The 2019 NFC NORTH Title?

[Radagast]

As a forum discussion thread, let us look at the NFC's Northern Division. Will the Bears improve yet again and win the division again? Will the Vikings pull it together to finish first? Can the Lions crawl out of the basement of the division in 2019? With a new HC and new offensive system and a revamped defense, how far can GB's Packers go in 2019?

This is not a rah rah thread to give the loyal zombies of any team a platform to post on, but a serious thread where the Viking's secondary is set/compared against the Bear's receivers. The Packer's running attack is set/compared against the Lions Defense. (etc.)

Who is expected to improve/not improve over last season and in just what way?

[texaspackerbacker]

The Bears played way over their heads last year and seem to have taken a couple of steps backward. They have a pass rush and not much else. Receivers? Come on.

The Vikings are chronically under-achieving chokers; I don't see them as improved much at all. They're supposed to have quality DBs? Were those just random hypotheticals you mentioned? Receivers, for example, are the strength of the Vikings.

The Lions aren't going anyplace. They haven't been good for a long time and still aren't. What is the strength of their team? Do they even have one?

Barring injury to Aaron Rodgers, the Packers shouldn't have a problem with any of them.

[pbmax]

Vikings are currently locked into a death struggle with their TE because they are nearing cap hell.

Packers just tried to get a waiver TE and lost him to the Bucs or Jags who had a higher waiver claim. I wonder if the Bikes release Rudolph if the Packers would be interested?

Probably too much money at that position already though.

[Joemailman]

Bears will find it is really hard to win as many as 12 games in consecutive years. Two reasons: Everybody gets pumped up to play you, and there are things you did to win 12 games that are hard to duplicate. In the Bears case, it is 27 INT's by their defense. Packers woll give them a run for the title if Rodgers stays healthy.

[RashanGary]

Graham had a broken thumb last year in November that messed his game up. Him and Rodgers are starting over in a new offense, on the same page, but have a year together. Graham was with Rodgers and company at the Kentucky Durby this year. I have a feeling Graham has one more big year in him.

So Adams, Graham, Allison, MVS and the other young guys should be enough for Rodgers to make plays with this year.

Zadarius, Preston, Gary, Amos, Savage and the progression of the second year defense along with King,
Lancaster and Jackson should make for a much improved defense.

Scott and Bradley should be improved in their second years, so the STs should be better

Lane Taylors ankle slowed him down starting last season and Bulaga was coming off a major knee that slowed him. Both should be improved along with Turner and Jenkins pushing to be better at RG,

Let’s hope a new coach can convince Rodgers to run the ball and play within the system.

At the end of the day, we have a really good shot at being a much better team. I think the Packers win the division.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Rah rah rah. Go Pack Go!

This is the Vikes last season of their SB window. Next year starts their 2 seasons of big cap issues. They are going to lose a lot of players. So expect some urgency there. If they have a .500 season or worse, Zim's on the hot seat.

[George Cumby]

Trubisky needs to make some strides this year for the Bears to win 12 again. Idk if I see that happening.

[Radagast]

Bravo fellows, now I see it going this way.

The Lions will finish last again. I believe their biggest problem is their management.

The Vikings will be both HOT and COLD. Their lack of consistency will see them finish in third place.

The Bears will finish in second place and enter the playoffs as a Wildcard Team.

The Packers will win the division and take the second playoff seed and get a week to rest before the Divisional playoff round. How far they go beyond that will depend on injuries, weather, and luck.

[Bretsky]

I still think the bears are ascending. They hav their an for years and have built a killer d. I see gb and Minnesota competing for second. The lions are a distant last place

[The Shadow]

Losing Vic Fangio is going to be a MUCH bigger factor for the Bears. Combine that with having Mitch Trubisky at QB, and the league having a year to study Nagy's scheme - and I like the Pack's chances.

[Upnorth]

It's the bears to lose. I don't think they are world beaters, and I expect some defensive regression but who will be better? The Vikings look more like last year's team is the accurate outcome than two years ago results. I think the Lions are better than their record and closer to two years ago as well.
The Packers are a crap shoot. Was McCarthy holding us together or back? I'm hoping he was holding us back and we see an exciting return to offensive excellence, but either way we finally have the potential for a better pass rush and that should help a ton on d.

My gut says the Packers win the division but I am worried that is my personal bias. How much do you trust our non Adams receivers????

I'm looking forward to jace Sternberg and seeing him and graham in a two te set.... If our front 5 can provide protection it could be almost unstoppable. Adams, Allison, graham Sternberg and Jones in the back field, try to tell me that doesn't have potential.

[run pMc]

Mack is a year older, Nagy's scheme isn't new, and Trubisky is as good as the scheme and supporting players. Some days he's on fire and others he looks like a journeyman. The Bears are the NFCN champs so they are the team to beat. HHCD for Amos is not a step up. I thought Jordan Howard was a good player, but they replaced him with David Montgomery, which feels like swapping a known for an unknown. Riley Ridley was probably a good pick, the Bears WR's are ok. I think the Packers defense could give them trouble with improved QB pressure this year.

Vikings are hard to peg -- they almost always start fast and then will either find ways to sustain it or fade. Their defense is aging, and the turmoil in the offensive coaching staff last year is presumably gone, but I'd put Zimmer on the hot seat. They paid Cousins elite QB money to take them to the SB, if Zimmer can't find a way into the playoffs the Wilfs may push for someone who can. Vikings are trying to fix their OL issues, and they have very good WRs. Sheldon Richardson is gone, Barr resigned to tons of money, and who knows what Everson Griffin will do. Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes solidify their secondary, but it's often hard to figure MIN out until 6 games in.

I thought Matt Patricia might not last the season in DET, but he managed to survive. Seems like he and Bob Quinn are trying to duplicate the Patriots recipe without having the formula for the secret sauce. Quick: name the Lions best player. Finally, Matt Stafford is a good QB, but he's no Tom Brady. Kerryon Johnson had a pretty good season, Golliday and Marvin Jones are decent and they drafted another TE high (Hockenson). They signed Trey Flowers and Darius Slay can cover, but despite all this an 8 win season would feel like a surprise. I think if Rodgers is given time he can beat that defense. Aaron Jones and Dexter Williams and MVS on the Ford Field turf?

Rookie coaches often struggle, and I worry about the relative youth/inexperience of GB's staff. They have a high school coach in the TE room, for chrissake. Maybe they are all super bright and it won't matter, maybe MLF is the exception. It really comes down to Rodgers, better OL play, Year 2 of Pettine, actual safeties, and hoping for better health. They will need a lot to go right to get back to the playoffs, but each team has its warts.
The defense will have to win some games, and they might actually have (most of) the pieces to do it. Who plays next to Martinez? Can MLF use Jimmy Graham better? Will someone start a Marcedes Lewis bandwagon after he has a 2 catch game? Rodgers is saying all the right things now, but we'll know in October if this team is for real. I think improving the OL will help them -- they were leaking at guard -- but I still worry about OT depth. A Year 2 leap from the young WRs will be needed, and I think at least 1 if not 2 will do it. G-Mo makes for a nice security blanket, but keeping Adams healthy is a must or -- if you go off last year -- this becomes possibly the worst WR group in the division. I need to lookup how the Shanahan tree has historically done against the Zimmers and other defenses in the division.

[Zool]

Bears 10-6, Pack 8-8....Vikings are the wildcard but I think as long as they have Cousins at QB, they are stuck in neutral. 1 step forward and 1 step back.





And then the Lions

[RashanGary]

Bears 10-6, Pack 8-8....Vikings are the wildcard but I think as long as they have Cousins at QB, they are stuck in neutral. 1 step forward and 1 step back.





And then the Lions

If the Packers go 8-8 after spending 150+ million dollars in free agency and getting a 12, 21 and 44th overall draft pick, and not loosing anyone, I’ll be pissed.

[hoosier]

Bears had a lot of luck with overall team health last year. This year they revert to a m7ore typical team health picture and finish 9-7, 8-8. I have no idea what Packers will do.