Patriots vs Packers: Is this a Super Bowl preview?

Today sees the 9-2 New England Patriots take their seven game winning streak to Lambeau Field where they will face off against the Green Bay Packers in a clash between what many consider to be the two best teams in football right now. This is the first time ever that Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers' teams will go head to head which is something that somehow adds more spice to what is already the most mouthwatering affair of this 2014 NFL season to date.

In their last 3 games the Patriots have faced all division leaders and defeated all 3 in comfortable fashion. Before their bye week they hosted the Denver Broncos and blew them out of the water with Tom Brady putting on a passing clinic in a 43-21 victory and after the bye week they went to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the Colts where they wore down the defense of the Colts with ground and pound football in a 42-20 win.

That game saw a new starlet in the form of Jonas Gray who scored 4 touchdowns that night to deflate Indianapolis just as they did in last years playoffs when LaGarrette Blount did the same in another blowout victory. Blount has sinced resigned with the team and celebrated his return with a touchdown in last weeks 34-9 victory against Detroit at Gillette Stadium where the Patriots frustrated the Lions' offense with brilliant defensive play. They mixed up the schemes and showed different coverages to limit Calvin Johnson and frustrate Matthew Stafford.

The Patriots recipe to success many times during the Brady-Belichick era has been playing 60 minutes of smart football and that is what they will need tonight when they come up against Aaron Rodgers and co. Just like New England the Green Bay Packers started the season at 2-2 and came under intense scrutiny from many but following a blowout defeat on the road in New Orleans 44-23 before their bye week the Pack have come out all guns blazing and have scored a combined 132 points in their last three outings giving them huge wins at home over Chicago and Philadelphia before winning a close one against Minnesota on the road 24-21 last weekend.

The fact that the Patriots have also scored over triple digits in total with 119 points in their past three games just shows how breathtaking today's game could be and with Brady and Rodgers at the QB position it is very unlikely that these two teams will disappoint us. With the two best offenses in football at their disposal Brady and Rodgers will both be looking to put their best work on display under the lights of prime time football. Terrific Tom has 26 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions on the year with 2,998 passing yards to his name too and a QB rating of 101.0 which is very impressive considering how poorly the Pats started the year.

A-Rod better known as Aaron Rodgers well he has been in devastating form this season and has accumulated 30 touchdown passes to just 3 picks and is also just short of the 3,000 yard passing mark with 2,957 yards on the year. He is way ahead passer rating wise of all the other quarterbacks with a ridiculous overall rating of 119.3 which just explains how great Rodgers is. Tonight personally and what a lot of people have suggested already is a matchup between the two best quarterbacks of their respective eras and between two QB's who will definitely be in the conversation for greatest quarterback of all-time for years and years to come.

Who will lead their team to victory in today's game?

Now despite the Packers early season woes besides a rusty opening season game against Seattle where Green Bay looked scared they have bounced back very well to get to 8-3 and as mentioned previously their displays in recent weeks have been amazing but the Patriots troublesome times early on in 2014 are almost incomparable. It has been said time after time but after that Monday Night madness against the Chiefs back in week 4 the Patriots came under so much scrutiny in particular Tom Brady.

After that huge bounce back win against Cincinnati the Patriots have been on a hot streak steamrolling through everyone in their path. Despite his supposed woes Brady still managed to rarely turn the football over even during this offenses poor start to the year now when you combine the fact of Brady's intelligence with how well this New England offense is doing then you can start to see as well as appreciate why this team is so devastating. The return of Rob Gronkowski has been unquestionable one of the main ingredients for how effective this Patriots offense has been and it has been brilliant to see Gronk return to the superstar level that only a handful of other players in the league can reach. He continues to dominate opponents and will be a real handful for the Packers and it will be interesting to see if Clay Matthews stays as an inside backer especially given the resurgence of the Patriots run game.

The prospect of a Gray-Blount one two punch gives Shane Vereen the ability to do what he does best which is catch passes out of the backfield and cause mismatches for opposing defenses. As we know this Patriots offense has been in devastating form with everyone contributing to its success which has helped Brady and Gronk have such a devastating affect just because they don't have all the pressure to get it done themselves now that everyone else is stepping up and a lot of that credit should go to the offensive line who, now that it has a settled starting line up, has brought the stability and great lineman play needed in order to make this New England offense tick once again.

Having a mad scientist-coaching mastermind in the form of Bill Belichick helps the Patriots offense because with the players they have on the other side of the ball it has given them the opportunities needed to make plays and both the defense and offense are helping each other out. This is especially true this season as this Patriots defense is probably the best we have seen since 2007 when New England almost pulled off the perfect season. Bill Belichick is having lots of fun defensively this year and he along with defensive coordinator Matt Patricia are thriving with the talent they have on this side of the ball with the likes of Revis, Browner, Arrington Hightower, Collins, Chung, McCourty, Chandler and Chris Jones, Ninkovich and even the new additions of Ayers and Casillas coming to mind.

They'll need whoever is on the field tonight to be at their best when they come up against Rodgers and co as they have a stellar receiving core with Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson leading the way along with a supporting cast of Boykin and rookie wideout Devante Adams who has slowly worked his way in to the offense. Add running back Eddie Lacy to the mix who despite some personal on-field troubles himself at times this season still is considered to be one of the best backs in the league and you can see why this Packers offense is equipped to succeed. In a pass heavy team Lacy's stats sometimes don't reflect well on him but with his obvious talents it gives a different dimension to Green Bay and a running back that has the ability to succeed where maybe in years gone by this is something they've lacked.

As I mentioned before tonight sees, in my opinion, the best quarterbacks of two generations/eras whatever you like to call it go head to head. Brady and Belichick have not only won three Super Bowls together but they have also combined to pick up numerous accolades along with the respect of many for their many achievements over the last almost 15 years. Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers if anything are both the next generation of Brady and Belichick. They may only have one ring to their name but surely at some point in their careers in Wisconsin at least a second championship will follow but the same regarding a fourth has been said about Brady-Belichick yet that hasn't happened as of yet.

Belichick and McCarthy both teased the media this week with the pair both asked to compare the two quarterbacks early in the week. Belichick's reply was "They both wear No. 12," before ending the media session and McCarthy's response to the same question was that "They're both from California," before he ended his session too. With both these franchises in prime positions to make a run at a championship under the guidance of brilliant head coaches and fantastic quarterbacks stemming down to well equipped offenses that know what it takes to win games in any way shape or form it is no wonder that this is being hyped up as a preview of Super Bowl XLIX come February 1st. 

Personally I don't see both of these teams making the big game and if I had to choose one to make it I would go with the Patriots just because they seem to be more well rounded overall of these two teams but in regards to tonight's game going to Lambeau Field is no easy task and that is what makes the prospect of tonight's matchup so gripping with the winner of tonight's game probably the hardest choice to make. Will the Patriots assert themselves as the best team in the NFL by making it 8 wins straight in one of the toughest places to play in football or will Rodgers and co derail the Brady led New England train and rack up their 4th straight win to take a step closer to getting a bye going in to the postseason... We'll find out in a few hours!

Playoffs: Sunday Wild Card Picks

Last night I went 1-1. The dream I had about the Chiefs winning was nothing but a dream as they lost an 8th straight playoff game. Who am I to question the magic of Andrew Luck and as a Andrew Luck fan I should have seen that comeback coming even if it was unthinkable! Credit where it is due to come back from 38-10 was amazing so well done to the Colts. As for the Saints well they showed grit and determination to leave Lincoln Financial Field with a 26-24 victory which wasn't far from my 34-27 prediction.

Nevertheless New Orleans won to spare my blushes from getting a doughnut from those two predictions and now I will share my thoughts will you all regarding today's final two wildcard round games. Let the excitement of the playoffs continue!


San Diego Chargers vs Cincinnati Bengals

The San Diego Chargers crept in to the playoffs last week with an overtime victory over the Chiefs in a game full of drama. Now Phillip Rivers and co go on the road to take on a Bengals team that finished the regular season 8-0 at home. Getting hot just before the playoffs has been a recipe for success in recent memory and with San Diego winning 4 straight coming in to this you can expect this to be a close one and a possible shootout too!

This game sees two quarterbacks who thew for over 30 touchdowns in the regular season go head to head with each other. Rivers threw 32 touchdowns to 11 picks whereas Andy Dalton threw one more touchdown with 33 on the year but also had 9 more interceptions with 20. To put this game down to the QB's is simplistic but as we know in the win or game home games it is the quarterback's who are either the hero or the villain depending on the outcome of the result.

Personally I think this is the toughest game to call of the week especially when you consider that both offenses have so many options. San Diego have Phillip Rivers throwing to rookie revelation Keenan Allen who hauled in 8 touchdown passes for over a 1000 yards! They have tight end Antonio Gates who still remains a threat especially in the redzone along with running back Ryan Matthews, the dynamic Danny Woodhead and the explosive Eddie Royal.

The Bengals have Andy Dalton throwing to monster wide receiver AJ Green who finished the year with 11 touchdown catches and Marvin Jones who is so underrated; his 10 touchdown catches and for 712 yards can't be overlooked. The Law Firm and Giovani Bernard at running back pose problems for the Chargers too but there is more pressure on the backs of Cincinnati today because the Chargers are ranked 6th in points allowed per game which shows their defenses strengths in key situations like the redzone.

The last time these two teams met the Bengals defeated San Diego 17-10 so you can expect today's game to be close but a lot more intense when you consider what is at stake. Andy Dalton is the least hit QB in the league but we know how he can crumble under pressure and with the Bengals looking for their first playoff victory in 14 years along with this great home record they have you get the impression that they could crumble again in this matchup. The Chargers have nothing to lose; personally I feel they deserve to be in the playoffs but the fact that they got here is down to hard work, determination and a bit of luck which is what you need at times to succeed in sport.

Earlier in the week I was riding with San Diego and then my head told me that the logical choice was the Bengals but when you consider the unexpected nature of the playoffs and what Phillip Rivers has been doing this year I think that the Chargers will pull out to what some will see as a shock result. I am going to base my decision down to this two things; The Chargers are hot and momentum is key in the playoffs so when you put that with the fact that in my opinion Mike McCoy is a better head coach than Marvin Lewis I feel that in a high pressure situation McCoy guides his San Diego team to beat the favoured Bengals to take his team to Mile High next week to face the Broncos.

Prediction: Chargers 27-24 Bengals


San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers

One of the NFL's oldest and most exciting rivalries is renewed tonight but the San Francisco 49ers go up against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in a cold weather game which is set to give this matchup an old school feel.

The Packers got in to the playoffs last weekend with a late victory over the Chicago Bears thanks to some heroics from returning quarterback Aaron Rodgers. On paper you'd have had the Niners to defeat the Bears or the Detroit Lions from the NFC North but going up against the Packers complicates things. Despite the grit and determination of the men in green and yellow San Francisco are not exactly pushovers; they are a hard working football team and are winners which comes from head coach Jim Harbaugh who is a natural born leader who strives for success.

The Niners have a monster defense with the likes of NaVorro Bowman, Justin Smith, Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith who will be looking to put some personal woes behind him with playoff success for the franchise. Patrick Willis is also a big time player for this defensive unit but although you'd think that the Niners need to be prepared for Aaron Rodgers personally I feel that the Niners will win this game if they manage to stop the run. Packers rookie running back Eddie Lacy has been one of the teams high points ranking third in the league in touchdowns with 11 and 8th in yardage with 1,178.

If Lacy can be stopped this puts more pressure on Rodgers in the passing game; his 66 yards along with James Starks' 88 yards helped the Packers stay in the game against Chicago last week and both will have to be at it again if they are to succeed in tonight's encounter. The Green Bay receiving core can get back to business though after Rodgers' return so the likes of Nelson, Jones, Boykin and Randall Cobb to all chip in and help the cause.

Famous road victories are part and parcel of the playoffs and I feel like San Francisco have a huge opportunity to win tonight setting them up against Carolina next week. Colin Kaepernick has had two huge games against the Packers in his two career meetings against them which include last seasons playoff victory and a impressive performance in the opening week of this year when he completed 27/39 passes for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 49ers are getting healthy at the right time with one of Kaepernick's favourite targets Michael Crabtree returning to action recently; along with him they have one of the best tight ends in the league with Vernon Davis as well as the likes of Anquan Boldin who lit the playoffs up last season for the Ravens. When you put their passing game with an established running game led by Frank Gore as well as Kaepernick's ability to use his legs himself and extend plays you've got to say that San Francisco edges this one and leaves Lambeau Field victorious.

Prediction: 49ers 31-27 Packers

NFL Week 3 recap:

Week 3 of the 2013 NFL season was eventful and brought some surprise results wise as well as high scoring games for us viewers to savour. We shall recap my top three games of the week and sum up the other results around the league:

Green Bay Packers 30-34 Cincinnati Bengals
            (1-2)                               (2-1)

Terence Newman helped the Cincinnati Bengals move on to 2-1 with a 58 yard fumble return for a touchdown late in the 4th quarter to seal the comeback win over the Green Bay Packers. The Bengals got off to a flying start when Giovani Bernard put them 7-0 up within the first six minutes of the game with a spectacular dive in to the end zone for his second touchdown of the season.

The running game really helped the Bengals early on as BenJarvus Green-Ellis helped his team capitalise on the Packers' special teams fumble just moments after the home team scored their first touchdown; The Bengals put up 14 points in 12 seconds. Bernard and Green-Ellis combined for 79 yards as well as the two touchdowns that put them up 14-0 early in the first quarter.

Turnovers then cost the Bengals as four straight drives resulting in a change of possession caused them to go in at halftime down 16-14. That was a silver lining for Green Bay after tight-end Jermichael Finley left the game early with a concussion. After putting up 14 more points, 30 unanswered, in the third quarter it appeared that his one may be over but when Andy Dalton hit AJ Green for the score late in the third it brought Cincinnati right back in it.

Aaron Rodgers ended the game with two interceptions meaning it was his first game since 2010 in which he threw more than one pick and it proved costly as after the second turnover the Bengals scored quickly again to bring themselves within three points with over 10 minutes left in regulation.

Newman's touchdown return came as a result of a forced fumble when Green Bay were looking to move the chains on 4th&inches but that turnover meant they trailed the Bengals by 4 points with less than four minutes on the clock. The Packers couldn't convert on a 4th&5 play which sealed their fate and saw them move to below .500 leaving at them after 1-2 after three games for the second year running. The Packers will be in a hurry to forget this defeat and have a bye next week before hosting the Detroit Lions in week 5 as they look to get their season back as track after falling two games behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North

Meanwhile quarterback Andy Dalton more than held his own against Aaron Rodgers and played his part in this Bengals victory which saw them move to 2-1. Dalton was efficient with 20 out of 28 passes completed for 235 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Cincinnati leads the AFC North after this big win but now need to prove they can keep grounded by going out and getting a win against the Browns next week with the team hoping to win their third straight game in a row.


Atlanta Falcons 23-27 Miami Dolphins
         (1-2)                          (3-0)


This was the potential upset on the cards that I was personally certain of happening and I even predicted the Dolphins to win 27-24! After the first quarter though Miami were down 10-0 but Lamar Miller helped the offense come alive and the team finished the half behind by just three points, 13-10, with Daniel Thomas the scorer of the Dolphins lone first-half touchdown.

The Falcons came out for the second half all guns blazing and regained their two possession lead early on in the third quarter when Matt Ryan combined with Levine Toiolo on a play-action pass at the goal-line to put Atlanta up 20-10.

With divisional rivals the New Orleans Saints looking good the Falcons needed a win but so did the Dolphins considering that their divisional rivals the Patriots were also on a roll. With high stakes on the line so early in the season somebody needed to come up big and there was a big hit on special teams by Don Jones on Falcons returner Harry Douglas which forced a fumble and gave Miami the opportunity to tie things up.

On the resulting drive Ryan Tannehill threw to the left side of the end zone on an 18 yard touchdown play to Brian Hartline which made it 20-20. That set up a tense 4th quarter and the Falcons took the lead again early on within it with a Matt Bryant field-goal putting the pressure on the Dolphins once again.

The game winning drive by Miami couldn't have been tenser but it was very well executed with the team converting three times on third down and eventually scoring the winning touchdown with less than 40 seconds to go when Tannehill lopped a throw to the big rookie tight-end Dion Sims to put the Dolphins up by four.

Matt Ryan tried his best to help the Falcons pull off a very late win but was picked off on a 2&10 play but was picked off by Jimmy Wilson sealing the game for Miami and taking them to 3-0 for the first time since 2002. With the Falcons at 1-2 they find themselves two games behind New Orleans in the NFC South and need to get their season back on track to avoid falling even further behind the resurgent Saints but week 4 won't be easy as they host the undefeated Patriots.

As for Miami well there came up big in this match despite some key injuries and on offense quarterback Ryan Tannehill has built up a good rapport with his receivers which has been on display throughout the team's first three victories; Tannehill was 24/35 for 236 yards, two touchdowns and one pick. This game against Atlanta was definitely a benchmark with the win proving they can mix it with the better teams in the league but it is a long season and that is proven by the fact that they face fellow unbeaten team the New Orleans Saints 3-0 next week on Monday Night Football in what should be a great matchup.


Indianapolis Colts 27-7 San Francisco 49ers
           (2-1)                              (1-2)

The Indianapolis Colts came up trumps on Sunday by frustrating the 49ers offense with their quarterback Colin Kaepernick being limited to 150 passing yards. Kaepernick also completed less than 50% of his pass attempts going 13/27 with an interception thrown and was also limited on rush attempts as he only managed 20 yards from 7 attempts.

The first half was close with the Colts going in to the break 10-7 up. The highlight of the first half for Indianapolis was that new acquisition Trent Richardson scored a touchdown on his first running attempt as a Colt.

Richardson and Bradshaw ran the ball well all day for the Colts and were crucial in ensuring that the team pulled off the surprise win at Candlestick Park. It is taking away credit from this Colts team by saying it is a surprise when you consider that this roster has lots of talent and new running back Richardson could turn Indianapolis in to a potential contender.

With just over 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter there were only six points in it with the Colts up 13-7 but that is when their offense came alive with Andrew Luck running in the end zone on a 3rd&3 play in the red-zone to put them 20-7 up. Then the Niners fumbled on the resulting drive on a 3rd&10 with less than 4 minutes left which gave the Colts the ball in a red-zone situation again with Ahmad Bradshaw finishing the quick drive off on 3rd&goal to make it 27-7.

Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 95 yards from 19 carries with Trent Richardson rushing for 35 from 13 and both had one score. The ground game really helped Andrew Luck and gave him the opportunities to put the Colts in scoring positions which effectively won them the game. Luck may not have thrown a touchdown pass but his rushing score came at a time which pretty much killed the game off and the second year QB completed 17 of his 26 pass attempts.

Credit must also go to the defence for limiting a talented Niners offense to just 7 points; they have scored just 10 points in the past two weeks after being blown away by the Seahawks in week 3. Two poor results leave the Niners 1-2 after three weeks and although it is early days this is unfamiliar territory for this San Francisco team.

They face divisional rivals the Rams on Thursday night who are also 1-2 as they look to bounce back and ensure they remain within touching distance of the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. As for the Colts well they bounced back well from their week 2 loss to Miami and moved above .500 ahead of a week 4 matchup with the 0-3 Jaguars. That road trip to Florida should be well enjoyed by the Colts as it looks all but certain that they will move to 3-1 whilst piling on the misery for Jacksonville.


Other week 3 results:

(3-0) Kansas City Chiefs 26-16 Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)

(0-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-23 New England Patriots (3-0)

(2-1) Houston Texans 9-30 Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

(0-3) New York Giants 0-38 Carolina Panthers (1-2)

(1-2) St. Louis Rams 7-31 Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

(1-2) Cleveland Browns 31-27 Minnesota Vikings (0-3)

(1-2) Arizona Cardinals 7-31 New Orleans Saints (3-0)

(1-2) San Diego Chargers 17-20 Tennessee Titans (2-1)

(2-1) Detroit Lions 27-20 Washington Redskins (0-3)

(1-2) Buffalo Bills 20-27 New York Jets (2-1)

(0-3) Jacksonville Jaguars 17-45 Seattle Seahawks (3-0)

(3-0) Chicago Bears 40-23 Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3)

(1-2) Oakland Raiders 21-37 Denver Broncos (3-0)

NFC North Preview

As we know the NFC is a very competitive conference and it recent years a general consensus among many would suggest there are more high quality teams within it as opposed to the AFC. Within the NFC North it is safe to say that this division is one of the most fiercely contested divisions with the established franchises of the Packers and Bears up against two growing ones in the form of the Vikings and Lions. One things for sure and that is all four of these teams are talented which will make the NFC North particularly interesting as well as exciting to watch for the 2013 season.

The Bears and Packers are the well-known names of the division with the Bears clinching one Super Bowl title in 1985 in Super Bowl XX whilst the Packers have won one Super Bowl in each of the past two decades with their tally standing at two. The Vikings have had numerous playoff berths throughout their history but have never won the big game although last season they returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. With the Packers being consistent year in year out, the Vikings surprising and looking to prove they aren't going anywhere, the Bears looking to bounce back after falling from 7-1 to 10-6 in 2012 meaning they missed out on the playoffs and the Lions hoping their talents finally shine through after a disappointing season. With all four teams feeling like they have a realistic chance of winning the division let us preview the NFC North for this season. It's hard to call especially in this division and although all have a shot at making the playoffs look out for my season prediction for these teams to see how I think they'll fair in 2013:


Minnesota Vikings:

The Vikings ended the 2012 season with a crucial 4 game winning streak to reach the playoffs and shock everyone. One of the surprise stories of the season was Adrian Peterson has he literally carried Minnesota to the post-season by rushing for 2,097 yards just 9 short of Eric Dickerson's long standing record. In 2013 Peterson believes he can hit the 2,500 mark and while personally I think he can beat the record I don't think that the 2,500 number being thrown around is possible.

The reason for that is not because AP can't do it but because the Vikings need to throw the football in order to build on their surprisingly successful 2012. Nobody thought that they would compete like they did and nobody believed Peterson would have such a sensational return and impact like he did. Although defensive planning won't complete stop him the opposition have had all of the off-season to look at the Vikings offense and study it so that if they do rely on the ground game again it won't work to the same devastating effect. The likes of tight end Kyle Rudolph are good options to have in the offense but now Christian Ponder has been given a dynamic receiving weapon in the shape of Greg Jennings he needs to step up in his third season in the league and have a break out year; you can see in preseason he's making the effort to attempt to throw the football down the field which is good to see.

AP & the Vikings will be looking to defy the odds again

I feel that Ponder has been unfairly criticised at times as he is a young guy and that so far what he has done in two years has been good. Yes he may not have taken the league by the storm such as the likes of Andrew Luck, RG3 or Cam Newton but Ponder was a part of helping the Vikings getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. In his second season his touchdowns went up from 13 to 18 whilst his interceptions dropped from 13 to 12 despite the fact he played 5 more games in 2012 as opposed to 2011 and attempted almost 200 more passes. Ponder's quarterback rating also increased from 70.1 to 81.2 so it is clear to see he is developing but due to the fact that the NFL has such high expectations this could be a make or break year for him as a Viking. The Vikings were underdogs last year but now whether they like it or not expectations have risen for this franchise as the fans look for them to deliver a successful 2013 and while it may seem tough for them to achieve despite the fact they have talent on both sides of the ball to so. Regardless of what happens this season the Vikings a well-run organisation that should stand them in good stead for the future. All those associated with the franchise will be hoping that Minnesota returns to the post-season come the turn of the new year but although their general play should improve it seems likely that they'll take a backwards step in terms of their record and where they finish within the NFC North.

Season prediction: 6-10. 4th in NFC North.


Green Bay Packers:

Just like the way people say the Patriots will always compete while they have Tom Brady as their quarterback the same will apply for the Green Bay Packers for as many years as they have Aaron Rodgers as their QB. The Packers are well equipped on both sides of the ball with their defense ranking 11th and their offense ranking 13th in net total yardage. They have a healthy Clay Matthews this year which automatically boosts their chances and a very promising first-round draft pick in Datone Jones so their defense will either remain solid or improve in 2013 as well as Eddie Lacy who will help them in the running game which if anything is probably one thing the Packers needed to improve from an offensive point of view.

Can Rodgers help Green Bay go all the way?

Green Bay have won the NFC North for the past two years and made the playoffs for four years consecutively including a Super Bowl win in the 2010 season. Aaron Rodgers is the leader of this team and highly praised by near enough anyone who knows about the NFL. The 2011 MVP has put up astronomical numbers in just 5 years as a starting quarterback throwing 171 touchdowns to just 46 interceptions. He is the only quarterback in NFL history to have a passer rating of over 100.0 in both the regular season and the playoffs: Regular season 104.9 ranking him 1st all-time, playoff career passer rating of 103.6 ranking him 3rd of all-time and second among active QB's. At 29 years old Rodgers is in the prime of his career and will continue to tear up opposing defenses for years to come up with his talent and the talent around him he will want to build on that one Super Bowl ring.

Despite a tough 2012 season for the Packers which saw them questioned pretty much throughout the year especially after a controversial defeat in week 3 against the Seahawks you would have to say that heading in to 2013 they are one of the main early season Super Bowl contenders and it would be very hard to bet against Mike McCarthy's men winning a third NFC North title this season. Green Bay are the team to beat in this division and you could also suggest it very likely that the Packers are in position to compete for a bye to the divisional round in the playoffs despite the fact they are in a competitive NFC North and have a tough schedule which includes games against the NFC East teams as well as a week one encounter against the San Francisco 49ers who were the team that defeated them in last season's divisional round. While missing wildcard week has not always been a blessing for many teams in the playoffs in recent years you would have to say playing that extra game last year was what ultimately cost the Packers against the Niners so securing their passage to the divisional round may be crucial to Green Bay's chances of winning the Super Bowl considering how competitive and tough the NFC is.

Season prediction: 11-5. 1st in NFC North.


Detroit Lions:

The Lions suffered an abysmal 2012 season finishing 4-12 which was majorly disappointing for all those associated with the franchise after their 10-6 finish in 2011 which saw them make the playoffs. This Lions roster has plenty of talent but is in danger of becoming just another what could have been type of team if they don't step up to the plate this season. I went out on a limb last season and predicted the Lions to finish 10-6 last year but bad luck as well as bad performances went hand in hand as the Lions dropped back to last place in the NFC North.

The one positive for Detroit was that Calvin Johnson aka 'Megatron' as he captured the record for the most receiving yards in a single season with 1,964 yards. Megatron became the first player in NFL history to have consecutive seasons with at least 1,600 yards receiving as well as tying Michael Irvin's record for most 100 receiving yard games in a single season with 11. Despite another successful season for Johnson Detroit's misfortunes reflected especially on himself and quarterback Matthew Stafford from an offensive point of view with the pair both drastically declining in terms of touchdowns. After the team pulled their 2012 record back to 4-5 they then lost 9 in a row and once out of realistic playoff contention it appeared the Lions were more set on helping Megatron break the receiving yards record than working the team's mishaps. I'm not taking anything away from Calvin Johnson as breaking that long-standing record was an incredible achievement but a man of his calibre should be hauling in more than 5 touchdown passes as he is possibly the most naturally gifted wide receiver of all time as he possesses the entire skill-set to break many records. In 2011 he had 16 touchdown receptions and Matthew Stafford had an outstanding 41 touchdowns from the quarterback position but once again a man with his talents put up a lousy 2012 campaign as he dropped to just 20 touchdown passes and up on his interceptions by one from 16 to 17.

Stafford & Megatron need to be back to their best in 2013

In 2013 it is hard to predict how Jim Schwartz's team will do as he needs to make sure this talented roster succeeds. Most of the team are being paid well but they are young so he needs to make sure that they keep a good head on their shoulders so that they can compete in this division. Despite the obvious talents of Megatron and although it may sound obvious I believe any success this Lions team has come down to Matthew Stafford because he has come under criticism after last year and he should be bouncing back as he probably has a bit of a chip on his shoulder. In the NFC North you could argue the quarterback position is more important than most hence the Vikings needing Ponder to step up, the Bears needing Cutler to perform and Rodgers pretty much always guiding the Packers to success. Stafford needs to return to the high standard we saw in 2011 in order for Detroit to compete and considering they have now added Reggie Bush to the run game it gives them something new plus on defense they have possibly the best defensive tackle pairing with Suh and Fairley so if Detroit's best players step up then they could cause a headache in this division.

Season prediction: 8-8. 3rd in NFC North.


Chicago Bears:

The thing that makes the NFC North so easy to write about is how tough it is to predict but how many factors it has in it. Sadly for Chicago they are in the boat where they are the kind of team many people put faith in year in and year out yet they keep failing to deliver and you don't have to go any further than last season when the team fell from a fantastic 7-1 start to finish 10-6 and 3rd in the division with the collapse causing former head coach Lovie Smith to be fired in his 9th season in charge of the team.

The 2013 season sees Marc Trestman in his first year in charge of the Bears. Trestman's Bears are getting a lot of hype from many but he will need the likes of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall to get things going if this Chicago team are to go places. The Bears have only had four playoff appearances since the turn of the millennium so Trestman has pressure on him to succeed already. Thankfully for quarterback Jay Cutler his new head coach should be able to tutor him and help him improve his game with the 30 year old coming off of decent 2012 campaign which saw him throw 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Brandon Marshall hauled in 11 of Cutler's 19 TD passes last season and as everyone knows the two have a great rapport but Trestman's biggest job will be to make sure it is just as effective but that the Bears don't rely on the partnership as it then becomes predictable so implementing someone like new tight end Martellus Bennett would be great to help the Bears' passing game as well as their run game. They have Matt Forte at running back that at the age of 27 should really be having one of the best seasons in his career especially after rushing for 1,094 yards in 2012 which was his highest total since he came in to the league as a rookie in 2008.

Can Trestman deliver in his 1st season as Chicago's HC?

Judging how the Bears will do in 2013 is hard especially as they are up against three other teams who are all going to be very competitive. The difference maker for the Bears for them in-particular for me will be how they compete against the NFC East teams in those divisional crossover matchups as the Lions, Vikings and Packers all offer something dynamic but in their own unique way whereas I believe the Bears will have to rely on a tough defense if they are to have a successful season this year. The offense needs improvement and Marc Trestman will be able to steady that ship but new defensive coordinator Mel Tucker has lot of talent on his side of the ball with the likes of Corey Wootton, Tim Jennings and Lance Briggs to name a few. Tucker will need to utilize his defensive players in order for the Bears to succeed as if they can maintain the 5th ranked defense in the league or better they'll have a chance of reaching the post-season. It goes without saying that a successful NFL team needs all of its players to chip in so that can happen but with no real superstar player on the Bears team they all need to step up; to be honest this could be a blessing disguise and although it will be tough if their players step up a trip back to the post-season could be a genuine possibility but if so it'll be through a wildcard spot.

Season prediction: 9-7. 2nd in NFC North