LogFAQs > #973908150

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings
2. Chicago Bears
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Detroit Lions

Madden declared the Vikings as the best team this season. I'm inclined to believe that they will claim the division at any rate. After a post-SB retirement party depleted their secondary for S16, the unit was much improved in S17, and it is looking like one of the better secondaries in the league. It was their run defense though that led to their elite defensive season last year, and they bring back everyone behind that (well, they bring back all of their defensive starters). On offense, they still have one of the best OL in the league, and their passing game looked great with the additions of QB Jimmy Garoppolo and WR Brandon Marshall. I'm expecting something similar from them this season. They were dealt a massive blow in the running game with dual-threat and perennially underrated HB Dion Lewis done for the season and probably his career. I don't know when the injury occurred, but if they don't sign anyone, it all falls to 4th year HB C.J. Prosise. If he is this year's Knile Davis, then maybe the Vikings really are the Super Bowl favorites. They should be a playoff team at least.

The Bears pretty much bring back the same team as last year. MLB Chris Borland is replaced with the more all-around Kiko Alonso, and I assume that HB Dexter McCluster will be the lead back. That about sums things up for them over the offseason. I guess they are simply hoping for a more congealed peformance by the offense and defense to get them in the wild card discussion, which I think that they can do. They finish the season on a six-game homestand, including just two playoff teams from a season ago, and none who won a playoff game. If they can enter that homestand around .500, they could be well-positioned for a end-of-season playoff push.

So the horrible injuries that they suffered last preseason were not devastating like I thought. QB Tyrod Taylor is back for one last hurrah, but to a less talented OL and handing things off to a highly-drafted but untested HB. The defense is also seeing some new faces after retirements to long-time stalwarts. The Packers tend to alternate great and not-so-great seasons as of late, so this is why I'm putting them down third, but their foundation is solid enough to once again finish in the top half of the division or even pull off the division upset like they did last season. They will be tested with an absolutely brutal end of season schedule with away games against the Rams, Vikings, Cowboys, and Dolphins as well as a home date against the reigning champion Orcas.

With the Lions re-signing HB Alex Collins, they have all-but-accepted another moribund offensive season. There's WR Torrey Smith, a QB that does a good job at limiting turnovers, and uh, that's it. As such, they will be hoping that their defense gets back into a borderline Top 10-unit that has helped them sneak into the playoffs in recent seasons. They did draft a DE #1 overall that was better suited to the 3-4 base D that they run, but he is currently not a starter. They also lost Hall of Famer OLB Willie Williams and long-time FS Tyvon Branch to retirement. Their replacements are something I guess. While I think that they can avoid another top pick in the draft, I just don't see them improving enough to be in playoff contention.