How Situ Sees 'em - NFC North Edition
Here’s my rundown of the NFC North in the order that they finished last year. For my key additions, only those players who I feel will make a significant contribution are listed. As for key losses, they’re players the team should really miss.
Chicago Bears
2005 Record: 11-5
Key additions:
Brian Griese, QB
Ricky Manning, CB
Dante Wesley, DB
Danieal Manning, DB
Devin Hester, ATH
Dusty Dvoracek, DL
Key losses:
Jerry Azumah, CB
The Bears have the easiest schedule in the league this year according to strength of schedule. They also have a ridiculous D coming back that was #2 in the league last year. The D lost no one and added two Mannings to shore up the secondary. The offense has Grossman back who has shown flashes of greatness, but has died the last two years. They do have Griese and Orton, so it is not the end of the world if Grossman does go down. They have a pretty sick two-headed monster at RB with Jones and Benson and their receivers are decent. Tight end sucks but they don’t really care since they didn’t address it in the draft. Lovie Smith was coach of da year last year and these Bears with their tough D and soft schedule could go somewhere this year.
Minnesota Vikings
2005 Record: 9-7
Key additions:
Steve Hutchinson, G
Ben Leber, LB
Ryan Longwell, K
Tony Richardson, FB
Chester Taylor, RB
Tank Williams, S
Chad Greenway, LB
Cedric Griffin, DB
Key losses:
Michael Bennett, RB
Nate Burleson, WR
Corey Chavous, S
Daunte Culpepper, QB
Brian Williams, CB
Maybe Chester Taylor will be good this year. The O-line has Steve Hutchison, Matt Birk, Artis Hicks and Bryant McKinnie and they added Tony Richardson. Brad Johnson is old and gay but he seems capable. Watch for injuries to his old body and then Mike McMahon gets the job. Also these receivers are crappy. The defense looks tough on papel. I have also heard a rumor that because they have so much linebacker talent and good D-line personnel, that the Vikes are tinkering with running the 3-4. That might pay-off for them, but not this year as only about two guys on the current D are familiar with it. I am still not entirely sold on Brad Childress being a great head coach. Oh, and they got new uniforms.
Detroit Lions
2005 Record: 5-11
Key additions:
Idrees Bashir, S
Corey Bradford, WR
Dan Campbell, TE
Tyoka Jackson, DE
Jon Kitna, QB
Rex Tucker, G
Ross Verba, G
Rod Marinelli, Head Coach
Donnie Henderson, Def. Coordinator
Mike Martz, Offensive Coordinator
Key losses:
Kyle Kosier, OL
R.W. McQuarters, CB
Big Daddy Dan Wilkinson, DT
I have predicted the Lions to win this division. If you don’t think it can happen, in 2004 the Bears were 5-11 and then last year they went 11-5 and won the division. Marinelli, Henderson, and Martz have all won Super Bowls. They are some of the best coaches in the league at their specialty so putting them together could be promising. The Lee-owns are no doubt a talented bunch of athletes who need discipline. Marinelli brings that. Some thought Martz and Marinelli’s philosophies would clash, but it worked with Martz and Lovie Smith. No one had ever heard of Warner or Bulger before Martz and with Kitna, Martz has a quality QB. Kitna has talent throwing for 3500 yds and 26 TD’s in Cincy in ’04. He was robbed and should have made the pro bowl that year as he had better stats than Brees and Brady. As for those people who are going to say that Mike Williams and Charles Rogers suck, well if they do, then don’t expect them to be on this team for long. The Lions learned from Harrington, a crappy first-rounder who they tried to make work. Marinelli is tough and has already demoted Williams and Rogers to second team. As for the defense, Marinelli comes from Tampa where he helped create the Tampa 2. Marinelli has a DT in Rogers who is more physically gifted than Sapp was. The key to running the Tampa 2 is the weak side backer. Marinelli passed up Leinart and Cutler to draft Ernie so that he could be the next Derrick Brooks. Like Rogers before him, Sims may be more physically gifted than Brooks. Heck, his dreads have muscles. Watch out for this offense to put points on the board and the defense to make plays.
Green Bay Packers
2005 Record: 4-12
Key additions:
Charles Woodson, CB (he is arguably most overrated player in the league, but he will prolly help these guys)
A.J. Hawk, LB
Key losses:
Tony Fisher, RB
Mike Flanagan, OL
Ryan Longwell, K
Antonio Chatman, WR
Na’il Diggs, LB
Javon Walker, WR
The Packers are led by the interception king, Lord Favre. Look for the Packers to be behind often and for Lord Favre to force throws and push his int total up again this year. He has a crappy O-line and he lost his best receiver in Walker. I know Walker was hurt last year, but this is a preview for the upcoming season and Walker would have contributed tremendously. The backs are coming off of injury and as cool as Samkon Gado is, I think he had a lucky year last season. The defense was #1 in pass defense last year but I have concluded it was only because teams were always leading the Pack, so they just ran out the clock the second half. I feel sorry for A.J. Hawk who got drafted to this struggling squad. Packers, you had your glory days but like San Fran, now it’s time to rebuild. Look for the Pack to have a top 5 draft pick next year.
In conclusion, I will give it to Petes right now that the Bears will be tough and should be in the playoffs come January. But I am gonna stick to my guns and ride Detroit to the playoffs.
1) Detroit Lions
2) Chicago Bears
3) Minnesota Vikings
4) Green Bay Packers
Previous divisions by Situ: NFC South, NFC West, AFC East, AFC North, AFC West, AFC South
Chicago Bears
2005 Record: 11-5
Key additions:
Brian Griese, QB
Ricky Manning, CB
Dante Wesley, DB
Danieal Manning, DB
Devin Hester, ATH
Dusty Dvoracek, DL
Key losses:
Jerry Azumah, CB
The Bears have the easiest schedule in the league this year according to strength of schedule. They also have a ridiculous D coming back that was #2 in the league last year. The D lost no one and added two Mannings to shore up the secondary. The offense has Grossman back who has shown flashes of greatness, but has died the last two years. They do have Griese and Orton, so it is not the end of the world if Grossman does go down. They have a pretty sick two-headed monster at RB with Jones and Benson and their receivers are decent. Tight end sucks but they don’t really care since they didn’t address it in the draft. Lovie Smith was coach of da year last year and these Bears with their tough D and soft schedule could go somewhere this year.
Minnesota Vikings
2005 Record: 9-7
Key additions:
Steve Hutchinson, G
Ben Leber, LB
Ryan Longwell, K
Tony Richardson, FB
Chester Taylor, RB
Tank Williams, S
Chad Greenway, LB
Cedric Griffin, DB
Key losses:
Michael Bennett, RB
Nate Burleson, WR
Corey Chavous, S
Daunte Culpepper, QB
Brian Williams, CB
Maybe Chester Taylor will be good this year. The O-line has Steve Hutchison, Matt Birk, Artis Hicks and Bryant McKinnie and they added Tony Richardson. Brad Johnson is old and gay but he seems capable. Watch for injuries to his old body and then Mike McMahon gets the job. Also these receivers are crappy. The defense looks tough on papel. I have also heard a rumor that because they have so much linebacker talent and good D-line personnel, that the Vikes are tinkering with running the 3-4. That might pay-off for them, but not this year as only about two guys on the current D are familiar with it. I am still not entirely sold on Brad Childress being a great head coach. Oh, and they got new uniforms.
Detroit Lions
2005 Record: 5-11
Key additions:
Idrees Bashir, S
Corey Bradford, WR
Dan Campbell, TE
Tyoka Jackson, DE
Jon Kitna, QB
Rex Tucker, G
Ross Verba, G
Rod Marinelli, Head Coach
Donnie Henderson, Def. Coordinator
Mike Martz, Offensive Coordinator
Key losses:
Kyle Kosier, OL
R.W. McQuarters, CB
Big Daddy Dan Wilkinson, DT
I have predicted the Lions to win this division. If you don’t think it can happen, in 2004 the Bears were 5-11 and then last year they went 11-5 and won the division. Marinelli, Henderson, and Martz have all won Super Bowls. They are some of the best coaches in the league at their specialty so putting them together could be promising. The Lee-owns are no doubt a talented bunch of athletes who need discipline. Marinelli brings that. Some thought Martz and Marinelli’s philosophies would clash, but it worked with Martz and Lovie Smith. No one had ever heard of Warner or Bulger before Martz and with Kitna, Martz has a quality QB. Kitna has talent throwing for 3500 yds and 26 TD’s in Cincy in ’04. He was robbed and should have made the pro bowl that year as he had better stats than Brees and Brady. As for those people who are going to say that Mike Williams and Charles Rogers suck, well if they do, then don’t expect them to be on this team for long. The Lions learned from Harrington, a crappy first-rounder who they tried to make work. Marinelli is tough and has already demoted Williams and Rogers to second team. As for the defense, Marinelli comes from Tampa where he helped create the Tampa 2. Marinelli has a DT in Rogers who is more physically gifted than Sapp was. The key to running the Tampa 2 is the weak side backer. Marinelli passed up Leinart and Cutler to draft Ernie so that he could be the next Derrick Brooks. Like Rogers before him, Sims may be more physically gifted than Brooks. Heck, his dreads have muscles. Watch out for this offense to put points on the board and the defense to make plays.
Green Bay Packers
2005 Record: 4-12
Key additions:
Charles Woodson, CB (he is arguably most overrated player in the league, but he will prolly help these guys)
A.J. Hawk, LB
Key losses:
Tony Fisher, RB
Mike Flanagan, OL
Ryan Longwell, K
Antonio Chatman, WR
Na’il Diggs, LB
Javon Walker, WR
The Packers are led by the interception king, Lord Favre. Look for the Packers to be behind often and for Lord Favre to force throws and push his int total up again this year. He has a crappy O-line and he lost his best receiver in Walker. I know Walker was hurt last year, but this is a preview for the upcoming season and Walker would have contributed tremendously. The backs are coming off of injury and as cool as Samkon Gado is, I think he had a lucky year last season. The defense was #1 in pass defense last year but I have concluded it was only because teams were always leading the Pack, so they just ran out the clock the second half. I feel sorry for A.J. Hawk who got drafted to this struggling squad. Packers, you had your glory days but like San Fran, now it’s time to rebuild. Look for the Pack to have a top 5 draft pick next year.
In conclusion, I will give it to Petes right now that the Bears will be tough and should be in the playoffs come January. But I am gonna stick to my guns and ride Detroit to the playoffs.
1) Detroit Lions
2) Chicago Bears
3) Minnesota Vikings
4) Green Bay Packers
Previous divisions by Situ: NFC South, NFC West, AFC East, AFC North, AFC West, AFC South
posted by Andrew at 9:46 AM
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