Since its creation, the NFC South has followed the same worst-to-first trend every year. For that to continue the Atlanta Falcons would have to win an improbable division title. In other words, say good bye to that trend.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds

The Buccaneers were a surprising division champion last year after going 9-7. Despite rumors that Brett Favre was heading to Tampa Bay in the offseason it never happened, so Jeff Garcia will once again man the ship.

Earnest Graham will begin the season as the starting running back after putting up great numbers in place of the injured Michael Bennett last season. Tampa Bay's aging receivers are another year older, and one has to wonder how much longer Joey Galloway can run on his fragile hamstrings.

The Tampa Bay defense is also coming off a surprisingly strong year, but they're also showing their age with Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber getting up there in years. At , the Bucs are a +200 underdog to repeat as division champs, while their win total was set at eight.

Carolina Panthers Odds

The Panthers suffered through a number of injuries and had underachieving stars last season to fall below .500 to 7-9. Jake Delhomme went down early with an injured elbow, and the passing game went with him.

He'll need to bounce back strong to get the offense rolling again. Steve Smith is still the go-to guy, but he'll miss the first two weeks of the season for his sucker punch on Ken Lucas. Carolina signed D.J. Hackett to add some depth to the receiving corps, but he may also miss the beginning of the season with a nagging toe injury.

Look for DeAngelo Williams to handle the bulk of the rushing duties at first, but rookie Jonathan Stewart could supplant him if he performs well. One of the biggest disappointments for the Panthers last season was defensive superstar Julius Peppers. Considered one of the best defensive players in the league, Peppers recorded only 2.5 sacks in 14 games.

That was the lowest total of his career. Peppers has been dynamite in the preseason, so he could be in for a big rebound season. The oddsmakers still have some confidence in Carolina after listing them at +250 in the division, while their win total was set at eight.

New Orleans Saints Odds

The Saints were a Super Bowl pick for many experts last season, but they stumbled to a 7-9 record and missed the playoffs. The offense was still very strong behind QB Drew Brees, and he could be in for an even better season with Jeremy Shockey lined up with Marques Colston.

The running game is what really needs some work, since Reggie Bush failed to carry the load last season after Deuce McAllister went down. McAllister is back, but he may need some time to return to his old self after another knee surgery. The Saints also need a lot of work on defense after giving up a ton of points and a ton of yards on a consistent basis last season.

If the defense fails to show at least some improvement it may not matter how good the offense is. At , the Saints are a +120 favorite to return to the top of the division, while they're a +8000 underdog to win the conference.

Atlanta Falcons Odds

The Falcons were a team in turmoil last season, and they showed it by going 4-12. There will be a number of new faces on offense this season, including rookie QB Matt Ryan behind center.

Ryan has already been named the starter ahead of Chris Redman, but he can't be expected to work miracles and turn things around right away in Atlanta. At running back Michael Turner was signed away from San Diego, and he will finally get to show what he can do out from under LaDainian Tomlinson's shadow.

Even with the changes Atlanta is still a huge +1800 underdog in the division at , while their win total was set low at 4.5. That's a huge payoff if that old NFC South trend continues, but don't hold your football betting breath.