Early Look At The NFC North

The Chicago Bears have had an interesting spring away from the field, but remain a strong favorite in the NFC North.  One of the biggest changes will be at running back.  The Bears could miss the steadiness of Thomas Jones.  Cedric Benson has the power to take over games on the ground, but must prove he’s mentally tough enough to handle the responsibility.  Rex Grossman again faces a lot of pressure.  He plays with a lot of passion, but must protect the ball better and play within himself when under pressure.  Rookie Greg Olsen’s presence at tight end should help Grossman on third downs and within the red zone.  The biggest concern though for this offense is that they could age quickly at any point.  They have a handful of key players well into their 30s – especially along the offensive line.  Defense will again lead the Bears with their ability to make plays and create turnovers.  Mark Anderson has quickly emerged as a dangerous threat off the perimeter and they are deep at cornerback.  Teams must always account for Brian Urlacher at linebacker.  Having Tommie Harris healthy is also critical.  He’s disruptive inside and the lynchpin to their run defense.  But there’s a big drop in terms of depth next to Harris until Tank Johnson returns from suspension. 

Defense is the strength of the Green Bay Packers.  They have a strong front seven that can stop the run and get pressure on the quarterback.  The addition of rookie Justin Harrell bolsters a front four that could be at its strongest since the Mike Holmgren era.  A.J. Hawk is ready to evolve into a playmaker at linebacker.  They do need more stability in the secondary behind Al Harris and Charles Woodson.  Depth is very thin at cornerback.  They are struggling to find consistency at the safety spots.  Nick Collins is a nice athlete, but lacks natural instincts.  There are lots of concerns on the offensive side of the football.  Brett Favre remains effective, but can’t carry the offense these days.  They will miss the presence of Ahman Green in the backfield.  Rookie Brandon Jackson fits the scheme with his quickness, but it’s a lot asking a rookie coming off an ordinary college career to replace a productive runner like Green.  Donald Driver is the only true target in the passing game.  And the tight end position is a mess.  Bubba Franks looked old last season.  Donald Lee has athleticism, but isn’t reliable. 

The Detroit Lions finally have some direction under Rod Marinelli, but continue to face a long road.  They could win a few more games this season with their offense.  Mike Martz will be aggressive through the air.  Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson create a lot of matchup problems outside with Mike Furrey finding openings out of the slot.  A healthy Kevin Jones adds some balance at running back.  Jon Kitna doesn’t protect the ball very well and has too many limitations, but he does provide some veteran stability and leadership at the quarterback position.  The Lions will score points this season.  Unfortunately, they continue to have a lot of holes on defense.  Shaun Rogers and Cory Redding form a strong duo in the middle of their front seven.  Ernie Sims is a perfect fit at linebacker, but they still have a lot of problems upfront.  They need more linebackers who can get to the ball and a pass rusher.  Marinelli has confidence in former Buccaneer Dewayne White coming off the edge, but this is the first time he’s been in the position of being an opponent’s top priority in pass protection going into a NFL season.  In the secondary, they will be relying on two injury-prone cornerbacks in Fernando Bryant and former Ram Travis Fisher.  Stanley Wilson has progressed and will likely see a lot of time in the secondary. 

There’s been a lot of instability within the organization for the Minnesota Vikings the past few years.  So you can never know what to expect, but Brad Childress is trying to create a fresh culture.  Childress is doing this by connecting his future to the development of Tavaris Jackson at quarterback.  Jackson has taken a good approach to the game, but his inexperience will be a major factor.  And he won’t have much help in the passing game.  Troy Williamson has been more consistent catching the football this spring, but still must prove he’s not a track guy playing football.  Sidney Rice is a good athlete with size, but is raw and immature.  Bobby Wade adds some experience, but he’s nothing more than an adequate target out of the slot.  With a lot of questions in the passing game, expect Childress to build more around Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson on the ground.  The Vikings view Peterson as a true franchise back to build their offense around.  On the defensive side of the ball, they’ll be strong against the run game so long that Pat Williams and Kevin Williams stay healthy.  They will make some plays across the board in the secondary, but the pass rush remains a concern.  The Vikings lack a true perimeter threat that can disrupt the timing of an opponents’ passing game. 

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