Tiki Barber — NBC’s Football Night in America

New Orleans Saints
The big key for them will be their defense. It was awful last year. The secondary needed to be addressed and the linebacking corps needed to get younger and more athletic. They have addressed those issues, and if Jon Vilma can get back to where he was before his knee injury he is a significant upgrade. The Saints offense is as good as any in the league. It’s running back-by-committee but they really need Reggie Bush to become the consistent runner they thought he would be when they drafted him. Their receiving corps is very solid with Marcus Colston and David Patten as the leaders of the group. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are in a class of their own, but Drew Brees leads the next batch of QB’s who are just a step below. Remember this team was in the NFC championship game two years ago. The NFC South is weak and nine victories could win the division.

Keyshawn Johnson — ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown

Philadelphia Eagles
That is, if they have a healthy Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook. This team traditionally comes on strong toward the end of the season. They brought in Asante Samuel and a couple of other key players in free agency. Philadelphia’s receiving corps has struggled a little bit, but they always struggle. They went to the Super Bowl without a receiving corps. That year, Terrell Owens was not a factor in the playoffs. They rode through the playoffs without a dominant receiver, so I don’t see why they can’t do it again. They have solidified their pass defense with the addition of Samuel, so they can match him up against Plaxico Burress when they play the Giants and T.O. when they play the Cowboys. That is a major plus. I like the fact that they have finished strong the last couple of years. Even though they missed the playoffs last season, the Eagles have some momentum going into this season.

Cris Carter — ESPN analyst

Seattle Seahawks
They have the lethal combination—experienced coach (Mike Holmgren) and quarterback (Matt Hasselbeck) —and both are more than capable. When you have that combination, you have a great chance for success. They are also in the easiest division. They could run up a bunch of wins and upset one of the teams that is considered to be a favorite. Their defense should get back to the level they were at a couple of years ago—Mike Holmgren’s swan song. They could create some magic. They play in a building where it’s tough to win. These are all things that will benefit them.