First Quarter Grades: NFC North

We are 1/4 of the way through the season. Here are the NFC North teams' grades through 4 games:

Green Bay Packers (4-0) - B+



The Packers are undefeated, but I definitely seem room for improvement. The pass defense in particular needs to get better. Granted, Pro Bowl Safety Nick Collins is out and Pro Bowl Corner Tramon Williams missed time too. I am hoping that with time this will improve. Aaron Rodgers and the offense have been stellar, special teams have not given anything glaring up (except the punt return TD in week 1 vs the Saints), and the offensive line has been surprisingly good.

Detroit Lions (4-0) - A-



The Stafford to Johnson combination has been unbelievable, and Ndomakong Suh and the Lions' front 4 are one of the best in the league. They are definitely in the playoff hunt as one of the 2 undefeated teams left in the NFL. They can't seem to get it going in the first half of a game though. They have had to come from behind in 3 of their 4 wins. But as i've said all season, this team's ability to win games hangs on Matt Stafford's ability to stay healthy. If he does, they'll be pushing the Pack in the division race at the end of the year.

Chicago Bears (2-2) - C



The bears still have a tough defense, and probably the best linebacking corps in the NFL. They also have the greatest return man in the game in Devin Hester and an elite running back in Matt Forte. But for some reason, the bears just can't figure out that Jay Cutler is not an elite QB. Forte finally got a bunch of touches against the Panthers and put up over 200 yards! Yet, I guarantee that next week Cutler will be slinging the ball all over the field (and by "all over the field" I mean to the players wearing the opposite color jersey) again...and I'll be happy about it.

Minnesota Vikings (0-4) - F



The Vikings still have Adrian Peterson...but that's about it. Percy Harvin is underutilized and is always bogged down by injuries. Donovan McNabb is washed up and doesn't fit the scheme. The offensive line is old and needs to be rebuilt. The defense is worse than the offense. They have been leading in 3 of the 4 games they have lost at halftime and have found ways to blow big leads. I'm happy to see the queens playing so poorly and I hope they trade AP and Percy to other teams to try to rebuild...and fail.

GO PACK!

Pre-Season Predictions

August is over, so is the preseason. It's less than a week until REAL football starts. So that means it's time for us to make our pre-season predictions.

PACKERS

The Pack return 21 out of 22 starters from the Super Bowl run of 2010. I believe that the loss of Cullen Jenkins will prove to be a mistake, but not a big enough one to lose the division. I predict that Rodgers shreds defenses with the help of JerMichael Finley, the running game is mildly improved (but not substantial), and the defense led by the Claymaker will be top 5 for the 3rd year in a row. Packers win the division with a record of 11-5.

LIONS

I was a believer in the Lions in 2010 and thought that they would finish ahead of the bears until Matthew Stafford went down for the season. This year there is a lot of hype surrounding the defense and Stafford's impressive pre-season performance. I think the Lions are on the verge of making a big splash in the NFL. They have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, but injuries have been their downfall. Even this pre-season they have lost their first 2 draft picks. If Stafford stays healthy, it will be a tight race (but not too tight) at the end of the season. I have the Lions finishing 2nd in the NFC North with a record of 9-7.

BEARS

I think this will be the year that the bears luck will catch up with them. They have historically had a better record than their ability and I find it difficult to believe that they can do it again this year. Cutler will be 2nd in the league in INTs only behind Eli Manning. And the new kickoff rule will kill the bears' field position and take Hester/Manning partially out of the game. Along with an aging defense, I think this will be the beginning of the decline of the bears. Opposing defenses will catch more touchdowns from Cutler than Roy Williams. The Bears finish 3rd in the North with a 7-9 record.

Vikings

The Queens are an intriguing team, but not really that intriguing. The acquisition of Donovan McNabb will bridge the gap between Brett Favre and QB-of-the-future Christian Ponder. The O-line has major problems, and the defense and receiving corps have big question marks. I see the vikings giving up on the playoffs just after midseason and handing the reigns to the rookie QB to gain experience. Last in the division at 5-11.

Those are my predictions for 2011. Make sure you have your brats, cheese curds, and Miller beer ready to go for next Thursday against the Saints. GO PACK!

Injuries and Penalties Plague Packers

It's been a couple of weeks since our last post, sorry to keep all of our loyal fans waiting. Anyway, it's been a disappointing sequence of events.

First the Pack loses a game that should have been a win due to careless mistakes (18 penalties and dropped interceptions).

Then they scrape by in a 28-26 win over the lowly Lions.

Ted Thompson misses out on the opportunity to trade for Marshawn Lynch.

Randy Moss rejoins the queens and gives He Who Must Not Be Named a big-time receiving target.

In the process, Nick Barnett (wrist) and Morgan Burnett (knee) are lost for the season. Brandon Chillar will also miss significant time with a shoulder injury.

That leaves us with a big hole at safety, and an even bigger hole at linebacker. Hopefully Atari Bigby can return from his stint on the PUP list in 2 weeks and provide some stability at Strong Safety, and AJ Hawk will need to prove that he is worth his 1st round draft status and big bucks he's earning this year. Desmond Bishop will fill in for Barnett. He is a solid replacement, but doesn't have the talent or leadership that Nick brings to the field.

The one bright spot in all of this is that the Bears lost to the Giants, Cutler was sacked 9 times (in the first half) and concussed. He will miss at least this weekend's game against the Panthers.

Hopefully backups can fill voids where they are needed (RB, ILB, Safety) and the offense can find a rhythm. Thankfully...we still have the bikini girls. GO PACK!

2010 NFC North Outlook

It's been an intriguing offseason, and the 2010 season is only 5 weeks away. Here's my take on the NFC North and what I believe will happen this year.

Minnesota - The Queens have shown more patience with He Who Must Not Be Named than the Pack did when he retired the first time. They essentially have put all of their eggs in his basket. I don't think there's any doubt that he will return for another season. Therefore, they are the team to beat this year.

Green Bay - The Pack are primed to have another great offensive showing in 2010. The o-line is beefed up with the addition of first round pick Bryan Bulaga and should give Aaron Rodgers a little more time to throw the ball which will hopefully lead to less sacks than last year. The defense, however, did not make any substantial moves to improve the secondary or pass rush. With Al Harris unlikely to return until midseason from reconstructive knee surgery and Johnny Jolly sippin' on his purple drank, we can only hope that the other guys can step up and play better than the D did against the Cards, Queens, and Steelers last year.

Detroit - The Lions are an interesting team. I think that Matt Stafford has potential, and he has one of the best WRs in the league in Calvin Johnson. I don't believe that they'll win more than a handful of games, but I do think that they will be improved and hopefully beat out da Bears for 3rd place in the division.

Chicago - Da Bears are relying on Jay Cutler to bounce back from the atrocious season he had in 2009. I don't see this happening. They didn't make any moves on receiving targets or offensive linemen to help him, and let's face it...Cutler is one of the most overrated QBs in the NFL. They did make a couple of moves that, although expensive, will make an impact on the team's performance. Chester Taylor will take some pressure off of Matt Forte if they give him the ball, and Julius Peppers will make their defensive line a little more impressive. I don't think that they have what it takes to turn the team around however.

So, that's my take and my prediction (assuming that You Know Who returns) - Queens, Pack, Lions, Bears in that order for the NFC North. Once the preseason starts, expect more updates. GO PACK!

Another Good Win, but 2 HUGE Losses

The Pack pulled out another great Conference win on Sunday vs the 49ers moving them 1 step closer to a playoff appearance. The big news coming from this weekend's game however is not good. OLB Aaron Kampman and more importantly CB Al Harris are out for the season with ACL tears. This is going to pose problems for what was a solid defensive unit. The trickle down effect is going to be the issue for the CBs. Tramon Williams is a solid CB and I believe that he will be a starter for years to come for the Pack, the problem is going to be our nickel and dime packages. Now Williams will be replaced by Jarrett Bush, Underwood (the rookie), or newly acquired Josh Bell. Bell is the most accomplished of the 3 having started 4 games in 2008 for the Denver Broncos, so I anticipate either he or Bush being the initial starter. I do like what i've seen from Underwood so far, but he's still a rookie and prone to make big mistakes which we cannot afford. Hopefully these 3 can form a rotation and be a suitable replacement for Williams. If they can't it takes something huge away from our defense...the ability for Charles Woodson to move aroudn the field as he has done over the past few weeks so successfully. It limits Dom Capers' ability to use him so liberally in blitz and coverage packages, which takes us back to where we were against the Vikings and Bengals. Let's hope for the best!

Kampman on the other hand is not as big of a loss. Although he is an effective pass rusher at times, he has not been nearly as successful in his OLB role as he was as a DE. Brad Jones has been effective in replacing him over the past 2 weeks, and i anticipate him to continue to play well. The return of Brady Poppinga and Brandon Chillar should make this transition easier as well. It's a good thing we play the lions this week!

Happy Thanksgiving...and GO PACK!

Optimism: Let's Give It a Try

Here's an interesing article from packersnews.com. I like the positive thoughts. Let's face it, we're 2-2, and bye week adjustments and the return of Atari Bigby could be the boost this Packer team needed to get back into the NFC North divisional race.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091015/PKR07/91015152/1058/PKR01&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

GO PACK!

Offseason Questions

This offseason has been plagued with questions. Will T.O. be the same in Buffalo as he has been everywhere else? What will happen with Plaxico Burress? Will Michael Vick have a future in the NFL? Will the Cardinals trade Anquan Boldin? Will Braylon Edwards stay in Cleveland? Will the Packers' new 3-4 defense be a good effective? Will the Jay Cutler trade be the beginning of a decent quarterback in Chicago? All of these have been brought up and discussed on every major sports network, but they've all been overshadowed by the question that's been brought up without fail throughout the past few offseasons and especially this one...

Is Brett Favre really retired?

As always, there are contingencies which bring up more questions. As a huge Packer fan all my life, I want Brett to continue to play because he has been an amazing player to watch for the past 17 years. I was as distraught as any other Packer fan when he decided to retire last year and even moreso when he was wearing a Jets jersey instead of the familiar green and gold, but I still supported him and wanted him to play well. I loved him in Green Bay, but I still rooted for him in New York. Shoot, I even had him on my fantasy football roster. As I told all my friends, last year "The Jets had become my 2nd favorite team."

I don't have a particular liking for the Jets, and once Brett announced his "retirement" this year I was happy to see him go out and hoped that he would come back to sign and retire as a Packer without tarnishing his legacy...but I guess during the past couple of decades, all of us Brett Favre fans were duped...

It's tough to understand that professional athletes just see football as a job. I really find that hard to believe. Football is competitive, and the rivalries are what makes watching and playing the sport fun. Especially when you have something so constant as a great QB for pretty much as long as you can remember watching it. Just like everything else, I knew that Brett's reign in Green Bay would come to an end and I planned on telling my kids and grand kids about how I grew up watching "the greatest QB of all time" play for the Pack...but it appears that I might have been wrong.

I watched the interview on HBO last week and I really just cannot believe that someone who is known to be a "great competitor" and someone who "loves the game" so much would even consider doing the most ridiculously awful thing a great player can do...PLAY FOR THEIR RIVAL TEAM!

Brett made comments about Vince Lombardi and how he left for the Redskins and how nobody considers him a traitor and he's right I don't think that very many people do consider him a traitor...Because he went to the redskins. If he had gone to the Bears it would have been a totally different story. He also said that there are 2 types of people out there, those who will support you no matter what, and those who will despise you no matter what (I'm paraphrasing). But he forgot about the third group...Those who love you, but will not be able to even bare thinking about you or the mention of your name if you go to the Queens...these will be the 70,000 strong who will be booing when Brett runs onto Lambeau Field wearing Purple late in the season.

I understand that he wants to play, and I think that if he can play he should...just not in Minnesota! I have enjoyed watching him play every year that I have watched, but if he goes to the queens everything will have changed. So my questions this offseason are:

How does someone as iconic as Brett Favre get so far off track that he doesn't see what he's doing by even considering playing for the Minnesota Vikings? Even if the queens win the Super Bowl, will it be worth the cost of that purple ring? What the heck are you thinking, Brett?

Who is the favorite in the NFC North?

The NFC North will be very different in 2009. New acquisitions like Jay Cutler and Matt Stafford, and big changes like the Packers' 3-4 defense will all be intruiging this season. With the exception of the Lions, I see this division being up for grabs between the Pack, Bears, and Vikings. 

Starting with last years NFC North Champs, the Minnesota Vikings are looking to get another title under their belts and get back into the playoffs this season. The Vikings are continuing to add weapons to their offense except at the QB position, and that will be the area that will be in question for the Queens this season. Tavaris Jackson is still expected to be the Week 1 starter, with Rosenfels waiting in the wings. I expect that either QB will be better suited this season with targets, especially newly acquired Percy Harvin who will be a threat whenever he is on the field. However, the well being of the Vikings will still remain in the hands of Adrien Peterson running the ball. If he can stay healthy and have success running the ball, the Vikings will be tough to stop. I predict, based on the toughest schedule in the division that the Vikings end up at 10-6.

The Chicago Bears finished 2nd in the North last season and have very high asperations for 2009 with the arrival of Jay Cutler. Bears fans are very excited for this season and really expect Cutler to be their franchise QB for a long time to come. The Bears have greatly increased their chances by picking up Cutler, but there are still some holes that exist, most notably, at reciever and at safety. The Bears have picked up a couple recievers in the draft, but at this point, Greg Olson, Devin Hester, and Matt Forte will be Cutlers main targets throwing the ball. It is difficult to say how the Bears will be this season, they have improved their offense and gotten a great DE in the draft, but they have a thin secondary and Brian Urlacher is not what he used to be at MLB. Given the Bears schedule for the season, i'm predicting them to be just behind the Vikings at 9-7.

Next we have the Green Bay Packers. The Pack finished 3rd in the North last season following the 2007-08 season where they advanced to the NFC Championship Game and had a regular season record of 13-3 behind the arm of Brett Favre. I believe that the Packers still have the talent throughout their roster to win the North in deciding fashion. However, poor defensive play in 2008, a young QB, and a switch to a new defensive scheme in 2009 makes me hesitant about putting the Packers atop the division. Aaron Rodgers showed that he could lead the team and be the quarterback of future for the Pack and I only expect him to get better as his career goes along. The Packers have talent in their offensive skill positions but are not very strong on the offensive line. I don't believe that the concern for the Pack is with their offense, but rather their defense. Last season, injuries plagued the defensive secondary, which lead to the biggest weakness on the team. The Packers have added B.J. Raji at nose tackle, and Clay Matthews at OLB.  These two picks greatly improves the front 7 and gives the Pack one of the best linebacking corps in the league. I think that if the veteran defensive backs can stay consistent, the Packers defense will be great. My heart tells me the Pack can end the season at the top at 11-5, but my head tells me they will under achieve again at 8-8. 

The Detroit Lions don't have what it takes to challenge for the title and I will leave it at that!

Bears get a new QB; what can we expect in 2009?

It has been a few weeks since i've put a new post on the blog so I apologize to all of my loyal followers. I live in Chicago now so I have to put up with all of the lame bears fans who think their team is God's gift to the NFL. As everyone knows by now, the Bears have picked up Jay Cutler from the Broncos. There is a lot of talk now about the Bears potentially being the team to beat in the NFC North now, and it makes me sick!

I think that Jay Cutler is a very good quarterback, but I also think that he is a whiny baby and makes me hate the Bears that much more. I don't doubt the fact that he will make the Bears a better team, but I think that the thought of them being the favorite to win the division is a little premature. Bears fans have a lot to be excited about, but they forget to understand that he is only one player, they still need someone to be able to catch the ball, I mean, their TE was their leading receiver in 2008.

I don't necessarily think that the Packers are going to be a huge threat to win the North this season, but you never know. The Packers are a very good team and Rodgers is getting better and better the more snaps he takes. The question mark with the Pack is the new defensive scheme coming into play this season. I have a feeling that there will be some serious growing pains and our defense is going to be a problem for the team this season.

Regardless, I hope that Bears fans are disappointed when Cutler gets pissed for not having the threats that he is expecting and the Bears end up behind both the Pack and the Queens in the North. That would be great!!

Why Ted Thompson should be Patriotic!

I was talking earlier this week with one of the other writers of this blog and we were discussing how there are certain teams that are very active in free agency every year, and others, like the Packers and the Bears, who do virtually nothing. And there were a couple of things that jumped out at me. First of all, we notice how active the New England Patriots are in Free Agency and we compare that to their relative dominance so far this decade. Being Packer fans, we had to compare their offseason strategy with ours and some of the other teams in the NFC North.

It seems that every year the Patriots pick up a good amount of players through free agency. The pick up a lot of veterans and value players that will fit into their system and add depth at their position. Perhaps this is why they have been Super Bowl contenders for the last 5 years. In comparison, the Packers and the Bears never seem to pick anyone up in Free Agency, and maybe that explains why the NFC North was one of the weakest conferences in the NFL last season and why the Vikings went to the Playoffs.

You can say whatever you like about Bill Belichick and whether he is a cheater or whatever, but in my mind, there is no questioning that he is one of the best, if not the best coach in the NFL. Whether you like him or not, I would suggest reading "The Education of a Coach" by Bill Belichick and you will see the time and thought that he puts into not only being a coach, but also in the front office and in understanding the Salary Cap system. All I know is that I would love for the Packers to be in a similar position as the Patriots, and maybe the hands off approach to free agency isn't getting the job done.

Free Agency: I Like What I'm Seeing

Ted Thompson, with the exception of Charles Woodson, has never really done much in free agency, but in 2009 he just might venture into new free-agent territory.

Friday, the first full day of free agency, he had his scouting staff try to bring in defensive end Chris Canty of the Dallas Cowboys for a free-agent visit knowing the Packers will be competing with at least a couple and probably more teams if they get in on the bidding.

Canty was a fourth-round draft pick out of Virginia by Dallas in 2005. At 6-foot-7 and 304 pounds, he has prototypical size for a 3-4 defensive end, a position that doesn’t generate big statistics because it requires skills more like a 4-3 defensive tackle than a 4-3 defensive end. He’s played defensive end in the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme all four years in the league and had three sacks last season and nine sacks for his career.

He is scheduled to visit the New York Giants Saturday, and Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and Monday according to Brad Blank, his agent.

The Packers, San Francisco and Tennessee also want to bring in Canty, but Blank said his client probably will take only one or maybe two other visits after this weekend. He’ll determine where else to go after getting firm contract offers and seeing which of the other teams remain most interested. There’s also a chance it won’t get to that point, because many clubs push hard to a sign a free agent while he’s visiting, and Canty might not get out of New York or Seattle without a deal.

“It’s a perfect situation for him because of the 3-4,” Blank said of the Packers. “These other teams are 4-3.”

After Blank gave the Packers a general idea of the contract Canty appears in line for, the team’s co-director of football operations, Reggie McKenzie, still wanted Canty to visit as soon as possible after Seattle. But the sides put off setting up a visit until the Packers can confirm they’re still in the running after Canty’s meetings with the Giants and Seahawks.

The Packers’ interest indicates they think highly of Canty as a possible piece in their new 3-4 defense, and they have more than enough salary-cap room (about $34 million) to sign him, though that also would probably mean eventually losing one or more of their own players who will be free agents a year from now. Canty isn’t in the small group of elite free agents this year but is in the second tier of players available.

“I think there is legitimate interest,” Blank said.

Information from packersnews.com

I like that the Thompson is making some early attempts at filling the needs of the Packers' defense in free agency. As impressed as I've been with a some of the draft picks that he's brought to the team (i.e. Greg Jennings), it's been equally disappointing to see some of the other high picks that we've wasted (i.e. Justin Harrell).

I think that it is important to draft well, but it is also important to address the immediate needs of the team with proven players in the NFL through free agency. This team was 13-3 2 years ago and was playing in the NFC Championship game. There is definite talent and potential on the Packers' roster...the key is to fill the few question marks on the defensive side of the ball quickly in order to give us an opportunity to get back to where we were in 2007.

Good job, Ted...I like what I'm seeing so far. There are a lot of other good free agents out there that I'd like to see us pursue.

Free Agency rapidly approaching; what can we expect out of the Packers?

The NFL scouting combine is in progress and teams are all trying to figure out how to come out ahead on Draft day. But the draft is still two months away and there will be plenty of time for everything to fall into place. In five days however, some teams will be looking to pull the trigger in free agency which starts this Friday. Ted Thompson is not typically a big player in free agency, but with a lot of needs, can we expect any moves to be made by our front office?

There are several positions that the Packers need to address this offseason. With the defensive switch this offseason, there is a lot of talk revolving around the OLB/DE position and that is the position that I expect the Packers to draft in with their first round selection. So that will be one position that will be addressed right away, and hopefully that player makes an immediate impact, but can we expect our second and third picks to make any impact? There is so many question marks that go into the draft, so why not try to acquire someone who has already proven themselves as a solid NFL player? I would like to see the Packers find a quality player through free agency this year, an offensive lineman perhaps, or maybe someone that has played in a 3-4 defense in the front 7. I don't expect the Packers to be very active in free agency this year, but i always enjoy seeing the Packers adding quality contributors to the team. I hope to be pleasantly surprised next week.

Draft Prospects: Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

Unanimously projected as a first round draft pick, Everette Brown could fit perfectly into the Packers’ new 3-4 defensive scheme. He is big enough to play defensive end at 6’4” 260lbs (although he could stand to put on a few more pounds in the weight room), and fast enough to play linebacker. Although at FSU he was strictly on the defensive line, Brown is talented enough to adapt to any position in the front 7.

The questions have to do with Brown’s ability to cover tight ends and running backs in the 3-4. But his absolute upside outweighs his downside immensely. I had the privilege of watching Everette play in Tallahassee and at the Bowl game in 2008, and he is the type of player that fits the mold of Mickey Andrews’ FSU defense. He has the potential to have a career worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as FSU and NFL greats such as Peter Boulware, Darnell Dockett, Cameron Wimbley, and Broderick Bunkley. He is fast enough to run around and strong enough to run through offensive linemen and running backs, he stands up well to a double-team, provides good run support, and seems to always find his way to the opposing QB regardless of the offensive blocking scheme.

Teams that run the 3-4 prefer their outside linebackers to be 6-3 or taller, and the weight generally ranges from 240 pounds to 265 pounds. Teams look for long and streamlined athletes such as Miami’s Joey Porter (6-3, 255), because they have to be versatile enough to rush the passer from the outside, hold up adequately at the line of scrimmage against the run, and cover at least the flats, and often more, in pass coverage. I believe that with the obvious need being in the front 7 for the Packers, Everette Brown would bring depth and explosiveness to the d-line and linebacking corps, making him a perfect fit at the 9th pick. Need more proof? Just watch the video below…

What kind of lions will the Lions be in ’09?

As the worst team in NFL history, the Detroit Lions have a lot of work that needs to be done, and it will start next week with free agency. I’m not going to begin to think that I know all that much about the needs of the Lions, because they have them everywhere! The one thing that I know is that they will be looking to pick up solid players through free agency, and they have 2 first round draft picks.

There are rumors circulating that the Lions might take a stab at Albert Hainesworth to help out on the defensive line. As well, John Kitna will most likely be released from the Lions, and with the #1 pick overall in this years draft, Matt Stafford, QB from Georgia looks like he would be the logical choice for the Lions. There are other options out there though at quarterback for the Lions. There are a lot of good, veteran quarterbacks that will hit the free agent market next week and I suppose that the Lions could address their needs through free agency, leaving their two first round draft picks available for other positional needs. We will find out soon enough what direction the Lions will take after the combine this week.
Overall, I expect the Lions to take Stafford in the draft and try to rebuild their team around him. I don’t think that the Lions will rebound as well as the Dolphins did in 2008 but they should win a few games but they will still not be very good. One thing is for certain, it can only get better for the Lions.

The Queens of the NFC North: Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota was crowned the Queens of the NFC North in 2008, and it pains me to say that they will likely be the team to beat in the division once again in 2009.



Offense:
Strength: The obvious strength of the Queens’ offense is their o-line and the athletic ability of their running backs: Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. Even though it was only a 1-point loss for the green and gold, the Vikes’ o-linement definitely controlled our d-line, and the RBs ended up with some ridiculous amount of yardage and touchdowns. I foresee this happening to most of their opponents in 2009 as well.
Weakness: When Gus Frerotte and Tavaris Jackson are your go-to guys at the QB position, it’s evident where your biggest need is. It surprised everyone when head coach Brad Childress did not pursue a QB in free agency, trade, or the draft of 2008, and it will surprise us all if they don’t make a move this year. The biggest need that must be addressed in the offseason is QB. There are a few good ones who are available through free agency or on the trading block (Kurt Warner and Michael Vick to name a couple obscure possibilities), and 2009 hold a lot of potential at QB within its draft class. Jackson and Frerotte might be good enough to win the division again in the NFC North, but they will not advance in the play-offs without someone to at least have the potential to threaten other teams’ defenses with the passing game.

Defense:
It’s tough to say where Minnesota has a weakness on Defense. Last year they finished high in most categories (12th in passing, 4th in rushing, and 8th overall). The big deficiency that I see is that they still have Darren Sharper starting at Safety. He’s getting old and is too slow to cover the elite receivers of the NFL which gives guys like Greg Jennings and opportunity to burn the Vikings deep. Other than that, let’s all just hope that some of their key players end up with injuries…

An Early Look at the 2009 NFL North: Chicago Bears

Offense:
The Bears livelihood does not revolve around their offense and it never has. However, over the last couple of seasons, the notorious Bears D has gotten a little older, and a lot less dominant than they were when they made it to the Super Bowl. And recently, their offense has been coming together slowly and has shown that they can produce.

The Bears have a three pronged offense with Devin Hester, Greg Olson, and Matt Forte. Devin Hester is a dangerous player whenever he gets his hand on the ball, Olson really emerged as the top target for Kyle Orton this season, Matt Forte is a great young talent who makes the Bear's offense more dangerous. However, the one bright spot for the rest of the defenses in the NFC North is the hole at the quarterback position. Yes, Kyle Orton did have a decent season in 2008, but he is not a good quarterback. There is a lot of speculation this offseason as to whether or not the Bears will go after a QB in free agency or the draft, and with Rex Grossman potentially leaving as a free agent, the Bears have a big bench space to fill. Sorry, I can't even type that with a straight face.

Defense:
The Bear's defense is definately not what it used to be. Urlacher is on his way out, their secondary has holes that have become more and more evident, and they dont strike the fear into their opponents like they used to. Just like all of the other teams in the league, the Bears are going to address their concerns in free agency and the draft.

2009 Prediction:
I expect the Bears to struggle this season on offense if their offensive success rests on the arm of Kyle Orton. I think that the Bears will pick up some quality players on defense this offseason, but when it comes down to it, I believe their offense will not be strong enough to carry them to the top of the North. The Bears finish somewhere in the middle of the conference this season. I'm not going to say where I think the Packers will finish, but I will say that I expect the Bears to finish behind the Vikings in the conference in 2009