NFC North: A Preview of the 2012 NFL Season

The NFC North doesn't exactly lack talent. The Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions all are teams very much in playoff talk for many, while the Minnesota Vikings currently are in rebuilding mode.

The Packers fell short of their second straight Super Bowl bid after a tough loss to the Giants, while the Lions were smashed by the Saints in their first playoff game since 2000. The Bears missed the playoffs due to a late-season collapse, thanks in part to injuries to Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and an especially gruesome injury to Johnny Knox. The Vikings dealt with growing pains, having Christian Ponder start for most of his rookie season.

So the question is, will the Packers retain dominance over the division, or will the Bears, Lions or Vikings take over?

4. Minnesota Vikings

2011 Record: 3-13

Projected 2012 Record: 4-12

You would never think that the Vikings were one game away from the Super Bowl two seasons ago, the way they've played in the past two seasons. With their star running back coming back from an ACL injury and having just 14 of 22 starters returning, just how will the Vikings fare?

Christian Ponder enters his first season as the full-time starter at quarterback. He was very inconsistent and will have to improve on his decision-making if he wants the team to be behind him.

Still, I feel some are being a little too rough on Ponder. Considering how the Vikings had no real go-to receiver last year and one of the weakest offensive lines I've ever seen, Ponder wasn't completely terrible. If anything were to happen to Ponder, the Vikings have two solid backups in Joe Webb, who is a great athlete, and Sage Rosenfels, who has been a great fill-in when needed throughout his career.

The Vikings expect Adrian Peterson to be ready to start the season opener, which would mean he'd return to the field just over eight months after tearing his ACL. He even may be ready to return to practice next week. It'd be smarter for them to let him sit for longer than that for good measure, as backup Toby Gerhart has proven to be effective as the starter.

The Vikings brought in Jerome Simpson to take over the void at the No. 1 receiver spot that no one really wanted to take a hold of. The electric Percy Harvin will be at the No. 2 spot. It was expected that Greg Childs would be in the mix for playing time, but after tearing both of his knees, the Vikings waived him.

Expect Devin Aromashodu to play the slot, although he could steal the No. 2 spot from Harvin. Kyle Rudolph will be the main tight end, after longtime Viking Jim Kleinsasser retired.

After releasing both starting guards Steve Hutchinson and Anthony Herrera, the two guard spots are wide open. Geoff Schwartz is the favorite to start at right guard after missing all of last year with a hip injury, while Charlie Johnson has switched to left guard and is likely the starter there. Matt Kalil, the fourth overall pick in April's draft and the younger brother of Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil, will take the blindside spot at tackle.

Jared Allen led the league last season with 22 sacks and has shown no signs of slowing down. Across from him is Brian Robison, who finished second with eight sacks of his own and proved that he can be an every-down player. Behind them is Everson Griffen, who is an extremely athletic situational rusher. LeTroy Guion is favored to start at the nose tackle position. Kevin Williams returns as the starter, and while he isn't as good as he once was, he's still a dominant lineman.

After losing E.J. Henderson to free agency, the Vikings are extremely thin at linebacker. Erin Henderson was signed to a one-year deal, meaning that the Vikings may not have too much faith in him, even after a promising season last year.

Chad Greenway is the only proven starter, as he's led the team in tackles each of the past three seasons. Jasper Brinkley takes over as the starter in the middle after missing all of last season with a hip injury.

The Vikings had one of the worst secondaries in the league last season, intercepting a league-low eight passes and finishing 26th against the pass. Drafting Harrison Smith won't fix the whole problem, but he more than likely will start, considering the lack of depth they have at safety. Antoine Winfield may be on his last legs at the age of 35. Chris Cook returns to man the other corner position, but are his legal troubles finally behind him?

The Vikings are a complete mess. Playing in the NFC North doesn't at all help matters, and I just can't see this team winning many games. Team owner/chairman Zygi Wilf is delusional if he seriously thinks that this team can win the division over the Packers, Bears and Lions.

3. Detroit Lions

2011 Record: 10-6

Projected 2012 Record: 9-7

The Lions were not satisfied with their season last year, despite the fact it was the first time that they made the playoffs since 1999, and they shouldn't be. At least they know how good they really are.

The question is, will they fall off from last year, or will they keep their foot on the pedal?

Matthew Stafford had a huge season, to say the least, throwing for 5,038 yards, 41 touchdowns and four comeback drives. He also played through an ankle injury and fractured index finger. He finally proved that he can be an elite quarterback in the NFL.

How will that translate into this season?

Jahvid Best still hasn't been cleared to return after concussion problems last season, and Mikel Leshoure a hamstring injury in camp. Kevin Smith may end up being the starting running back, but he has the same issues as Best and Leshoure with injuries. Honestly, the Lions might as well throw the ball on every play this season.

Calvin "Megatron" Johnson absolutely balled out last season, putting up 16 touchdowns and 1,681 receiving yards. However, the only concern I have with him is that he is on the cover of Madden. (I'm a Titans fan. Eddie George and Vince Young both had terrible seasons when they were on the cover, so forgive me for being just a little superstitious.)

Titus Young and Nate Burleson are also solid receivers as well. The Lions hope that rookie Ryan Broyles will have the same impact. Brandon Pettigrew had a productive season but needs to get better with both catching and consistency in blocking.

All five Lions starters return on the offensive line, and all five of them stayed healthy the whole season. Gosder Cherilus finally proved his worth of a first-round pick in 2008, even after starting off slow last season. Dominic Raiola is the leader of the group and has no signs of slowing down. Expect Riley Reiff to take over for right tackle Jeff Backus (age 35) at some point.

The Lions are very deep on the defensive line, but injuries and character issues really have damaged this unit. Kyle Vanden Bosch had a huge season, getting eight sacks and forcing four fumbles. Cliff Avril led the team with 11 sacks and looks to do more of the same in a franchise season. Ndamukong Suh was disappointing last year and will have to improve on his sack total and avoid personal foul penalties.

Stephen Tulloch is probably the best player on defense after leading the team in tackles last season. Justin Durant had a solid first season in Detroit as well and looks to continue to bring an explosive force on the outside, while DeAndre Levy should improve on a shaky season last year.

Louis Delmas, who missed the last five regular-season games due to injury, most likely will miss the whole preseason. According to NFL.com, he should be for ready Week 1, but if not, the Lions could turn to Erik Coleman or John Wendling. Chris Houston is the only proven starting cornerback, with Aaron Berry being cut due to legal issues.

Overall, the Lions are a playoff-caliber team, but playing in the NFC North is never easy. They will compete with Chicago and Green Bay and definitely will be in there in the wild-card race.

2. Chicago Bears

2011 Record: 8-8

Projected 2012 Record: 11-5

Out of all the teams in the division, the Chicago Bears are undoubtedly the most improved. With their team healthy and new additions to the offense, can the Bears finally pull it together?

Jay Cutler was missed after his injury towards the late part of last season, and it hurt the Bears. The team just did not click with one-hit wonder Caleb Hanie leading the squad, and while it did get better with Josh McCown, it wasn't anywhere near how it was with Cutler.

Cutler's accuracy and decision-making still leave a lot to be desired, but that's not all his fault. Expect Cutler to have an improved season if he stays healthy.

With his injury and contract issues behind him, Matt Forte finally can once again focus on football. Forte nearly got to 1,000 yards rushing before suffering a season-ending knee injury against the Chiefs last season. He's probably the most talented running back in the NFL, in terms of both rushing and receiving. They signed Michael Bush for insurance, and he should get a few carries in every game.

Brandon Marshall was a huge addition. Having played with Cutler for two seasons in Denver, Marshall should be poised for another huge season. Devin Hester won't always put huge stats up, but his speed will continue to stretch the field. Earl Bennett is the best possession receiver on the team. I highly doubt Johnny Knox will be ready to play this season after that stomach-wrenching hit he took last season, so the Bears will have to make due without him.

The Bears offensive line needs to improve. They allowed 49 sacks last season, and they didn't help Cutler's development too much when he was healthy. If Gabe Carimi heals well from his knee surgery, he should be a solid tackle in the league. Chris Williams and J'Marcus Webb must improve after both of them struggled last year.

The Bears boast a pretty deep defensive line. Julius Peppers is still a great pass-rusher even at his age and should continue in that regard this season. Converted defensive tackle Henry Melton was inconsistent last season, but he did have some stretches of success. Look for Stephen Paea to have more of a role on the line after a pretty solid rookie season.

Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs both were ball hawks as usual last season. Their ages may start to become a factor, and I'm sure they'd both like to win a Super Bowl sooner than later. Nick Roach, who is solid at the other outside linebacker position, should get some competition from newly acquired Geno Hayes.

The Bears were 28th in the league against the pass. Major Wright may end up losing his job after being inconsistent for the past two seasons. Charles "Peanut" Tillman is still solid at the age of 31, and Tim Jennings is as feisty as they come at the cornerback position. Chris Conte had a promising rookie campaign and should look to improve off of that.

The Bears certainly have the talent to make a playoff run, but if they can't stay healthy, they will be eaten alive by the Packers and Lions. They are running out of time. The time is now for Cutler and Company to make a huge impact in the NFC.

1. Green Bay Packers

2011 Record: 15-1

Projected 2012 Record: 13-3

The Packers finished with the league's best record last season, but they were one-and-done in the playoffs, losing to the Giants. Not only that, but they also finished last in passing defense and total defense.

If the Packers want any chance of returning to the Super Bowl, they will have to improve defensively.

It goes without saying that Aaron Rodgers is an elite quarterback. Without Matt Flynn, however, the Packers could be in huge trouble if he gets injured, with Graham Harrell the only other returning quarterback.

With Ryan Grant gone, James Starks takes over the starting running back position. He dealt with a plethora of injuries last season, and I don't expect him to do much better this season. Alex Green showed promise before blowing his ACL out last October.

When it comes to depth, the Packers are very strong as far as receivers go. Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson make up one of the top receiver duos in the league. Randall Cobb didn't make too many receptions, but he has big-play potential written all over him.

James Jones is a rotational player, but he still can get the job done. Donald Driver isn't a lock to make the team for possibly the first time in his career. Jermichael Finley must return to his 2009 form after a quiet 2011 season.

Signing Jeff Saturday to replace Scott Wells is a questionable move, considering how on Saturday he will be 37. Bryan Bulaga will start at right tackle, and 2011 first-round pick Derek Sherrod will have to battle Marshall Newhouse to get the left tackle spot. Newhouse had a great season and could hold off Sherrod for the starting job. T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton man the guard spots.

Rookie Jerel Worthy looks to start at end opposite of B.J. Raji, who, although dominant when he plays, needs to improve his conditioning to remain an every-down player. Ryan Pickett mans the nose tackle position.

Clay Matthews was quiet last season, getting just six sacks, but he looks to improve on those numbers. D.J. Smith had a promising rookie season and could end up taking A.J. Hawk's starting spot. Desmond Bishop will man the other inside spot after leading the team in tackles. The other outside linebacker spot should belong to rookie Nick Perry, although Erik Walden and Frank Zombo could battle for the spot as well.

Losing Nick Collins to a career-ending neck injury is going to hurt Green Bay badly. Charlie Peprah wasn't very good in relief and will battle rookie Jerron McMillian for the safety position. Morgan Burnett will start opposite of either one.

Charles Woodson is 35 years old. He's not as fast or athletic as he once was, so Sam Shields will really have to step up this season to replace him in the future. Tramon Williams had another stellar season and is the best cover player on the team.

Green Bay has the personnel to be a dynasty. But with some of their key players getting up there in age and the loss of one of their best secondary players, will they reach the Super Bowl again?