2015 NFC North

[pbmax]

I think this blurb says it all.

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk 17m17 minutes ago
Lions president says they’re “looking for greatness,” though “back-to-back winning seasons” would be a start http://wp.me/p14QSB-9QbA

[smuggler]

Magical... Incoming 7-9 campaign.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I'm going with the Pack winning the division but with MN right on their heels. MN will make the playoffs. Detroit has a 6 win season and Chi wins 4.

[Pugger]

MN will nip at our heels unless Teddy has a sophomore swoon and AP shows his age.

[Fritz]

I'm going with the Pack winning the division but with MN right on their heels. MN will make the playoffs. Detroit has a 6 win season and Chi wins 4.

I'm seeing the Leos at 9-7.

Bears at 4-12.


Vikies at 10-6 or 11-5.

[pbmax]

Throw Back Ted.



Roster Never Sleeps: http://www.espnwisconsin.com/common/...medium=twitter

Ted's pad level is terrible. Boyce Green is going to win that one.

[mraynrand]

Throw Back Ted....
Ted's pad level is terrible. Boyce Green is going to win that one.

[King Friday]

As long as Aaron Rodgers is healthy, the race for the division will be over soon after Thanksgiving...after their 4 week stretch against NFCN foes.

We know the Bears aren't going anywhere with Jay Cutler. I'm actually higher on the Bears this year than most...because I think Cutler does better when people aren't expecting much out of him. They also get the easiest schedule for a change. However, the Bears aren't getting much more than 8 wins even in the best case scenario, so they aren't a true contender for the division.

The Lions might actually have the toughest schedule in the NFCN. Their non-common opponents are Philly (in DET) and the Saints (in the Superdome), which are both games the Lions may lose. They also have the Rams, Chargers and Chiefs on the road...which are teams roughly equal to Detroit in relative strength, so having to play all of those on the road is going to hurt. They have a killer first month...@SD, @MIN, DEN, @SEA...so they are likely 1-3 out of the gate at best even if they aren't playing poorly. If they don't make a quick turnaround in October, it will be a long season for them.

The Vikings are who everyone is pointing to. I agree they have the best roster on paper to challenge Green Bay. However, I'm not sold on their OL or secondary as being playoff caliber, and both of those areas greatly hinder the ability of a young QB to take the next big step forward. You need the kid to have time to throw...and not have to play in a lot of shootouts. I don't see Bridgewater regressing...but I also don't see him taking a dramatic step forward either. Will he be able to take advantage of having a capable run game to throw more TDs? So much of the Vikings success rests on AP...and the Vikings schedule is roughest down the stretch after Thanksgiving, when AP is likely to start feeling the effects of age and all the time off more readily. They have @ATL, SEA, @ARI, CHI, NYG, @GB for their last 6. If they don't get off to a hot start, they will have a tough time overcoming any deficit in the standings.

If I had to pick one win number for each:

CHI 7
DET 5
MIN 9

Green Bay wins 11 if Rodgers plays all 16 games and we avoid a rash of injuries.

[mraynrand]

Like this quote from Ted, after getting cut:

“So (Campbell) gave me the speech, and then the defensive coordinator came in and gave me a speech, and the linebacker coach, and everybody else came in,” Thompson continued. “And by the time they got through talking to me, not only was I surprised I got cut, I'm surprised I didn't get a raise, because everybody was saying what a great guy I was and all that.”

[pbmax]

I fear Adam Gase will be able to create an offense in Chicago. It won't be enough with that defense, but still, these things should be discouraged.

[Fritz]

As long as Aaron Rodgers is healthy, the race for the division will be over soon after Thanksgiving...after their 4 week stretch against NFCN foes.

We know the Bears aren't going anywhere with Jay Cutler. I'm actually higher on the Bears this year than most...because I think Cutler does better when people aren't expecting much out of him. They also get the easiest schedule for a change. However, the Bears aren't getting much more than 8 wins even in the best case scenario, so they aren't a true contender for the division.

The Lions might actually have the toughest schedule in the NFCN. Their non-common opponents are Philly (in DET) and the Saints (in the Superdome), which are both games the Lions may lose. They also have the Rams, Chargers and Chiefs on the road...which are teams roughly equal to Detroit in relative strength, so having to play all of those on the road is going to hurt. They have a killer first month...@SD, @MIN, DEN, @SEA...so they are likely 1-3 out of the gate at best even if they aren't playing poorly. If they don't make a quick turnaround in October, it will be a long season for them.

The Vikings are who everyone is pointing to. I agree they have the best roster on paper to challenge Green Bay. However, I'm not sold on their OL or secondary as being playoff caliber, and both of those areas greatly hinder the ability of a young QB to take the next big step forward. You need the kid to have time to throw...and not have to play in a lot of shootouts. I don't see Bridgewater regressing...but I also don't see him taking a dramatic step forward either. Will he be able to take advantage of having a capable run game to throw more TDs? So much of the Vikings success rests on AP...and the Vikings schedule is roughest down the stretch after Thanksgiving, when AP is likely to start feeling the effects of age and all the time off more readily. They have @ATL, SEA, @ARI, CHI, NYG, @GB for their last 6. If they don't get off to a hot start, they will have a tough time overcoming any deficit in the standings.

If I had to pick one win number for each:

CHI 7
DET 5
MIN 9

Green Bay wins 11 if Rodgers plays all 16 games and we avoid a rash of injuries.

I'm not sure of the timing, but the Lions did something this past week I found interesting. They put their third-round cornerback pick, Alex Carter, on the IR-Designated to Return list, using that designation up right away.

Now, either earlier than this, or just after (I am not sure), their best defensive player, DeAndre Levy, suffered a hip injury. Most reports have him out at least two or three weeks, though some say the injury is more serious.

I'm not sure if the team simply decided Levy's injury would heal and they didn't want to keep him out half the season, so they designated their rookie corner, or if maybe they jumped the gun and wish they'd used it on Levy.

Either way, Levy's absence will hurt this team's defense pretty badly. That dude can play.

[mraynrand]

Tulloch last year, Levy this year. What a disaster for the Lions. Their whole middle is weak.

[pbmax]

Tulloch last year, Levy this year. What a disaster for the Lions. Their whole middle is weak.

They looked slightly frightening in preseason, do you think they truly are defanged?

[mraynrand]

They looked slightly frightening in preseason, do you think they truly are defanged?

I dunno, my sample size was very small. Not the whole team certainly, Up the gut, it depends on what Ngata has left. I thought he was in serious slide last year, but these guys can stick around, if the coaches use them right (e.g. Pickett).

[pbmax]

Bill Barnwell ‏@billbarnwell 1h1 hour ago
Second starting Vikings OL to go down with a serious injury. Bandwagon pulled over to the side of the road.

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter
Vikings' C John Sullivan underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy Weds and has been placed on IR designated to return. Out until at least week 9.

[pbmax]

I dunno, my sample size was very small. Not the whole team certainly, Up the gut, it depends on what Ngata has left. I thought he was in serious slide last year, but these guys can stick around, if the coaches use them right (e.g. Pickett).

Losing Levy has to hurt. I just saw part of one of their pre-season games and they looked gangbusters even without Suh. But I am pretty sure Levy was still in there.

[Fritz]

That guy is the heart of the defense. He may not rush the passer too well, but he is absolutely disruptive. He'll blow up your running play in the backfield, tackle surely and ferociously, and the dude can cover a tight end or running back as well as any linebacker I've seen.

[mraynrand]

That guy is the heart of the defense. He may not rush the passer too well, but he is absolutely disruptive. He'll blow up your running play in the backfield, tackle surely and ferociously, and the dude can cover a tight end or running back as well as any linebacker I've seen.

QFT

[smuggler]

How long is Levy supposed to miss?

[pbmax]

I haven't seen it detailed. So far they've said he's not likely for this week but DOES NOT NEED SURGERY. I guess that makes him week to week.