NFL 2013 division odds: NFCN 'PACKERS' Solid ... AFCN ... Up For Grabs

[woodbuck27]

http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=319757

NFL 2013 division odds: AFC North title up for grabs

" The Giants, Packers, Falcons and Niners are all faves in the NFC while the Patriots, Texans and Broncos top their AFC division futures with a three-way tie in the AFC North between the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals."


NFC NORTH DIVISION

PACKERS 5-8

BEARS 3-1

VIKINGS 5-1

LIONS 7-1

For the betting odds for the other NFL teams. Please check the LINK above.

GO PACK GO !

[denverYooper]

I'm kind of surprised that the Bears are that high. They are looking at a pretty major identity change this year.

[hoosier]

Agreed. Even without the Chi coaching change I would take the Vikings over the Bears this year, based on talent alone. Urlacher was getting old but they will miss his leadership.

[woodbuck27]

The Vikings have to be watched. They have a solid GM/HC relationship going on there. A very focused GM, his performance so far ... impressive.

The Bears will be in for some adjustment (maybe) with a new HC. I gurantee this though.Watch out for Marc Trestman. I certainly have come to respect that man's knowledge and pure efffort and dedication to his job.

GO PACK GO !

[RashanGary]

I like Christian Ponder. The difference between him and that backup was awful.


The Vikings biggest problem, IMO, is their defense. Allen can't do it alone. I expect the Vikings to have a top 5 offense this year. Sounds crazy, but I think they can be that good.

[smuggler]

Not top-10, but pretty close - I could see that.

[RashanGary]

Ponder Stats 2013:

3,800 yards
25 TD's
15 INT's
65% Comp Percentage
92 QB Rating

[HarveyWallbangers]

I take you don't actually watch Ponder much.

[RashanGary]

I take you don't actually watch Ponder much.


I've watched probably 10-12 Viking games the last two years. He's been building his game the last two seasons. This is the year it comes together. He has everything except maybe the rocket arm. He's a competitor, he's accurate, he moves well, he has an excellent running game. Jennings is a savvy vet. He'll end up on a page with Ponder that Ponder has never seen, and the other guys will strive to get there.

Ponder, to me, is the single most underrated QB in the league. He had garbage weapons after Harvin went out last year. Absolute garbage.

[Brandon494]

He also we against an opposing defense stacking the box to attempt to stop AP. While I do believe Ponder will have a better season with the talent the Vikings have put around him I'm still not drafting him in fantasy football. :-D

[Bretsky]

I can't figure out what my view on Ponder is. I know HW hates him and he is usually pretty spot on in evaluations......although sometimes he can be a bit bias due to his intense hate for the Vikings.......Ponder...to me....looks just ok. think there are probably 12-15 QB's I'd clearly take over him and he might be in the litter with the next 4-6.

He seems to have limited upside though...an Alex Smith kind of guy. I can't figure out who I want to compare him to.

If he develops the Vikings can be scary good; but I'm not sure the upside is there

[HarveyWallbangers]

He lacks arm strength and his accuracy is not good on medium to deep throws. His dink and dunk style gave him okay passer ratings, but to me he's another Mark Sanchez. I like his athletic ability though. I don't think he has the goods to be an upper echelon QB.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I can't figure out what my view on Ponder is. I know HW hates him and he is usually pretty spot on in evaluations......although sometimes he can be a bit bias due to his intense hate for the Vikings.......Ponder...to me....looks just ok. think there are probably 12-15 QB's I'd clearly take over him and he might be in the litter with the next 4-6.

He seems to have limited upside though...an Alex Smith kind of guy. I can't figure out who I want to compare him to.

If he develops the Vikings can be scary good; but I'm not sure the upside is there

I call them like I see them. I've said in the past that the Vikings have had more elite players than the Packers but lacked depth and had too many below average starters. I think Spielman is doing a good job. They don't have as many elite players, but their roster is much better from top-to-bottom. I think this QB is likely going to be Spielman's achilles heal though.

[RashanGary]

Jeff Garcia but slightly bigger, slightly stronger. . . I think he's going to have a short window to be really good, just because he needs all of the arm strength and movement ability he has, but I think he'll have a few year window here (for the rest of AP's prime) where he's pretty friggin good.

[RashanGary]

Aaron Rodgers is a John Elway career away from Favre's marks. Just looking at all time QB leaders. Wow, can't believe how many years Favre threw for 3,500-4,000 yards with 30TD's. Almost 2 decades of 30TD seasons. And I mention Ponder having one season with 3,800 yards and 25 TD's and people think it's impossible. Haha, makes Favre look pretty good, don't it?

[HarveyWallbangers]

His decision making is not very good but getting better (he's a smart guy and I think he'll improve there), but I don't like the way he wilts under pressure.

This is what I think of when I think of Ponder.
:)

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000107811/Major-Wright-picks-off-Ponder

He does have one big advantage. This is what most of his TDs looked like. Teams absolutely sell out to stop Peterson.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000100166/Kyle-Rudolph-2-yard-touchdown-reception
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000092749/Vikings-rookie-wide-receiver-scores-TD
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000080304/Ponder-TD-pass-to-Rudolph

[HarveyWallbangers]

Aaron Rodgers is a John Elway career away from Favre's marks. Just looking at all time QB leaders. Wow, can't believe how many years Favre threw for 3,500-4,000 yards with 30TD's. Almost 2 decades of 30TD seasons. And I mention Ponder having one season with 3,800 yards and 25 TD's and people think it's impossible. Haha, makes Favre look pretty good, don't it?

Favre was one of the 10 best QBs ever. He was throwing for 30 TDs when it wasn't the common. Of course, he was also good for 15-18 interceptions--which is why I've never considered him the best of all-time. During his MVP stretch, he played at a level that Rodgers has been playing at. Lights out. I wish Holmgren had stayed in Green Bay. Perhaps the toughest SOB to ever play the QB position.

[RashanGary]

Shit, I'll knock my yards back to 3,600. 3,800 yards is a big passing season. Other than that, I'll keep my numbers. Ponder's going to have a good year.

Average per game:
225 yards
1.5 TD's
1 INT

I think Ponder has that in him.

[RashanGary]

HW,

On the bright side, he threw it 50 yards, in the air, flat footed. AR's max is 70 yards. Gotta think Ponder has another 10 in him if he were able to step into it.

[RashanGary]

A little more context, he'd only need 11 more TD passes than James Jones caught last year to get to 25 :)

[RashanGary]

Edited Ponder Stats 2013:

3,600 yards (edited from 3,800)
25 TD's
15 INT's
65% Comp Percentage
92 QB Rating

[RashanGary]

And Eli Manning is on pace to break Marino's mark of 51,000 yards by age 37 :)

What's this world coming to?

[HarveyWallbangers]

HW,

On the bright side, he threw it 50 yards, in the air, flat footed. AR's max is 70 yards. Gotta think Ponder has another 10 in him if he were able to step into it.

That's part of the reason I'm not a big fan. He's smart, athletic, accurate on short passes--but I just don't have faith in his arm strength and I don't like how he reacts to pressure. I don't mean pressure as in big games, big moments, etc. Pressure as in when people get into his face. He looks panicked. Sure, young QBs improve, but the QBs that end up being elite show the ability to slow the game down at a young age. Andrew Luck made some poor decisions last year, but he didn't look panicked often. You know what I mean?

[RashanGary]

That's part of the reason I'm not a big fan. He's smart, athletic, accurate on short passes--but I just don't have faith in his arm strength and I don't like how he reacts to pressure. I don't mean pressure as in big games, big moments, etc. Pressure as in when people get into his face. He looks panicked. Sure, young QBs improve, but the QBs that end up being elite show the ability to slow the game down at a young age. Andrew Luck made some poor decisions last year, but he didn't look panicked often. You know what I mean?

I do. I don't remember seeing him panicked, but if that is the case, I'd definitely be singing your tune a little more.

[Zool]

Ponder is Chad Pennington with better feet.

I am closer to agreeing with JH than I am with Harv. If he can stay healthy he'll have a 10 year career. He'll never be top 10, but if he has good players around him, he's good enough to win 10+ games.

He's no Joe Webb though.

[Pugger]

He lacks arm strength and his accuracy is not good on medium to deep throws. His dink and dunk style gave him okay passer ratings, but to me he's another Mark Sanchez. I like his athletic ability though. I don't think he has the goods to be an upper echelon QB.

This.

[Pugger]

Favre was one of the 10 best QBs ever. He was throwing for 30 TDs when it wasn't the common. Of course, he was also good for 15-18 interceptions--which is why I've never considered him the best of all-time. During his MVP stretch, he played at a level that Rodgers has been playing at. Lights out. I wish Holmgren had stayed in Green Bay. Perhaps the toughest SOB to ever play the QB position.

We agree again. :five:

[Cheesehead Craig]

Ponder gets ripped endlessly here in the Twin Cities. Agree with Harv that his arm strength is questionable and his accuracy really isn't all that great if it's not a dump off. This is his year to show what he has, if he has another streak of 5 games where he averages 135 yds/game he could very well see the bench. I think JH's stats are going to be on the high side. The Vikes are still all about AP. I have a feeling he's going to try and force more passes downfield to prove himself and is going to have a 20 INT season.

[Upnorth]

Ponder is Chad Pennington with better feet.

I am closer to agreeing with JH than I am with Harv. If he can stay healthy he'll have a 10 year career. He'll never be top 10, but if he has good players around him, he's good enough to win 10+ games.

He's no Joe Webb though.

Chad Pennington was underrated (IMO) so if he turns out to play that well with AP running and having GJ to catch look out.

[smuggler]

Yeah, I'm with Upnorth, so I hope he doesn't become Pennington 2.0

[Patler]

The Vikings might be very good with Ponder as their QB, but not because Ponder is their QB.

[Jimx29]

as long as the cubbies put cutler out there, the longer they will be behind minn, and maybe even behind detroilet

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think Cutler takes a bad rap. He's a good QB. He's just not elite - like what Bears fans thought he would be. He also tends to choke in big moments. The Vikings would be damn good with Cutler as their QB though.

[smuggler]

Could you imagine how bad the Bears would be if they had Ponder? lol