NFC North Preview

The NFC North has to be the most interesting division in the NFL this year because there are so many question marks with each team.

Green Bay Packers

We begin with the defending division champions, the Packers.

This team was involved in the biggest story of the offseason with the Brett Favre saga.

Now that Brett has moved on to the Jets, that leaves the Packers with a question mark at quarterback.

Coach Mike McCarthy gambled what could be his job in the young arm of Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron has one touchdown and 218 yards to his young NFL resume.

He saw action last year against Minnesota, where he went 2-for-2 for 17 yards and then saw large action against Dallas when Brett went down with an injury.

In that game, he played very well, going 18-for-26 for 207 yards and his first ever NFL touchdown.

Rodgers has played decently in the preseason, throwing two scores and one pick, but he has been sacked seven times in three games.

He stays in the pocket too long at times, but that can be corrected.

The one thing that Rodgers brings to the table that could be a positive is that he will not bring the bad decisions that Brett seemed to risk.

Brett would gamble a lot, and that would bring interceptions to the team, which could be costly, a prime example being the NFC Championship Game, where he threw a pick that set-up the Giants' overtime score.

Now, I'm not saying that Brett isn't a great quarterback; he is. But it could be a positive. Ryan Grant, last year, came on as a huge surprise, rushing for 956 yards and eight scores.

He is back this season, a year stronger and wiser, and should pass the 1,000-yard mark and help take the pressure off Rodgers.

The Packers have also found a good second weapon in rookie Lumpkin.

Lumpkin has picked up 126 yards and one score while averaging 4.5 yards a carry.

These two backs will have to take the pressure off of Rodgers.

Catching passes from Rodgers will be Driver (82 catches with two scores), Jennings (53 catches with 12 scores), and newfound target Martin, who is having a good preseason.

The defense comes into the season knowing that they will need to have a big season for the success of the Packers. Woodson is back to control the right corner, and Harris back for the other.

The defense has only been able to sack the opposing quarterback once in the preseason, while allowing 917 yards in just three games.

The defense will need to step it up this season.

The Packers open the season against four teams that are playoff worthy in Minnesota, Detroit, Dallas, and Tampa Bay.

They are not strong enough to beat Dallas, and Tampa might be able to overpower them.

Detroit and Minnesota are toss-ups, as both are up-and-coming teams.

So, with that said, the Packers should start the season, at worse, 2-2.

They should easily handle Atlanta to move to 3-2, but then they face the Colts and Seahawks.

The Packers will finish 9-7 this year, but they could do worse if Rodgers fails to lead this team.

Minnesota Vikings

The success of the Vikings will depend on that of their quarterback.

Tarvaris Jackson threw nine scores with 12 picks last year in an injury-shortened season.

This season, the Vikings are saying that he has improved greatly, but he was injured again in the preseason, which means that Gus Frerotte steps in.

If he fails, then the other quarterback on the roster is rookie John David Booty from USC.

He has had a decent preseason, completing 58.6 percent of his passes, throwing zero scores but two picks.

Second-year star Adrian Peterson comes back after a great rookie campaign in which he picked up 1,314 yards and 12 scores and has looked good in the preseason.

The Vikings have a good one-two punch, with Chester Taylor spelling Peterson.

He picked up 844 yards last year with seven scores. 

Catching passes will be former Chicago Bear Bernard Berrian (71 catches and five scores), Bobby Wade (54 catches and three scores), Sideny Rice (31 catches and four scores), and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

After Bernard Berrian, the receivers fall off and will need to have a great season if the Vikings have any hope of making progress.

The defense will need to pick up its play to give the Vikings a chance if the offense struggles.

Darren Sharper comes back to anchor the defense after a 63 tackle, one sack, four-interception 2007 season.

Madieu Williams came over from the Bengals, bringing his 74 tackles, two sacks, and two picks.

The defense has picked up in the offseason.

The Vikings have a rather hard schedule, playing the Indianapolis Colts in Week Two.

They could finish off 9-7, depending on the quarterback play. 

Detroit Lions

This could be the surprise of the season in the NFC North.

The Lions finished 2007 with a record of 7-9, their best in recent years.

There were several encouraging things to take from the 7-9 record, including the play of Kitna and the receivers.

This could be a big year for the Lions.

The quarterback play rests on the shoulders of 12-year pro John Kitna.

He threw 18 touchdowns last year, with 20 interceptions.

He has to limit his mistakes and stop forcing throws; this will give his team a chance for more victories.

The Lions released Kevin Jones, making the Lions start either rookie Smith or vet Bell (182 yards, one score).

The Lions are very thin at running back, and that could really hurt them if Kitna has to shoulder the load.

The backs will have to show that they can move the offense in the right direction.

Catching passes from Kitna will be second-year standout Calvin Johnson (48 catches and four scores), Roy Williams (64 catches and five scores), and Mike Furrey (61 catches and one score).

The Lions will have to get more production out of their receivers if they want to get more wins this year.

The defense will have to be more productive if they want more wins this year as well.

They suffered a huge offseason loss on the defensive line in the departure of DT Rodgers.

To fill his place, in steps eighth-year pro Chuck Darby.

Chick Darby had 12 tackles and one-half sack in 2007 with the Seattle Seahawks and has had a decent preseason so far with three tackles.

He will have to be more productive in stopping the run this year.

At the other tackle spot is Cody Redding, who had only 37 tackles and one sack in 2007.

The line is a huge question mark for the Lions; they will have to play harder and make more plays in 2008 if the team has any chance of a playoff push.

Kelly steps in from Tampa to upgrade the corner position for the Lions. He had two interceptions in 2007.

At the other corner is Fisher, who had a solid year in 2007 when he recorded 78 tackles and two picks.

The defense is a very young unit, and the team will do only as well as they play. The Lions start the season against Atlanta, Green Bay, and the 49ers—all teams searching for a identity.

I doubt that they will beat the Packers, but they should go 2-1 to open the year.

The Lions could finally get to the .500 mark, but I don't see them being ready to challenge for a divisional crown just yet.

They should finish 8-8.

Chicago Bears

Benched is quarterback Rex Grossman, and in his place is Kyle Orton.

Orton started for the Bears in 2005, throwing 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

He got his latest action last season after Rex Grossman got injured, and Orton threw two touchdowns and three interceptions in the final three games of the year.

He has had a whale of a preseason, throwing 2 touchdowns and no picks and only getting sacked once.

He has to move the ball if the Bears want to be a force in this division.

Catching Orton's passes will be Booker (50 catches and one score), and ex-Redskin Brandon Lloyd, who looks to fill the shoes of Chicago's two outstanding receivers they let slip away in free agency.

They also have little-known Rashied Davis, who caught two touchdowns last week against the 49ers.

They look to be a little thin at receiver, with several younger players at the position.

At running back stands their second-round pick, Matt Forte from Tulane, ex-Lion Kevin Jones, second-year back Garrett Wolfe, and Adrian Peterson, who had a disappointing 2007 season, only getting 510 yards and three scores.

The offense will have to find a way to use the weapons they have to get points.

The defense is an aging one for the Bears.

Lead by All Pro MLB Brian Urlacher, who had a career year in 2007 with 123 tackles, five sacks, and five picks.

Next to him at the LB position is Lance Briggs, who had 102 tackles and two sacks, and on the weak side is Hillenmeyer, who had 78 tackles in 2007.

Up front is DT Tommie Harris, who only recorded 36 tackles and eight sacks. He will need to get more pressure up front for this defense to have any success.

The secondary could be a problem for the Bears.

Charles Tillman is the real anchor of the group, with 75 tackles and three sacks last season.

McGowan recorded the second-best stats in the secondary, with 68 tackles and two picks.

The Bears open the season with a very hard game against the Colts. I believe the Colts just have too much firepower and will beat the Bears in the Super Bowl XLI rematch.

The Bears should finish the season 10-6, unless the offense plays great football; then they could add two more wins to that total.

NFC NORTH PREDICTIONS

Chicago Bears 10-6

Green Bay Packers 9-7

Minnesota Vikings 9-7

Detroit Lions 8-8