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

NFL Week 9.

Week 9 saw the NFL move in to the second half of the season. This week saw brought us many close games with each team trying to press on and gain momentum now that the post-season is in sight. This week we’ll take a look at some teams that haven’t been reviewed as much in the past few weeks as I look to mix it up a little.



Chicago Bears (7-1-0) 51-20 (3-6-0) Tennessee Titans

The Chicago Bears maintained control of the NFC North with a blowout win over the Titans. The Bears were outstanding on both sides of the ball and even led their opponents 31-5 at halftime.

Chicago hasn’t lost since their week 2 setback in Green Bay and will hope to continue this fine run of form in order to clinch the divisional crown over the Packers.

It was a long day for Tennessee from the start as literally the first play of the game saw them turn the football over when Bears cornerback Charles Tillman forced a fumble by hitting receiver Kenny Britt in the middle of the field.

Chicago’s defense was at it again early in the first quarter when Corey Wootton managed to score a defensive touchdown following a blocked punt to get the scoring rolling.

Overall the Bears defense forced five turnovers in this huge win as they showed why they are championship calibre especially when they possess the likes of Brian Urlacher who returned an interception for a touchdown in the win and Charles Tillman who forced an amazing four fumbles in the game.

When the season began everyone knew that this team’s defense could and most likely would come up big but it was on offense were questions were being asked but thankfully for all those associated with the Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and his offense have helped this team rally to a 7-1 record at the halfway point of their schedule.

Cutler himself was efficient on the day as he completed 19 passes out of 26 attempts for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns in one of his best performances of the season. His buddy Brandon Marshall was the man who hauled in all three of those touchdown passes as he managed 122 receiving yards off 9 receptions.

Matt Forte also got the Bears run game going as he ran in for a score in the first quarter and racked up over 100 yards on the day.

As for the Titans well they didn’t have much to celebrate as they slumped to 3-6 meaning that their season is over in regards to the playoffs although Chris Johnson did manage to pull off a 80 yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

The defeat leaves owner Bud Adams with plenty to stew over following his team’s poor performances with many questions now being asked about the future of many of those in Tennessee.

The Titans will now travel to Sun Life Stadium to take on the Dolphins in week 10. Meanwhile the highflying Bears have a huge game at home against the Houston Texans who are also 7-1 on the season as the two match up on Sunday Night football with both needing a win as they look to try and cement the first seed in their respective conferences.

Miami Dolphins (4-4-0) 20-23 Indianapolis Colts (5-3-0)

This game saw the battle of the two rookies as Ryan Tannehill and Andrew Luck lock horns with the two bidding to move their respective teams forward in hope of reaching the playoffs.

Come the end of the this week’s games it was revealed that the winner would currently hold the 6th seed in the AFC following the first half of the campaign and it was the Colts who managed to come out on top by 3 in a very close one at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Andrew Luck put in another fantastic performance in what is turning out to be an amazing rookie year for the number one overall pick. He threw for an NFL rookie-record 433 yards as the Colts earned a 23-20 victory over the Dolphins.

Neither team was expected to be over .500 heading in to week 9 of the NFL season especially with rookie quarterbacks at the helm but both have defied the odds. The Colts are now looking to go to 6-3 when they take on AFC South rivals the Jaguars on Thursday as they look to keep up the pressure on the Texans as well as the other AFC playoff hopefuls.

Miami are not done and dusted as this loss snapped a three game winning streak so Tannehill and co will look to get back to basics and more importantly winning ways when the Dolphins take on the Titans at home in week 10.

As for this game well it will go down as one of the memorable ones of the season especially for Indianapolis if it helps give them the momentum to go on and make the post-season. Andrew Luck’s passing skills continue to improve and he completed 30 out of 48 passing attempts on the day.

Luck managed throw a pair of touchdowns and on the day completed many crucial third downs, 204 yards overall on third down plays. Along with that he made some big plays down field to his receivers with one of his touchdown passes going to T.Y. Hilton for 36 yards.

Reggie Wayne was the man who hauled in the young quarterback’s other touchdown pass as this Colts offense once again showed that they know how to get the job done. Wayne himself leads the league in receiving yards with 835 yards and Luck is in the top 5 quarterbacks for passing yards along with Tom Brady, Eli Manning and Drew Brees.

Ryan Tannehill threw for 290 yards and a touchdown but Miami literally fell short in this one as they were a yard from moving the chains on fourth down meaning that the Colts sealed the win.

It was a great day for Indianapolis who once again played with heart and determination in front of an emotional home crowd as head coach Chuck Pagano was in attendance as he continues his treatment for leukaemia.

Adam Vinatieri’s 43 yard game winning field goal means that Andrew Luck has now led five fourth quarter or overtime game-winning drives in his first 8 games as an NFL quarterback and this win means the Colts have now won 3 in a row.

Minnesota Vikings (5-4-0) 20-30 Seattle Seahawks (5-4-0)

This week 9 matchup also paired two young quarterbacks against each other as rookie Russell Wilson took on sophomore Christian Ponder with them battling it out in a close one at CenturyLink Field.

Pete Carroll’s Seahawks have performed well this season but with a top quality defense it isn’t as surprising as Minnesota’s success as they are also 5-4 after 9 games. Both teams are competing in tough NFC divisions and both will look to push on in their next 7 games as they look to try and reach the post-season.

As for this game well it was Seattle who came out on top as Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, 173 yards, to lead them to a 30-20 win at home. The Seahawks are unbeaten at home and have another game at CenturyLink Field to look forward to when they host the Jets in Week 10.

This game also saw two of the best running backs in the NFL go head to head. Adrian Peterson is back to his old self for the Vikings this year and racked up 182 yards on the day as well as two touchdowns. It was AP who got the scoring going in this one by giving Minnesota a 7-0 lead early in the first.

His second touchdown came early in the second quarter and tied the game at 14-14 following two Seattle passing touchdowns. Wilson connected with Golden Tate on a 6 yard pass and former Viking Sidney Rice on an 11 yard play.

A Blair Walsh field goal appeared to give the road team a 3 point lead at the half but with 44 seconds to go in the first half Russell Wilson connected with Tate again to give the Seahawks a 21-17 lead at the break.

On this day Marshawn Lynch may not have rushed for as many yards as Adrian Peterson but Lynch was the one on the winning team as he rushed for 124 yards and a score. His touchdown came with just over 4 minutes to go in the third and put Seattle up by 10.

A deep 55 yard field goal by Vikings rookie kicker Walsh put them within 7 but Seattle scored a field goal midway through the fourth and ended up winning this one by 10. Vikings quarterback Ponder had a disappointing day as he completed just 50% of his passes for only 63 yards and also threw a pick.

Minnesota now has a huge matchup in week 10 ahead of them as they look to bounce back from this loss when they take on the resurgent Detroit Lions in a clash between 3rd and 4th in the NFC North. Despite their standings within a very competitive division both teams have a shot at the playoffs if they can put a run together so Sunday’s matchup could be crucial come the end of the season.

Roundup of other Week 9 games:

Kansas City Chiefs (1-7-0) 13-31 San Diego Chargers (4-4-0) – Somehow Nov Turner’s team are in playoff contention but then again the Chiefs have only won once this season. 

Denver Broncos (5-3-0) 31-23 Cincinnati Bengals (3-5-0) – Peyton Manning and the Broncos went on the road and racked up another win. With each passing week Denver are starting to look more like a contender in the AFC.

Baltimore Ravens (6-2-0) 25-15 Cleveland Browns (2-7-0) – Despite the Ravens defense seemingly getting more depleted week by week they managed to get another win under their belt and maintain control of the AFC North.

Arizona Cardinals (4-5-0) 17-31 Green Bay Packers (6-3-0) – The Green Bay Packers managed to keep some pressure on the Chicago Bears in the NFC North with this win whilst the Cardinals early season form has now gone out the window.

Buffalo Bills (3-5-0) 9-21 Houston Texans (7-1-0) – The Texans moved to 7-1 with another win under their belts ahead of a big game on Sunday night against the 7-1 Chicago Bears.

Detroit Lions (4-4-0) 31-14 Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7-0) – This young Detroit Lions team have turned a corner and with two wins in a row they’ve given themselves something to play for in the second half of the season.

Carolina Panthers (2-6-0) 21-13 Washington Redskins (3-6-0) – Cam Newton topped RGIII in a close one as Carolina managed to win just their second game of the season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4-0) 42-32 Oakland Raiders (3-5-0) – In this high scoring contest the Bucs killed off the Raiders late in the fourth to win the game and move to an equal 4-4 record.

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3-0) 24-20 New York Giants (6-3-0) – The Steelers rallied back from 10 points in the fourth quarter to win by 4 leaving them just a game behind the Ravens in the AFC North. As for the Giants well despite the lost they are still in control at the top of the NFC East.

Dallas Cowboys (3-5-0) 13-19 Atlanta Falcons (8-0-0) – The Falcons went on the road and beat the Cowboys. Despite the score being close Atlanta were always in control as Matt Ryan and co won this one by six.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-5-0) 13-28 New Orleans Saints (3-5-0) – Drew Brees continued his record of at least one touchdown pass per game to 43 games as New Orleans got another much needed win over the disappointing Eagles.