The NFC North this season is going to be one of toughest divisions in the NFL, with the exception of the Lions. Some people are saying the Vikings have the division locked up because of Favre now, but lets look at the facts...

Minnesota Vikings

Positives - The Vikings have aquired arguably one of the top 5 quarterbacks of all-time, have the best runningback in the NFL, and drafted a very talented WR Percy Harvin who has alot of potential. They also have one of the best, if not the best run defense in the NFL.

Negatives - Brett Favre is old, he is not what he was in his MVP days or for that matter last season. He's coming off surgery and he's playing with a team he truly hated for 15 years (on the field). He also has a losing record at the Metrodome. Kevin and Pat Williams may be suspended for the first 4 games of the season and without them their run defense drops tremendously.


Green Bay Packers

Positives - Nick Barnett, Atari Bigby, and Cullen Jenkins are all healthy and ready to get back on the field. Having Barnett and Jenkins improves their run defense dramatically, which was one of their downfalls last season. Their defense in their first two pre season games looks excellent. Aaron Rodgers has more experience as a professional quarterback and young receivers Jermichael Finley and James Jones are ready to step up. The Packers also drafted a very talented offensive lineman in T.J. Lang and signed free agent Duke Preston. Ryan Grant is actually playing in the offseason rather then worrying about his contract.

Negatives - The Packers are switching a new 3-4 defense which always takes time to get used to. No one knows if their offensive line is going to hold up when they play a team who likes to bring the pressure or if Ryan Grant will perform.


Chicago Bears

Positives - They acquired a young and very talented QB in Jay Cutler and also have Matt Forte who has alot of potential to be a star. Orlando Pace resigned for another three years and they still have a good defense.

Negatives - Jay Cutler has no WR's he can rely on when it matters the most. He never had a winning record in Denver and thats when he had Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Brandon Stokley. Will Matt Forte be another Anthony Thomas?


Detroit Lions

Positives - The Lions signed LB Julian Peterson who should help out alot on the defensive side. They drafted Matthew Stafford with their first pick and he's better then Daunte Culpepper.

Negatives - No one knows how good Matt Stafford will be, their offensive line is one of the worst if not the worst in the NFL, they have no defense and they have to play the Bears, Vikings, and Packers a total of six times.

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let the so called experts say what they want, because like it or not the pack is back and we will win the north at 11-5 !!

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ya to tell you the truth the only team I am concenred about us faving is MN - and its not because of farve; its because or peterson and their D ... But hopefully our guys learned from last year how to beat it.

Run stoppage and to block those guys ...

Rest should be easy pickings for us. Still going to Love watching the games ... nothing like watching a packers/bears game. All my cousins are from IL and I know I will enjoy seeing them at christmas and saying how about dem packers 😉

eonfy*)msihrn >.......hiauiwrtjapjwin.......#zziduuebiw......

<5minutes later>

Excuse me, I had to replace my keyboard after reading nyrpack's comment.
Spewing my coffee all over it, took it out.

<wipes away tears of laughter>

Tell ya what nyrpack, I will award you your first applaud point for your amusingly outrageous sense of humor!

+1

So far it seems the Packers have adapted to the 3-4. However, we'll have to see if the ease they seem to be playing it will be a bit harder to keep up in the regular season.

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Adrian Peterson is not dominant enough to be called "best RB in the league". He may be that, but not without having a debate. Michael Turner is right up there with him.

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