The NFC North is the home of the oldest rivalries in the NFL’s history. Will Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers’ dominance on this division continue? Are the Vikings, behind AP, equipped to win the division for a second consecutive year? Can John Fox in Year two lead the Bears to their first division title since 2010? How will the Lions react in their first season without Megatron?
4. Detroit Lions
Key Personnel Additions: Marvin Jones, Anquan Boldin, Johnson Bademosi
Key Personnel Losses: Calvin Johnson, Stephen Tulloch, Isa Abdul-Quddus
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The face of the franchise is gone as Chad Johnson opted to retire while still in his prime. How will the Lions survive this colossal loss at wide receiver and the leader in their locker room? Can the Lions surprise the NFC and make a postseason bid or are they destined to finish below .500 again and be in the conversation for a top 3 pick? Unfortunately, unless you are a Lions fan, I think we know the answer here.
Matthew Stafford is still an above average quarterback with a great arm. Golden Tate along with newly acquired Marvin Jones make up a solid receiver duo. Throw in the young Eric Ebron at tight end and Stafford has some weapons to get the ball to. The key for this offense will be a healthy balance of play calling. The Lions will need to run the ball at an effective enough rate that a play action pass is something defenses will fear.
The defense line has potential to wreak some havoc. With Haloti Ngata on the inside and Ezekial Ansah on the outside, they should be able to get the quarterback. The secondary is where the team will struggle. Without a true shutdown corner, teams will look to exploit this weak secondary. In a division where you play Aaron Rodgers twice, a young and upcoming speedy receiver tandem in Minnesota, and the re-built Bears, this team will have a long season.
Forecast: 5-11 and a top 10 pick in the 2017 draft. I will say this though – IF (and that’s a big IF) the secondary can turn out to be better than I am predicting; this team can potentially surprise some people. There is your hope Lions fans.
3. Chicago Bears
Key Personnel Additions: Danny Trevathan, Josh Sitton, Bobby Massie, Brian Hoyer
Key Personnel Losses: Matt Forte, Shea McClellin, Matt Slauson
The Matt Forte era in Chicago is over. One of the most under-appreciated players in the franchise’s history has moved on and now the true leader of the team is Jay Cutler. While there will be a transitioned period for Langford to take the reigns at running back, this team should be improved not only on offense, but the defensive side of the ball as well. I think the Bears had one of the best off-seasons of anyone in football without making a big splash.
The offensive line will be improved this year with the signing of long-time Packer Josh Sitton. Giving Cutler the time to throw the ball is half the battle for him. When Cutler is rushed, he is extremely turnover prone. When given the time to throw, he can be effective. Kevin White will make his debut this season opposite Alshon Jeffery. I like that tandem on the outside and expect a number of big plays for each receiver. Langford will need to have a successful year at running back for this team’s full potential to come to fruition.
John Fox brought in Danny Trevathan from Denver to help anchor his defense. The defense will be improved this year. Fox is a great defensive mind who schemes accordingly to his opponents. Lamarr Houston on the outside may have a pro bowl type season. A big question mark will be can the older Tracy Porter hold up at cornerback against the talented wide receivers in the division?
Forecast: 7-9. This team will be better than most people expect. While it may not result in a playoff berth, expect the Bears to be competitive all season long.
2. Minnesota Vikings
Key Additions: Sam Bradford, Alex Boone, Emmanuel Lamur, Andre Smith
Key Losses: Teddy Bridgewater (IR), Mike Wallace
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This team is built on both sides of the ball to make a deep January run. The unfortunate luck of losing Teddy Bridgewater was a huge blow. That cannot be underestimated. However, I am one of those writers who believes Sam Bradford can still be an effective, top 12 quarterback in this league with the right system. Just one minor note here – can he remain healthy for a full season? Your guess is as good as mine.
Despite losing Bridgewater, the Vikings still have Adrian Peterson. Make no mistake about it – even with Bridgewater, the Vikings are a run first team. That trend will continue this season. Run the ball and win the time of possession battle every week. Bradford loves to throw to his tight end as noted throughout his career. Expect a big season out of Kyle Rudolph at tight end. The young wide receiver trio of Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Cordarrelle Patterson provide speed and explosiveness on the outside. Bradford could not have asked for a better situation to step into. Re-uniting with Peterson, a solid offensive line, speed on the outside, and a reliable tight end gives him a great chance at success. Can he finally put it all together? I think so.
Mike Zimmer is one of the best defensive minds in football. He has brought in a culture where this defense believes they are one of best, if not the best defense in football. They stop the run with Linval Joseph on the inside, and get after the quarterback with Chad Greenway and Anthony Barr, and cause turnovers in the secondary with the aging Terence Newman, Harrison Smith and Captain Munnerlyn. This is a top eight defense and it will show throughout the season.
Forecast: 10-6. This is a playoff team who most opponents would like to avoid in a first round postseason match up.
1. Green Bay Packers
Key Personnel Additions: Jared Cook
Key Personnel Losses: Josh Sitton, Andrew Quarless, John Kuhn, Casey Hayward
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The Packers have arguably the best player in football on their team in the prime of his career. Aaron Rodgers is poised to have another MVP caliber season at quarterback. It won’t hurt that he gets his favorite weapon back in Jordy Nelson. Nor the fact that the Packers have one of the easiest schedule based on last year’s win percentage. Expect a lot of wins from this team.
Any offense with Aaron Rodgers behind center is a dynamic one. This offensive is built to be explosive and score a lot of points. With Nelson back, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, and a slimmed down Eddie Lacy, the Packers will be at or near the top of most offensive categories. There is no true weakness on this side of the ball, but if there is one area of concern, it would be the offensive line. They need to keep Rodgers upright and with the release of long standing lineman Josh Sitton, there may be a somewhat transition period for his replacement.
The Packers defense will need to be better than last year if they want to return the Lombardi trophy back home to Lambeau. Clay Matthews is still a perennial all-world defensive player. Julius Peppers, though he is aging, is still effective at getting a pass rush. I like their secondary lead by Ha Ha Clinton Dix and Sam Shields. That being said, my question to this defense is can you put it all together this season and make the big stop when they need to? They will not be challenged much throughout the regular season, but at some point in the playoffs this defense will need to answer the call. Time will tell.
Forecast: 13-3. The Packers will win the division and get a first round bye. Expect January football in Lambeau this season. Go Pack Go!
What do you think? Who you think will finish on top of the division?
