NFC NORTH PREDICTIONS

[cyoung]

Weak division

Well with teams like Lions (no offense Detroit fans) and Vikings (no offense viking fans) yeah its a little weak. (I didn't include the pack or bears in the weak part because they are the wons that usually have a good season.

 

[Lare]

Bears-10-6
Vikings- 9-7
Lions 8-8
Packers 5-11

Hate to be a pessimist, but you need an OL and a running game to win in the NFL and I still haven't seen that the Packers have either one. Compound that with deficiencies at TE, FB WR and special teams and it's just tough to predict a winning season this year. Another good draft and a year of experience will get us over the hump next year though, IMO.

 

[PackwillBEback]

I'm suprised more people aren't giving more respect to the Vikings, have you seen them in pre-season? they look good actually.

 

[spardo62]

I'm suprised more people aren't giving more respect to the Vikings, have you seen them in pre-season? they look good actually.

Fragile QB, no #1 RB, little talent at WR, linebacking questions and the fact they are the Vikings and always seem to be able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Chicago 10 wins + 1/ -2
GB 8 wins +/- 2
MN 6 wins +/3/ -1
Detroit 5 wins +3/ -1

 

[pack_in_black]

I'm suprised more people aren't giving more respect to the Vikings, have you seen them in pre-season? they look good actually.

Fragile QB, no #1 RB, little talent at WR, linebacking questions and the fact they are the Vikings and always seem to be able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Chicago 10 wins + 1/ -2
GB 8 wins +/- 2
MN 6 wins +/3/ -1
Detroit 5 wins +3/ -1

Ok, good O and D-line, but again, fragile QB, NO talent at WR (bye bye Koren!) an unproven RB, shallow at LB, and a new head coach. We have our own problems, but come on, Minnesota? Seriously? If not for the D-troit *****cats, they'd be @ the bottom of the conference with the niners.

Pack - 9-7
(only lose to NE @ home, only beat BUF and SF on the road)
Bears- 8-8

Vikes 6-10

Lions crap. just crap.

 

[CalifPacker]

Green Bay 9-7
Chicago 8-8
Minnesota 7-9
Detroit 6-10

 

[WinnipegPackFan]

PACK WINS !!!

 

[kmac]

I'm surprised at the lack of love for Chicago. I know they collapsed the following year last time they had a great season, but their QB was Jim Miller then. Now they have Grossman, who has been good when he hasn't been injured, and Griese, who has always been a solid QB. They have awesome depth at RB, a good line, and WRs who proved to be servicable last season. Their D is awesome, and Urlacher is still one of the best players in the game.

I cheer against the Bears just as hard as any of you guys, but come on, stop drinking the Haterade.

 

[PackerSacker54]

Chicago 10-6
Minnesota 8-8
Green Bay 7-9
Detroit 6-10

That's very possible. Way to keep out of the Kool-Aid cupboard. :wink:

 

[PackerSacker54]

Hey I am a homer but I will try to be objective as possible.

Green Bay 9-7. Growing pains early but will finish strong at the end. Will be in the playoffs and survive the tie breaker with Detroit for the division title.

Detroit 9-7. A dome team to the core and with Martz at the helm Detroit will have a comeback of sorts. Will come out of gate on fire but will sputter to the end.

Minnesota. 8-8 While I used to cringe when Childress was the OC at wisconsin he did orchestrate some dominate running teams in wisconsin. Will be an up and down team all year. will remind many of the 1999 packers.

Chicago 6-10 Like always one good year time to go back to reality. Key injuries to its D in midseason will cause the destruction and demise of this team. While it has a strong core its depth is not all that deep and the disparity in quality after the starting lineup is stark.

:roll: Lay off the Kool-Aid.

 

[PackerSacker54]

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

Looking Ahead - NFC North
By Steve Lutz (me)


The Bears have got to develop some type of offense if they plan on being successful in 2006. I do not think that Rex Grossman is the answer, and if they decide to stick with him they will not win the division. If Grossman gets injured I could see Griese leading this team to the playoffs. I almost think that Grossman remaining the starter for this team in the long run, is not a positive for this football team. They've got some RB "controversy" as Cedric Benson and Thomas Jones compete for the starting job. Both battled injuries during camp, so in the beginning this could simply be solved by picking the healthiest of the two. Or if they're both risky starts because of injury risk at the start of the season, we'll likely see Adrian Peterson taking the handoffs. Peterson showed in '05 he was more than capable of producing moderately well in the position. I think this club has "potential."

The Vikings will be finishing third in this division. They added former Raven, Chester Taylor, which will help the running game. However, losing Daunte Culpepper is going to be a bigger problem than they expect it to be. I do not think that he has the proper personnel to run the offense he is aiming at. I don't think that Brad Johnson is going to be successful with this team. They have some good players on defense still in Sharper, and Smoot and the emergence of young DLs, James and Udeze. But this team is far, far away--talentwise from the Vikes in years passed. Barring a miracle or an important acquisition, the season will look very simalar to 2005.

Onto the Lions. Well, get ready for another losing season lion fans! This team has not really upgraded. They bring in a rookie head coach in Rod Marinelli. They sign Jon Kitna, which is an upgrade--but look what they're upgrading from. Kitna is no better than Brad Johnson or Rex Grossman. And at running back, will be the 3rd year player, Kevin Jones. Jones produced well during his rookie year in '04 only to drop the proverbial ball in 2005. Jones may come under fire if he continues to play as he did last year, in which case Shawn Bryson or Artrose Pinner could come in to relieve Jones of his duties. The passing game will be upgraded, and I could see them possibly having the number 1 offense within the division, but they won't have enough firepower to wear the crown at the end of the season.

Now the Packers. I am going to try and be as subjective as possible (I'm a Packers fan). I think the team has upgraded tremendously from last season. They lost Javon Walker, but return Brett Favre. It will be interesting to see if Ahman Green can come out and have a successful season after an injury plagued 2005. Additionally we'll have to watch Samkon Gado to see if he was just a one-hit wonder, or if he is the real thing. Personally, I think he is going to develop into a tremendous running back. He is a smart guy, and is willing to do anything to become an elite NFL player. The Packers also got a real steal in the draft this year, and I'm not talking about AJ Hawk (I'll get into him later). Greg Jennings, wide receiver from Western Michigan has exploded in training camp. He is well ahead of schedule for most rookies, and will probably be a 2 or 3 receiver for the Pack this season. Defensively this team has only gotten better. They added Charles Woodson, which is a big upgrade from Ahmad Carroll. Al Harris is looking to add onto a very successful 2005 campaign. 2005 rookie sensation safety Nick Collins returns. They upgraded at linebacker as well, with #5 overall draft pick AJ Hawk (OSU) and round 3 draft pick Abdul "The Butcher" Hodge (Iowa) will be instant upgrades. The defensive line for the Packers was also upgraded. The Packers signed former Rams defensive tackle Ryan Pickett. Pickett has been very productive for the Rams in recent years, and is an upgrade over Grady Jackson. The Packers also re-signed standout defensive end Aaron Kampman. With KGB still there, and Colin Cole and Kenny Peterson filling out the other tackle position, the front four are going to be fine for the Pack. The kicking game is going to be a downfall for once with longtime kicker Ryan Longwell leaving for Minnesota. That will be a spot to look at. However, the biggest question mark for the Packers is going to be the offensive line. It's hard to imagine that a few years ago the line was one of the Packers strengths. However, the loss of Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera two seasons ago started the downslide of the Packers o-line. This past offseason they lost longtime center Mike Flanagan to free agency. They drafted Boise State standout Daryn Colledge, and Louisville guard Jason Spitz but thats a lot of pressure to put on a rookies. Whether or not the line holds up under the new zone-blocking scheme will ultimately decide whether or not the Packers are successful in the 2006 season. If they do--watch out. This team may be a sleeper team in '06.


Now onto my predicted final division standings.

1. Chicago --I think the Bears will win the division. This division is still weak, so an above average team will probably take the prize. Don't expect the Bears to go far in the playoffs though.

2. Green Bay --If the o-line holds up, this team wins the division. People don't realize that the Packers had the #1 defense against the pass last year. With upgrades to the linebacker corps. and defensive line this unit could be a top 5 defense. However, the offensive line is in shambles, and GM Ted Thompson did not do enough to repair it. If they can assemble a line in a few years and keep this team together, they will be a true contender in the years to come.

3. Minnesota --I don't think Brad Childress is going to be the coach many viking fans are expecting him to be. I don't like his offense, and I don't think its going to blend with the personnel he has in Minny. Not going to be a good season for the Vikes.

4. Detroit --I think Jon Kitna will do much better than Joey Harrington ever did. And those wide receivers have to produce something, sometime don't they? Unfortunately, thats still not enough if Kevin Jones' numbers continue to fall. The Lions finish dead last in the North this season.


Leading Passer - Brett Favre - He is going to have a breakout year with the receivers he has out there. This could change, however, if he doesn't get the time to throw the ball. I still think he will have the most yards though.

Leading Rusher - Thomas Jones - Assuming he continues to outperform 2nd year RB, Cedric Benson, he will be the leading rusher in this division fairly easily. Unless we see Ahman Green return to his old status, which is going to be hard with the players the Packers have on the Line. Samkon Gado may also be a possibility.

Leading Receiver - Donald Driver - Mr. Consistent will have another standout season. Favre will be looking his way often as well.

Wrote it for the webpage I'm a columnist on, tell me what you guys think.

I need to print this article out, I just ran out of toilet paper.

 

[PackerSacker54]

I'm surprised at the lack of love for Chicago. I know they collapsed the following year last time they had a great season, but their QB was Jim Miller then. Now they have Grossman, who has been good when he hasn't been injured, and Griese, who has always been a solid QB. They have awesome depth at RB, a good line, and WRs who proved to be servicable last season. Their D is awesome, and Urlacher is still one of the best players in the game.

I cheer against the Bears just as hard as any of you guys, but come on, stop drinking the Haterade.

Warning: You do know you may make a lot of enemies here by speaking the truth about the Bears success. :wink:

 

[vikesrule]

Yes, it is time for a reality check
I would love to see the Vikings 16-0 and the Packers 0-16.
Ain't gonna happen!!!!
The NFC North does not have any outstanding teams, however you never know. As for the Vikes, I will be happy if they just improve over last year.
(as long as 2 of the wins are over the Packers :thumbsup: )
I won't predict wins/losses, but my preseason thoughts are:

Bears
Vikings
Packers
Lions

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

 

[BoydAvery]

I'm surprised at the lack of love for Chicago. I know they collapsed the following year last time they had a great season, but their QB was Jim Miller then. Now they have Grossman, who has been good when he hasn't been injured, and Griese, who has always been a solid QB. They have awesome depth at RB, a good line, and WRs who proved to be servicable last season. Their D is awesome, and Urlacher is still one of the best players in the game.

I cheer against the Bears just as hard as any of you guys, but come on, stop drinking the Haterade.

A man after my own heart. I love the competetion because that's what it's all about in the NFL.

Most of these guy's are all about hate. I think it stems from the incompetence that the Packers have had in the front office and consequently the poor choices of Ray Rhodes and Mike Sherman.

If the Packers can't match up with the better teams in the NFL, then hate the other teams that are successfull.

 

[Cory]

Gee Porky,

GB 4-12 and 7-9 under TT?

Maybe Harlan should get Sherman back.:wink:

Remember Thompson is also building and fixing Sherman's mess as a GM.

 

[TomAllen]

Gee Porky,

GB 4-12 and 7-9 under TT?

Maybe Harlan should get Sherman back.:wink:

Remember Thompson is also building and fixing Sherman's mess as a GM.

That's starting to become an excuse.

Not resigning Wahle was not one of Sherman's "messes"...that's on TT, as are many other things.

I remember people making excuses for Sherman for years right up until the point that TT fired him.

No. TT owns this team THIS YEAR!

 

[Cory]

Bears 10-6
Packers 9-7
Vikings 7-9
Lions 6-10

I think this division will be improved somewhat and will end up beating up on each other a little. Surprise wins and losses abound for the teams in this division if you ask me(which no one did I admit).

Green Bay Packers-I think with Brett Favre returning and playing smarter in a better passing scheme more fit for his style of play will only help this team. If Favre is having fun again then watch out. You don't need spectacular recievers in this offense. Just good route runners that can catch and we have that in Driver and Jennings. Couple that with the TE's getting back into the recieving mix along with the FB and RB's. This ball will be spread around big time to keep defenses honest. We don't need our run game to be spectacular, either. It needs to be effective enough to get us in 3rd and short situations which it has in the preseason and which it seems to be improving. We have Ahman Green back and which by all accounts in camp has looked incredible and is showing the coachability he has as a player to learn this new system. If Davenport makes the team we will carry 4 RB's and frankly we've seen what this system can do with obscure RB's. I trust the system and the coaches teaching it. The Defense WILL BE BETTER. Keeping the same system with a familar defensive coach is extremely key. The Dline rotation will be big as the season wears on. Montgomery is showing himself as a capable backup and we have good depth at DT with Jenkins, Williams, Cole and now possibly Jolly. At LBer we are pretty strong, IMO. AJ Hawk gets better by the day, Taylor is solid with Poppinga/Hodge challenging for that spot. We have Barnett in the middle whom is a proven commodity as far as production goes and this is the first time he will have solid talent on both sides of him as well as the first time he will have consistant defensive schemes two years in a row. It will be interesting to see what he does along with this new "attitude" he is sporting. We have one of the best CB tandems in the league along with one of the best young safeties in the league. With Manuel and Culver manning the other safety spot we look to be pretty strong all around defensively, IMO. Would I like to solidify some other spots better? Of course, but you can't have all stars at every position. Frankly the only thing on this team that has me concerned is the K/P situation. Ryan has a hell of a leg, but is inconistant. Although, I'm reading where Ryan is becoming more and more consistant as practice wears on. Let's hope he's our next craig hentrich. Dave Raynor scares me a little, but by all accounts he's doing "ok" in camp as in one day he'll be great and the next day he'll make 7-10 or so. Those are the only two positions that really have me "concerned" because they are soooooo valuable to pts and field position.

 

[Cory]

That's starting to become an excuse.

Not resigning Wahle was not one of Sherman's "messes"...that's on TT, as are many other things.

I remember people making excuses for Sherman for years right up until the point that TT fired him.

No. TT owns this team THIS YEAR!

I disagree. Sherman did leave the team in a mess as the GM. The lack of depth and the salary cap trouble we were left in was astounding for a team that went 4-12. This team is EXTREMELY young now as we are rebuilding. How was Thompson suppose to resign Whale with the amount of room we had under the cap? Wahle got a 10 million dollar signing bonus from the panthers. He didn't want to restructure with the Packers. I wanted to keep Wahle as much as anyone else, but knew at the time it wasn't plausible.

 

[cyoung]

This is how I'm predicting an 11-5 for the pack

CHI W 24-14
NO W 35-17
@DET W 31-21
@PHI W 24-21 (revenge for all the close ones they one on GB)
STL L 17-7
bye
@MIA W 35-28
ARI W 21-10
@BUF W 28-13
@MIN L 21-14
PAT L 31-14
@SEA L 34-21
NYJ W 28-24
@SAN W 38-20
DET W 21-17
MIN W 31-24
CHI L 35-24

(of course scores are guesses...unless I could go into the future)
If you disagree with a game tell me why the pack would win/lose

 

[dhpackr]

Hey I am a homer but I will try to be objective as possible.

Green Bay 9-7. Growing pains early but will finish strong at the end. Will be in the playoffs and survive the tie breaker with Detroit for the division title.

Detroit 9-7. A dome team to the core and with Martz at the helm Detroit will have a comeback of sorts. Will come out of gate on fire but will sputter to the end.

Minnesota. 8-8 While I used to cringe when Childress was the OC at wisconsin he did orchestrate some dominate running teams in wisconsin. Will be an up and down team all year. will remind many of the 1999 packers.

Chicago 6-10 Like always one good year time to go back to reality. Key injuries to its D in midseason will cause the destruction and demise of this team. While it has a strong core its depth is not all that deep and the disparity in quality after the starting lineup is stark.

sounds about right to me, but what happens in the playoofs. GB v.s. Seattle or GB v.s. Dallas??

 

[TomAllen]

That's starting to become an excuse.

Not resigning Wahle was not one of Sherman's "messes"...that's on TT, as are many other things.

I remember people making excuses for Sherman for years right up until the point that TT fired him.

No. TT owns this team THIS YEAR!

I disagree. Sherman did leave the team in a mess as the GM. The lack of depth and the salary cap trouble we were left in was astounding for a team that went 4-12. This team is EXTREMELY young now as we are rebuilding. How was Thompson suppose to resign Whale with the amount of room we had under the cap? Wahle got a 10 million dollar signing bonus from the panthers. He didn't want to restructure with the Packers. I wanted to keep Wahle as much as anyone else, but knew at the time it wasn't plausible.

..and the TT myth continues..

 

[Gattocheese]

BEARS 9-7
PACKERS 6-10
LIONS 6-10
MINNESOTA 2-14

The Bears may have the best defense, but where are the playmakers on the offense? You say Grossman, Benson, ect.. and they dont come across as big playmakers.

Packers sucsess is only as far as the running game takes them. Running = Open receivers. We were only #1 in pass defense because are rushing defense blew.

Kitna will take this team to another level. They are not healthy enough or experienced enough to make a huge impact this year. Watch out for the following years.

I think this is a huge transition year for Minn. They dont have a reliable QB, their top WR just got cut, Unproven RB and the defense seems to be the weakest in our division. And what seems to be an overrated Head Coach.

WE ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT THE WORST DIVISION IN THE NFC

 

[Cory]

That's starting to become an excuse.

Not resigning Wahle was not one of Sherman's "messes"...that's on TT, as are many other things.

I remember people making excuses for Sherman for years right up until the point that TT fired him.

No. TT owns this team THIS YEAR!

I disagree. Sherman did leave the team in a mess as the GM. The lack of depth and the salary cap trouble we were left in was astounding for a team that went 4-12. This team is EXTREMELY young now as we are rebuilding. How was Thompson suppose to resign Whale with the amount of room we had under the cap? Wahle got a 10 million dollar signing bonus from the panthers. He didn't want to restructure with the Packers. I wanted to keep Wahle as much as anyone else, but knew at the time it wasn't plausible.

..and the TT myth continues..

If that's how you want to leave your argument then by all means have at it, but that definitely isnt the way to keep conversation lines open.

 

[TomAllen]

That's starting to become an excuse.

Not resigning Wahle was not one of Sherman's "messes"...that's on TT, as are many other things.

I remember people making excuses for Sherman for years right up until the point that TT fired him.

No. TT owns this team THIS YEAR!

I disagree. Sherman did leave the team in a mess as the GM. The lack of depth and the salary cap trouble we were left in was astounding for a team that went 4-12. This team is EXTREMELY young now as we are rebuilding. How was Thompson suppose to resign Whale with the amount of room we had under the cap? Wahle got a 10 million dollar signing bonus from the panthers. He didn't want to restructure with the Packers. I wanted to keep Wahle as much as anyone else, but knew at the time it wasn't plausible.

..and the TT myth continues..

If that's how you want to leave your argument then by all means have at it, but that definitely isnt the way to keep conversation lines open.

Sorry Cory,

But this argument has been gone over..over and over. And it was proven that TT could have kept Wahle. Andrew Brandt confirmed this, and hell...I think even TT himself admitted that it was a mistake....

or at least, the TT lovers have come around and done so!

You just can't give a GM so much leeway and not hold him accountable for his mistakes. Otherwise, it's just hero worship!

 

[BoydAvery]

..and the TT myth continues..

Tom, what is the real story with TT?