NFC North 08 Preview

I'd just like to start a discussion topic for the NFC North fans and anyone who is interested.

Personally, I come from Minnesota, and the Vikes have mostly all the tools (except from QB, WR's are questionable) to win the NFC North Title. You've got Adrian Peterson (probably best back behind LT, though I believe he's better) and now you've got arguably the best D-Line in the whole league. With the acquisition of Bernard Berian at WR, the Vikings could have a deadly play action, with Jackson throwing it over the top to the speedy Berian. His speed is something I believe Brad Childress will take advantage of. Also, we've got Chester Taylor, an 1000 yard rusher 2 seasons ago, to back up Peterson.

Plus, Childress has to be more aggressive on the offensive play calling.

It'll really be a good year for the division though, plus a lot of adversity for Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers. He looked good in Dallas, but that's only one game.

Chicago to me looks like a mess. I don't really know what to expect from them, just because of all the turmoil down there.

Detroit will surpise people too, I think. They've got two good WR's, but in '07 they started off good but never got to Kitna's prediction of 10 wins. Remember that Lions fans?

Discuss all you'd like. :)

I think the Packers will be okay this season with the QB issue. Yes I am a Pack fan, but even then I don't think that Aaron Rodgers will make all these bonehead throws that Favre did. In the Dallas game Favre was going wild throwing balls everywhere but Rodgers comes in and makes the easy 5 yard throw that Jennings can then turn into a 50 yard play.

That being said, I agree the champion in that division will be either the Packers or the Vikings. The Vikings need a quarterback that can just throw the ball. I don't know if Jackson is the answer though. I do know that Childress can't waste all the talent he has at running back.

As for the Bears, wow, they are screwed up. They traded away a really good running back last year for an injury prone guy (who's name escapes me at the moment) and I believe he is not on the team anymore. The Bears will be horrible again, but probably still find out a way to beat the Packers again.

I don't know what to expect from the Lions. I guess they just need to not have another meltdown like last year.

I do know that Childress can't waste all the talent he has at running back.

channtheman1

So are you implying that he wasted it last year? If you are, then that itself is a stupid statement.

I'm just not understanding your point of view from that.

But if you're implying that they've done well with Adrian's talent so far, then yes, I agree.

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

yet the NFC north has the worst QBs in the NFL

:(

Regardless, I think the Bears D will be back to top form, they'll be ranked in the top-3 at the end of the season. The season could very well be like our 2005 season, were our defense dominated and won games while the offense did very little. If we get the injury bug yet again, see this team going 2-14.

The Vikings look like a playoff team from their very solid offseason, this is the one team I'd be afraid of in the NFC north, they have the potential to make it deep into the playoffs.

The Packers main concern is their QBs, and if Aaron Rodgers can step up and play decent, if he does they might be a playoff team as well.

The Lions are probably the worst team in the NFC north. That is all.

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

yet the NFC north has the worst QBs in the NFL

:(

Regardless, I think the Bears D will be back to top form, they'll be ranked in the top-3 at the end of the season. The season could very well be like our 2005 season, were our defense dominated and won games while the offense did very little. If we get the injury bug yet again, see this team going 2-14.

The Vikings look like a playoff team from their very solid offseason, this is the one team I'd be afraid of in the NFC north, they have the potential to make it deep into the playoffs.

The Packers main concern is their QBs, and if Aaron Rodgers can step up and play decent, if he does they might be a playoff team as well.

The Lions are probably the worst team in the NFC north. That is all.

usaaaaaa

While I agree with most of what you said, I think the Packers have the best QBs. Plus, the Vikings look very good, but I'm not sure if they could go "deep" into the playoffs. We'll have to see how well the offense does. The running game is there, but the passing game we don't know about yet. They have the talent, they just need to transfer it to the field.

[QUOTE="usaaaaaa"]

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

yet the NFC north has the worst QBs in the NFL

:(

Regardless, I think the Bears D will be back to top form, they'll be ranked in the top-3 at the end of the season. The season could very well be like our 2005 season, were our defense dominated and won games while the offense did very little. If we get the injury bug yet again, see this team going 2-14.

The Vikings look like a playoff team from their very solid offseason, this is the one team I'd be afraid of in the NFC north, they have the potential to make it deep into the playoffs.

The Packers main concern is their QBs, and if Aaron Rodgers can step up and play decent, if he does they might be a playoff team as well.

The Lions are probably the worst team in the NFC north. That is all.

Zeldaguy16

While I agree with most of what you said, I think the Packers have the best QBs. Plus, the Vikings look very good, but I'm not sure if they could go "deep" into the playoffs. We'll have to see how well the offense does. The running game is there, but the passing game we don't know about yet. They have the talent, they just need to transfer it to the field.

I think the Bears do. They have both started an entire season (both of which were winning seasons). All of the Packers QBs haven't started a game, Kitna is lol, and Travis Jackson is lol.

I'd rather be in the Bears QB position than any other NFC north team right now.

The vikes are probably the team to beat in the North. They have the best lines, and RB.

Packers should be solid, but I would like to see how Rogers does.

Lions are well....the Lions. They won't do anything.

The Bears D and special teams will carry them once again. If they do anything it'll be because of those two things. Their WRs are awful, so are their QBs.

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

usaaaaaa

Wow, is this a serious statement? Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, and two no names? I'd put Kitna and Rodgers ahead of those guys. As far as the Packers losing Favre, we wont be 13-3 again. But i see 10-6. Rodgers will perform well.

The favorite without a doubt is Minnesota, simply because of the fact that they have the familar faces from last year. Of course they added Berrian, they have an electrifying back in Peterson, and solid lines. However, Tavaris Jackson could screw up the whole formula with his extremely shoddy and inconsistent play. The fact that Minnesota did absolutely nothing to solidify that position over the free agency/draft period shocked me. Even if they go 9-7 and make it to the playoffs, if Jackson can't get it together, look for them to be one and done. Now some people may say "Don't go so hard on him, he's young." Well, when you put nothing behind the guy at the QB position and make him start, the door is definitely open for criticism since the Vikings think he's their guy.

Of course Green Bay all depends on the QB position as well, hey, same with Chicago. This QB position is kinda useful, eh?

With the Lions you never know what you're gonna get, you could get the team that started 6-2 last year or the team that went 3-13 2 years ago.

[QUOTE="usaaaaaa"]

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

Doomtime

Wow, is this a serious statement? Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, and two no names? I'd put Kitna and Rodgers ahead of those guys. As far as the Packers losing Favre, we wont be 13-3 again. But i see 10-6. Rodgers will perform well.

Rodgers is the most inexperienced quaterback in the division. As hard as it is to say, Grossman is a much better QB than Rodgers.

[QUOTE="channtheman1"]

I do know that Childress can't waste all the talent he has at running back.

Zeldaguy16

So are you implying that he wasted it last year? If you are, then that itself is a stupid statement.

I'm just not understanding your point of view from that.

But if you're implying that they've done well with Adrian's talent so far, then yes, I agree.

What I mean is not that they wasted it, but that they could have put it to much better use with play actions and being more agressive through the air.

[QUOTE="Zeldaguy16"][QUOTE="channtheman1"]

I do know that Childress can't waste all the talent he has at running back.

channtheman1

So are you implying that he wasted it last year? If you are, then that itself is a stupid statement.

I'm just not understanding your point of view from that.

But if you're implying that they've done well with Adrian's talent so far, then yes, I agree.

What I mean is not that they wasted it, but that they could have put it to much better use with play actions and being more agressive through the air.

That's the passing game, not the running game. Also, it was Tavaris's first full year as a QB last year, and I expect him to be more polished this year.

[QUOTE="usaaaaaa"]

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

Doomtime

Wow, is this a serious statement? Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, and two no names? I'd put Kitna and Rodgers ahead of those guys. As far as the Packers losing Favre, we wont be 13-3 again. But i see 10-6. Rodgers will perform well.

Really? Rodgers, who's never started an NFL game, and Kitna who is..lol.

I know Grossman sucks, but he's the best the NFC north has right now, until one of the others proves themselves worthy of being the best worst QB in the league.

It'll be a great season, but the real competition will be between the Packers and the Vikings. The Bears window is almost closed. They will be better served to start Kyle Orton than Rex Grossman. Physically, Grossman is the best in the North, he has the best set of tools but has never really learned how to use them consistently, that's the boon of being a product of Spurrier, no matter who you were in Gainesville, you aren't going to be that guy in the NFL. Anybody remember Danny Wuerffel's career? Of course not, but he won a national title and a Heisman. Spurrier QB's don't get it done in the NFL. Anyway that is why I believe that with a defense that has lost a lot of spark, no running game and a hit and miss QB the Bears will compete with the Lion's for third place.

The Lion's also look ready to have another bad season. Losing Kevin Jones and Shaun Rogers is going to hurt more than Matt Millen thinks. Also I am of the opinion that Mike Martz was the primary reason that the Lions were in the early playoff discussions a year ago. Now their talking about a balanced attack but who the hell do they expect to get them yards on the ground, Tatum Bell? Give me a break. Kevin Smith could be something, but I doubt it will be so soon. I am done wishing this team well until they get rid of Matt Millen who has to be using blackmail to maintain his position.

The Vikings seem to be looking to be the Celtics of the NFL this year. They have certainly gone out and made some moves. Adding Jared Allen to their line is going to make them a monster defensively, it was the best move that they could have made. There should be several games when they will need only seventeen points or less to get a win. But of course there will be several others when teams manage to hang a few points on them and I have to wonder if Tavaris won't just blow it every time he is called upon to close up a deficit. You can only count on even the greatest running back so many times and then it falls to the team leader. Bernard Berrian will be incredibly valuable but only time will tell if Tavaris is going to get the ball out to him when it really matters.

Finally my prediction for division champs, the Greenbay Packers. Obviously the loss of Brett Favre is a kick in the teeth, but I believe in Aaron Rodgers and think he will be plenty effective running the same short passing game that Favre ran last year. If the worst should happen and Rodgers is terrible, I think that Brian Brohm would jump on the oppurtunity to be the succesor of Brett Favre, he is every bit as ready to play as Matt Ryan. As for other losses, Corey Williams will hurt, especially because Justin Harrell can't stay healthy and Thompson was counting on him to take on a bigger role. They'll miss Bubba Franks blocking, but he was no longer a big time receiving threat. The addition of Brandon Chillar will hopefully help to propel A.J. Hawk to be the gamebreaker he was at Ohio State, he's been solid and occasionally makes some big plays, but the Packers need him to be the force he was in college. I am looking for Atari Bigby to have a breakout year, he showed all kinds of star potential last year. Ryan Grant could push upwards of 1500 yards and take pressure off the passing game.

So here it is.

Packers 11-5

Vikings 10-6

Bears 7-9

Lions 4-12

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

yet the NFC north has the worst QBs in the NFL

:(

Regardless, I think the Bears D will be back to top form, they'll be ranked in the top-3 at the end of the season. The season could very well be like our 2005 season, were our defense dominated and won games while the offense did very little. If we get the injury bug yet again, see this team going 2-14.

The Vikings look like a playoff team from their very solid offseason, this is the one team I'd be afraid of in the NFC north, they have the potential to make it deep into the playoffs.

The Packers main concern is their QBs, and if Aaron Rodgers can step up and play decent, if he does they might be a playoff team as well.

The Lions are probably the worst team in the NFC north. That is all.

usaaaaaa

The bears have the best QBs in the nort??? Are you serious? Have you been watching them the past 20 years? I don't think they have ever had the best QB in that division. Crap John Kitna is better than all those QBs combined on the Bears and he is mediocre.

[QUOTE="Doomtime"][QUOTE="usaaaaaa"]

Bears have the best QBS in the NFC North.

usaaaaaa

Wow, is this a serious statement? Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, and two no names? I'd put Kitna and Rodgers ahead of those guys. As far as the Packers losing Favre, we wont be 13-3 again. But i see 10-6. Rodgers will perform well.

Really? Rodgers, who's never started an NFL game, and Kitna who is..lol.

I know Grossman sucks, but he's the best the NFC north has right now, until one of the others proves themselves worthy of being the best worst QB in the league.

No Kitna is way better than Grossman and if you say otherwise you are a blantant yahoo. Grossman can't even stay the starter for more than two to three games before Lovie gets sick to his stomach. Yes Kitna is horrible but he is better the Grossman by far, least he can stay the starter.

To say the least, the NFC North has a bunch of questionable Quarterbacks at this moment in time, and in my opinion Kitna and Grossman are both kind of wishy-washy. They're both hot and cold.

Plus to all those Kitna lovers out there, if he's better than Grossman why didn't his team make it to the 10 win prediction mark?

To say the least, the NFC North has a bunch of questionable Quarterbacks at this moment in time, and in my opinion Kitna and Grossman are both kind of wishy-washy. They're both hot and cold.

Plus to all those Kitna lovers out there, if he's better than Grossman why didn't his team make it to the 10 win prediction mark?

Zeldaguy16

Like I said in an earlier post in this topic he is mediocre thats why they didn't win 10 games and not all is his fault the rest of the team is a joke as well and so isn't matt millen why he is not out of a job is just unbelievable. Secondly the only reason Grossman even got to the superbowl had absolutely nothing to do with him at all, he was carried all the way with special teams and defense.

[QUOTE="Zeldaguy16"]

To say the least, the NFC North has a bunch of questionable Quarterbacks at this moment in time, and in my opinion Kitna and Grossman are both kind of wishy-washy. They're both hot and cold.

Plus to all those Kitna lovers out there, if he's better than Grossman why didn't his team make it to the 10 win prediction mark?

xscrapzx

Like I said in an earlier post in this topic he is mediocre thats why they didn't win 10 games and not all is his fault the rest of the team is a joke as well and so isn't matt millen why he is not out of a job is just unbelievable. Secondly the only reason Grossman even got to the superbowl had absolutely nothing to do with him at all, he was carried all the way with special teams and defense.

Grossman was also carried by his receivers, tight end, and running back. ( jones at the time)But they Lions have some impact players on D, and they also have a good receiver core.

As far as QBs, I think that as long as Kyle Orton is the starter and has a consistent chance to play, he will perform a lot better than people expect. Of course I am a Purdue fan :P but still watch out.

Even though Orton may shock people, he has no running game, so the Bears are still screwed. Like everyone else has said, it depends on the QBs for the Vikings and the Pack and who performs better.

Packers - It is all about Rogers, if he doesn't play well (and honestly I think people are going to expect too much from him) other teams will play the Packers far differently than when Farve was around... That could create some problems where what worked last year does not work well at all this year.

Vikings - If Jackson can stay healthy he has some better (upgraded from horrendous) receivers. Obviously they can run. The Defense now has a pass rusher. There's a lot of awesome there if they can put it together but like a lot of things in the NFL that involves as much luck (injuries) as skill.

Lions - They're the Lions.

Bears - Ownership continues to punish their fans with the QB spot like they've done something wrong.

Packers - It is all about Rogers, if he doesn't play well (and honestly I think people are going to expect too much from him) other teams will play the Packers far differently than when Farve was around... That could create some problems where what worked last year does not work well at all this year.

Vikings - If Jackson can stay healthy he has some better (upgraded from horrendous) receivers. Obviously they can run. The Defense now has a pass rusher. There's a lot of awesome there if they can put it together but like a lot of things in the NFL that involves as much luck (injuries) as skill.

Lions - They're the Lions.

Bears - Ownership continues to punish their fans with the QB spot like they've done something wrong.

duxup

I believe that the Bears will win the division. They ended last season with a spark and played some great football. They started off bad but hey, superbowl curse anyone?

Here is my predicted standings

1. Bears

2. Packers

3. Vikings

4. Lions

[QUOTE="duxup"]

Packers - It is all about Rogers, if he doesn't play well (and honestly I think people are going to expect too much from him) other teams will play the Packers far differently than when Farve was around... That could create some problems where what worked last year does not work well at all this year.

Vikings - If Jackson can stay healthy he has some better (upgraded from horrendous) receivers. Obviously they can run. The Defense now has a pass rusher. There's a lot of awesome there if they can put it together but like a lot of things in the NFL that involves as much luck (injuries) as skill.

Lions - They're the Lions.

Bears - Ownership continues to punish their fans with the QB spot like they've done something wrong.

msjr78

Oh yeah the ownership is doing it elsewhere, I just noted the QB in particular. Fact is they don't care about winning, their team is a cash cow. If they win that's just a bounus but they're not going to try.

I believe that the Bears will win the division. They ended last season with a spark and played some great football. They started off bad but hey, superbowl curse anyone?

Here is my predicted standings

1. Bears

2. Packers

3. Vikings

4. Lions

Jareally

Pfff LOL. I sorry, but thats an impossipality. I just made up a word!! Whoohoo!!

[QUOTE="Jareally"]

I believe that the Bears will win the division. They ended last season with a spark and played some great football. They started off bad but hey, superbowl curse anyone?

Here is my predicted standings

1. Bears

2. Packers

3. Vikings

4. Lions

Whiteghost09

Pfff LOL. I sorry, but thats an impossipality. I just made up a word!! Whoohoo!!

I think you are right now that I think about it but the bear might get into the playoffs as a wildcard, I somehow see the Vikings winning that division.

OK, I think we've officially discussed the NFC North. How bout making a topic about the NFC South??Whiteghost09

Go for it, you start it.

Gotcha