasn’t looked great in preseason games, but he was drafted last year to be McClure’s eventual replacement. The Falcons haven’t gone out and added a veteran, so they must believe Hawley can step up if given the chance.

Cameron Jordan, defensive end, Saints. New Orleans had been bringing the first-round pick along slowly. But the coaching staff must have liked what it saw out of Jordan in practice. The team made a bold move Tuesday by releasing veteran starter Alex Brown. He was a dependable player with plenty of experience, but the Saints must believe Jordan has more upside.