Week 3 NFL Predictions:

After predicting Andy Reid's Chiefs to move on to 3-0 with a 27-24 win I can say I am satisfied with my prediction after they recorded a 26-16 win. Alex Smith defied my assumption that both he and Michael Vick would throw their first picks of the season but Vick made up for that by throwing two. The running back battle between Jamaal Charles and LeSean McCoy was great to watch with both putting up more than respectable numbers. 

Now that the Chiefs have moved on to 3-0 how will the other unbeaten teams fair in week 3? The New England Patriots host the winless Buccaneers while their AFC East rivals the Miami Dolphins host the talented Atlanta Falcons hoping to also go 3-0 in a match that will surely be used a benchmark for the Dolphins. The 2-0 Texans go on the road to M&T bank stadium to take on the Ravens and the New Orleans Saints will look to also continue their good start to the 2013 season when they take on the Cardinals whilst the Seattle Seahawks welcome the Jaguars to CenturyLink Field as Russell Wilson looks to help the team make in 10 straight home wins.

The final two unbeaten teams are the Chicago Bears and the Denver Broncos. The Bears are on a high after a last grasp victory in week 2 against the Vikings and will be looking to get a win on the road. As for Denver well they host fellow AFC West rivals the Raiders as Peyton Manning and co look to wrap up another easy looking victory. With those six games on show as well as nine others let us take a look at the rest of my predictions for week 3:

Houston Texans (2-0) vs Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Andre Johnson is expected to play on Sunday for the Texans and after rookie wideout DeAndre Hopkins stepped up to help Houston overcome the Titans in overtime the two could well become a formidable force. Quarterback Matt Schaub is performing well with 6 touchdowns in two games whilst averaging 322 yards per game; add that to a running game which includes a potential breakout star in the form of Ben Tate to go with superstar back Arian Foster and this Texans offense is suddenly starting to show potential signs of becoming devastating for opponents plus we know what their defence can do to!

They will show their talents against this new look Ravens defense which kept their team in it last week against the Browns as the team edged out their divisional rivals 14-6. Joe Flacco and the offense need to step up accordingly and haven't done so yet. Now that the nerves of their opening home game as Super Bowl champions has passed by they may perform better than last week but it is hard to look past the Texans.

Score: Texans 27-17 Ravens

New York Giants (0-2) vs Carolina Panthers (0-2)

Both of these NFC teams have looked equally unimpressive in the first two weeks of the season but the good news is that one of them will get their first W of the season this Sunday when they go head to head. Carolina have only lost by a combined total of 6 points so in a sense they have been unlucky after suffering narrow defeats to Seattle and Buffalo respectively. 

The Giants have brought back running back Brandon Jacobs who will help in goal line situations and put points up which is what they need after failing to keep up with the Broncos last week; Jacobs had one touchdown from 7 carries last week. Despite throwing five touchdowns in their first two games Giants quarterback Eli Manning has an awful seven interceptions to his name already and with that has thrown the most interceptions in the league since 2004.

The Panthers do have a chance but they are probably beating themselves up after the one point loss to the Bills last week whereas Big Blue know how to bounce back and even from 0-2 as that was a record they came back from to win the Super Bowl in 2007 and with the NFC East being so competitive they will be eager to get back to winning ways on Sunday.

Score: Panthers 16-24 Giants

Detroit Lions (1-1) vs Washington Redskins (0-2)

Despite two disappointing defeats the Redskins have showed fight and will be looking to record their first win of the season when they welcome the Lions on Sunday. I get the impression many people are favouring a Washington win just because this young Lions team is so unpredictable and you don't know who will turn up.

Reggie Bush is optimistic of playing for Detroit but regardless of that I'm going with a Lions win. I think after losing a nail biter to Arizona this team has to bounce back in style and I'll bank on them to do so. Many people have split opinions on this Detroit team as they are reaching the stage of needing to either put up or shut up. We know they have the talent and that will shine threw on Sunday with Stafford throwing a couple of touchdowns to Megatron along with Suh doing something outrageous plus when you take in to consideration RGIII is having a Cam Newton type sophomore season it is starting to look like 2013 may be dismal for Washington.

Score: Lions 31-20 Redskins

San Diego Chargers (1-1) vs Tennessee Titans (1-1)

This encounter will be interesting with both teams looking to go above .500 with a victory on Sunday. The Titans stunned the Steelers when they knocked them off in week one but narrowly lost in an overtime thriller vs the Texans last week.

San Diego blew a lead in week 1 vs the Texans but bounced back last week with Nick Novak kicking the game winning field-goal against the Eagles. Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers has been something of revelation with the 10th year man throwing 7 touchdowns to just one interception in his first two. His 419 yards last week was part of a fantastic display as he connected with receiver Eddie Royal for all three touchdowns; Royal leads the NFL with 5 touchdown receptions.

With both teams performing respectably well so far this year it is close to call but I feel that San Diego's week two win may be the catalyst for further good performances which gets them the win on Sunday.

Score: Chargers 27-14 Titans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) vs New England Patriots (2-0)

The New England Patriots may not have found a more desirable opponent than the Bucs considering the turmoil going on in Tampa after it was reported superstar cornerback Darelle Revis had a falling out with head coach Greg Schiano as well as quarterback Josh Freeman reportedly requesting a trade. Despite reports of the air being cleared between Revis and Schiano this is a tough road game for Tampa Bay.

To be honest though the Buccaneers will feel that there isn't a better time to take on the Patriots considering their offensive woes. New England got by a tough divisional match on Thursday Night Football in week 2 against the Jets and despite the criticism of their rookie receivers Tom Brady is helping them develop while the defense has come up big especially in the win over the Jets; tied for 6th in points per game only giving up 15.5.

Belichick's defense has 3 interceptions in two games along with the team recovering 3 of its 4 forced fumbles. The likes of Chandler Jones and Aqib Talib have been standout performer but we know that the Patriots' success always comes down to working as a collective. Tom Brady will look for an improved running game on Sunday to help the Patriots' attack. Expect Aaron Dobson to have a big game but Brady will probably look to Julian Edelman to produce while Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola recover from injuries. While it may be another hard fought victory I have the Patriots to take the spoils on Sunday and move to 3-0.

Score: Buccaneers 17-24 Patriots

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) vs New Orleans Saints (2-0)

Both of these teams seem rejuvenated in 2013 with Sean Payton and Bruce Arians both showing of their coaching skills for their respective franchises. The Saints overcame a tough trip to Tampa in week 2 by grinding out the win 16-14 while the Cardinals left it late to knock off of the Lions in that week 2 match.

Both teams have improved on the sides of the ball that let them down for the duration of the 2012 season. For Arizona it was their offense but Carlson Palmer has helped restore some stability in their passing game and also managed to get Larry Fitzgerald going again. As for New Orleans well we know that their offense has major weapons which can cause anyone trouble but thankfully their defense has stepped up as well so far in 2013 thanks to Rob Ryan's influence; they rank tied for 6th in points given up per game with just 15.5 and have recovered 2 of their 3 forced fumbles.

Arizona's defence may keep them in it but the danger of facing Drew Brees is that if he gets going only certain teams can make it a shoot-out and with the Saints at the Superdome it appears likely that Payton's side make it three wins in a row.

Score: Cardinals 14-24 Saints

Green Bay Packers (1-1) vs Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Both the Packers and Bengals bounced back from narrow week one defeat by winning their week two game against the Redskins and Steelers respectively. The main factor for this game will be if Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton can hang in there with Aaron Rodgers in a shootout. The Bengals put in a convincing performance when they beat their AFC North rivals the Steelers on Monday Night Football so will be confident of holding their own when they host Green Bay on Sunday.

We know that both of these teams have plenty of offensive firepower and you can expect a high-scoring game on Sunday. With both teams keen to throw the ball it shouldn't disappoint in what promises to be a mouth-watering encounter. Aaron Rodgers is second in the league for passing yards but has played a game less than league leader Michael Vick and despite that is only 19 yards behind him.

Rodgers is on for another monster season as Green Bay's offense is already red shot with the quarterback currently on 7 touchdown passes to just one pick after two games. The Packers defense has improved and to be honest generally speaking head coach Mike McCarthy probably doesn't get enough credit for the teams performances. Personally I feel although that this road game is a potential banana skin for the Packers they will find a way to get the win in a close fought encounter.

Score: Packers 31-28 Bengals

St. Louis Rams (1-1) vs Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

The Rams look like a much better team already just from their two performances so far this season. They gave the Falcons a scare last week and rookie Tavon Austin showed off his dynamic skill-set which has probably put the entire league on watch in particularly their week 3 opponents the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys know that this game won' be easy but being at home should stand them in good stead as they look to bounce back from a one point loss to the Chiefs last week. Tony Romo & co will want to take advantage of the fact that the Giants and Redskins are in a bit of a rut at the moment and that the Eagles are inconsistent.

Dallas could take the early initiative in the NFC East if they start to get some wins together but I think that their success unlike other teams stems down to their offense. DeMarco Murray makes the Cowboys tick when he get the run game going and he will put up impressive numbers on Sunday helping Dallas get the win.

Score: Rams 17-26 Cowboys

Atlanta Falcons (1-1) vs Miami Dolphins (2-0)

As predicted by myself the Miami Dolphins overcame a tough test last week when they knocked off the Colts 24-20 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Despite being branded by many to underachieve after their big spending during the offseason the Dolphins have impressed in the first two weeks of the season with sophomore quarterback Ryan Tannehill leading the way with two good displays.

Mike Wallace has also played well and the wideout will cause the Falcons secondary problems while Miami's defence has also taken a step forward from last year. As mentioned in the intro to these predictions this match is a benchmark for Miami to see where they are right now considering they are coming up against one of the best regular season teams in the league.

The Falcons are a team stacked full of talent but in a sense are staring adversity in the face now that NFC South rivals the Saints have re-established themselves early on this year. A defeat for Atlanta could prove costly come the end of the year and I think you can expect to see an upset this Sunday at Sun Life Stadium

Score: Falcons 24-27 Dolphins

Buffalo Bills (1-1) vs New York Jets (1-1)

With both of these teams narrowly losing out to the New England Patriot the Bills and Jets stand at 1-1 after two weeks of the 2013 season. Both will feel that they need to win considering there other two divisional rivals are 2-0 and will not want to be the one team to slip below .500.

The match sees rookie quarterback's EJ Manuel and Geno Smith go head to head and considering both have already had a taste of a rivalry matchup you can expect all guns to be blazing when they go head to head on Sunday.

EJ Manuel has been more impressive throwing 3 touchdowns to 1 interception whereas Smith has 1 touchdown to 4 interceptions although to be fair to Smith he lacks a running game and is in dire need of some help in the Jets' offense. This game will come down to which defense outperforms the other as both are talented and will make the most of any mistakes the opposing offense makes.

Score: Bills 19-16 Jets

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) vs Seattle Seahawks (2-0)

You would bet your life savings on Seattle beating the Jags tomorrow when you considering how talented the Seahawks are and how talentless their AFC South opposition is. That is not being disrespectful to Jacksonville but the fact of the matter is that the franchise seems to be lacking an identity and no real direction despite being taken over by the wealthy Shahid Khan in 2012

The Jags face mission impossible when they walk in to CenturyLink Field tomorrow as they bid to become the first team to put a blemish on Russell Wilson's unbeaten home streak which now stands at 9-0 after Seattle easily dispatched of arch rivals the 49ers last weekend 29-3.

The chances of that happening are oh so slim and you can expect this to be a blowout with Pete Carroll's high flying Seahawks remaining undefeated leaving Jacksonville still winless. Expect Seattle's defence to have a field day against this lacklustre offense of the Jags.

Score: Jaguars 6-34 Seahawks

Cleveland Browns (0-2) vs Minnesota Vikings (0-2)

After trading away franchise running back Trent Richardson to the Colts it appears that the Cleveland Browns have given up on the 2013 season and will look to start fresh from next year's draft now that they are stacked with picks.

That is good news for another running back who goes by the name of Adrian Peterson as last year's league MVP looks to help the Viking get their first win on the board. Unfortunately for anyone watching this game on Sunday both team's lack any real passing game but I believe this could be the week the Vikings put up big numbers as they look to reassert themselves.

Whether that is on the ground alone or we see a passing threat from the Vikings remains to be seen. Matching up against this Browns defence won't be easy when you consider they gave the Ravens a massive headache last week but you can expect Minnesota to please their fans with a win.

Score: Browns 13-26 Vikings

Indianapolis Colts (1-1) vs San Francisco 49ers (1-1)

The acquisition of Trent Richardson was a blockbuster trade by the Colts as they look to take advantage of a weakened AFC conference by hoping to make a run come playoff time. It would be hard to bet against Indianapolis making it back to the postseason but they do have a tough schedule and after a narrow defeat to Miami last week they now face the Niners in week 3 as well as Seattle in week 5.

The Colts vs 49ers game has given me much food for thought especially after the Niners were humiliated by Seattle last weekend. It was probably Colin Kaepernick's worst performance as a starter and now it will be intriguing to see how he bounces back when the Niners welcome the Colts on Sunday evening.

Richardson will be a force for the Colts and will have affected the San Francisco's planning of their opposition's offense but the 49ers D is more than capable of dealing with problems. I think the Colts will put up a fight and it will be very enjoyable watching Andrew Luck battle against Colin Kaepernick but I am going to go with the Niners to bounce back and win with Kaepernick throwing at least two touchdowns and getting one on the ground two.

Expect Luck to put up great numbers like he always does. My bold prediction is that the Colts fall to 1-2 with defeat tomorrow but bounce back in week 4 to beat the Jaguars and then go on to beat the Seahawks when they visit Lucas Oil stadium in week 5. By then Trent Richardson will have settled in and we will see what this new look Colts offense can do now they have a ground game to complement the talents of quarterback Andrew Luck.

Score: Colts 24-30 49ers

Chicago Bears (2-0) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2)

The Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers have endured different fortunes at the start of the season with the Bears undefeated after two games while Pittsburgh remains winless after defeats to Tennessee and Cincinnati.

The Bears roll in to Heinz Field for Sunday Night Football on the back of a memorable victory over the Vikings last week when Jay Cutler hit Martellus Bennett down field with 11 seconds to go to win the game. Many people will feel that Marc Trestman's Bears will walk out with the win on Sunday night but Pittsburgh are not to be underestimated despite their lack of threats in the passing game and a poor running game.

Thankfully for the Steelers they have a defense that can unsettle Chicago and their home fans will create a tough atmosphere for the visitors. Of course the Bears have one of the most talented defenses in the league but I just get the impression that complacency may creep in for the visitors and that the Steelers could manage to pull off the win; if they do you can expect it to be because Ben Roethlisberger came up big. The beauty of the NFL is that week by week there are shocks and the Steelers are capable of pulling one of come game-time tomorrow.

Score: Bears 17-19 Steelers

Oakland Raiders (1-1) vs Denver Broncos (2-0)

The Denver Broncos welcome division rivals the Oakland Raiders as they look to steamroll through another opponent after two fantastic wins so far this season. Week 1 saw Denver tear the Ravens apart 49-27 and last week they knocked off the Giants 41-23 with another convincing victory.

Peyton Manning is stacked with a load of talented receivers from Wes Welker to Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. Tight end Julius Thomas has been a revelation for Denver and his two stellar performances have made him a valuable part of this offense. Peyton Manning has thrown 9 touchdowns to zero interceptions so far and leads the league with a passer rating of 131.0. When you take in to consideration that Knowshon Moreno is getting it done on the ground too as well as the fact that Denver's defence is one of the best in the AFC and has Von Miller to return to the fold you have to say the Broncos are looking like a force to be reckoned with.

All of that doesn't bode well for Oakland but the Raiders appear to have a good QB in Terrelle Pryor who is developing and making plays. The Raiders will almost certainly struggle to keep up with the Broncos but it makes for an interesting Monday night divisional rival matchup.

Score: Raiders 17-37 Broncos

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