I will keep this brief due to the amount that could be written and speculated about but will be changed within sometimes just a few weeks and the fact there hasnt been one preseason game played yet.
This year there are three new coaches in the NFC North division. Minnesota hired Brad Childress, Green Bay hired Mike McCarthy and Detroit hired Rod Marinelli. Each team has made plenty of changes as well. Chicago is still considered by many as the favorite to win the division. The division may also only send one team to the playoffs though as far as I see it.
These predictions are null and void at anytime due to season ending injuries in the preseason to starters:
Green Bay - they drafted A.J. Hawk and signed Charles Woodson to solidify an already good 2005 Defense. In 2005 Green Bay finished with the 7th rated overall defense. The big problems they will have will more than likely be related to the offense and the kicking game. They signed former Cowboys kicker Billy Cundiff and he only had a 62.5% field goal percentage in 2005. Samkon Gado is slated to be the starting running back as well. He will be running behind possibly one of the worst offensive lines this year and have a Brett Favre back at quarterback. The biggest X factor for Green Bay this year is whether they get the Brett Favre of old or an old Brett Favre. My guess is that it is the ladder of the two.
Chicago - The Bears come into the 2006 with a good ole fashion quarterback controversy brewing with the signing of quarterback Brian Griese. He may be the better quarterback as well. Rex Grossman has been injured for the majority of his short career. The Bears will need the quarterback position to be serviceable and Cedric Benson to run the ball well with the defense being ranked near the top again this season. In 2005 the Bears finished with the 2nd overall defense despite the fact they had almost one hundred more plays ran on them with that terrible offense they had and led the league in points against with a mere 12.6 points per game. That is almost three points better than the 2nd best points against team Indianapolis (15.4) and they drafted almost all defense in the 2006 draft.
Minnesota - The Vikings are now Daunte free and will excel because of it. Daunte was exposed when Randy Moss was traded to Oakland and his maistakes and impatience caught up to him (5 td 12 int). They started winning when Brad Johnson took over and he is back this year. The most impressive feature the Vikings will have this year is the running game. They have a massive left side of their offensive line with Bryant McKinnie and newly signed LG Steve Hutchinson with newly acquired Chester Taylor to run behind them and the receiving core is basically them same (solid). The issues they had on Defense however may be better this year. Last season they finished right behind Detroit in total defense 21st overall. If they can get the running game going early and often the defensesive numbers will get better.
Detroit - The biggest changes in Detroit come at the quarterback position and coaching. They brought in two guys that were backups last year and hired Mike Martz to make them and the rest of that anemic offense better. Last year Steve Mariucci did not make many adjustments and played all his running backs regularly taking away a lot of snaps from their best back Kevin Jones. Mooch was in love with Shawn Bryson and anyone not named Mike Williams or Charles Rogers. One thing for sure is that Martz will utilized all the players on offense. This year they will have many different looks and adjustments made that weren’t in the past. The issue may be with the defense which was 20th overall last year and gave up just over 21 points per game. They brought in former Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson to improve their defense, and he probably will. The Lions biggest weakness may be the linebackers inability to play due to injuries. Boss Bailey has been injury prone and Teddy Lehman is still out from last season currently listed in the PUP list and they drafted Ernie Sims who is known for speed (4.5 40 time), hard hits, and concussions. Too bad the concussions have all been his. Rod Marinelli comes in as a rookie coach but he is a no nonsense type of coach which the Lions lacked with Mariucci. This year things will be better in the Motor City but it will be a challenge to contend for the division.
Breakout players in the North -
1. Kevin Jones will get most of the snaps and will get more catches out of the back field. He will be a key to the Lions offensive success. He is a hard runner and new coach Rod Marinelli and Mike Martz are very impressed by him thus far.
2. Chester Taylor is going to have a big year rushing with the type of offense and the offensive line they have built. He already had a 4.3 yards per carry average over the last three years in Baltimore.
3. Ryan Longwell has moved indoors in Minnesota and that will work in his favor. He had success in Green Bay but the offense was getting worse by the day there. In Minnesota they will have a solid running game and that will translate into more kicks for Longwell.
Strongest links to each team -
Green Bay - defense will be the only chance they have to win any games,
Minnesota - running game will have its best back since Robert Smith retired
Chicago - the defense may be better than last year if it is even possible
Detroit - the offensive will be so improved that the NFL will forget about their defense even if it is mediocre.
Weakest link to each team -
Green Bay - the entire offense from having the best wide receiver being Donald Driver and still having Brett Favre the kicking game may be non existent especially with Billy Cundiff trying to split the uprights
Minnesota - new head coach will be the biggest obstacle with this team. He will be learning on the fly and does not have the best supporting staff in the division which is important for a rookie head coach
Chicago - Offense will and has been the downfall to the Bears for some time now. That won’t change with the way they drafted all those defensive players this year
Detroit - too many questions on defense and more in particular linebackers. They have some injured linebackers and a rookie slated to start but they need to practice together and that may not happen for a while.
Prediction on final standings before pre season games -
team W-L
Vikings 10-6*
Bears 9-7
Lions 8-8
Packers 5-11
Post pre season prediction on final standings -
Chicago 13-3 Minnesotta 7-9 Green Bay 6-10 Detroit 3-13 how is that for waffling?
*only playoff team from the North with three teams from the NFC East making it and the rise of Arizona this year
Do you think you know more about sports than me? lets see you prove it or take a shot. Go to FanIQ.com and lets see what you got!
Flint Michigan -
Ask me a question about your team by email- bob260505@yah oo.com
Three time defending (division 2) four square champion
1993 United States Hacky-Sack Champion (runner up in 92 and 94) - finishing move "the Stall"
MVP of 1986 Whiffleball World Series - WWS was played in the side yard and had longer home runs.
2006 1st place league Champion fantasy baseball, 2003 and 2004 second place in fantasy football, 2003 second place in fantasy baseball and hockey, The last person out in Dodgeball in a record 17 of 22 games played in 1992 and led the gym class with over 175 kills in 92 - 93 (averaged 8.18 kills per game)
bob260505@yah oo.com
web counter
Green Bay - they drafted A.J. Hawk and signed Charles Woodson to solidify an already good 2005 Defense. In 2005 Green Bay finished with the 7th rated overall defense. The big problems they will have will more than likely be related to the offense and the kicking game. They signed former Cowboys kicker Billy Cundiff and he only had a 62.5% field goal percentage in 2005. Samkon Gado is slated to be the starting running back as well. He will be running behind possibly one of the worst offensive lines this year and have a Brett Favre back at quarterback. The biggest X factor for Green Bay this year is whether they get the Brett Favre of old or an old Brett Favre. My guess is that it is the ladder of the two.
Chicago - The Bears come into the 2006 with a good ole fashion quarterback controversy brewing with the signing of quarterback Brian Griese. He may be the better quarterback as well. Rex Grossman has been injured for the majority of his short career. The Bears will need the quarterback position to be serviceable and Cedric Benson to run the ball well with the defense being ranked near the top again this season. In 2005 the Bears finished with the 2nd overall defense despite the fact they had almost one hundred more plays ran on them with that terrible offense they had and led the league in points against with a mere 12.6 points per game. That is almost three points better than the 2nd best points against team Indianapolis (15.4) and they drafted almost all defense in the 2006 draft.
Minnesota - The Vikings are now Daunte free and will excel because of it. Daunte was exposed when Randy Moss was traded to Oakland and his maistakes and impatience caught up to him (5 td 12 int). They started winning when Brad Johnson took over and he is back this year. The most impressive feature the Vikings will have this year is the running game. They have a massive left side of their offensive line with Bryant McKinnie and newly signed LG Steve Hutchinson with newly acquired Chester Taylor to run behind them and the receiving core is basically them same (solid). The issues they had on Defense however may be better this year. Last season they finished right behind Detroit in total defense 21st overall. If they can get the running game going early and often the defensesive numbers will get better.
Detroit - The biggest changes in Detroit come at the quarterback position and coaching. They brought in two guys that were backups last year and hired Mike Martz to make them and the rest of that anemic offense better. Last year Steve Mariucci did not make many adjustments and played all his running backs regularly taking away a lot of snaps from their best back Kevin Jones. Mooch was in love with Shawn Bryson and anyone not named Mike Williams or Charles Rogers. One thing for sure is that Martz will utilized all the players on offense. This year they will have many different looks and adjustments made that weren’t in the past. The issue may be with the defense which was 20th overall last year and gave up just over 21 points per game. They brought in former Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson to improve their defense, and he probably will. The Lions biggest weakness may be the linebackers inability to play due to injuries. Boss Bailey has been injury prone and Teddy Lehman is still out from last season currently listed in the PUP list and they drafted Ernie Sims who is known for speed (4.5 40 time), hard hits, and concussions. Too bad the concussions have all been his. Rod Marinelli comes in as a rookie coach but he is a no nonsense type of coach which the Lions lacked with Mariucci. This year things will be better in the Motor City but it will be a challenge to contend for the division.
