The Next Few Years in the NFC North

[The Shadow]

Of course it is extremely hard to speculate accurately about the rapidly changing league, but a few general observations :

Packers : the team with the best young talent base and a very healthy cap situation. Key question : how well will they transition to a new quarterback when Favre eventually retires?
Bears : trouble ahead. This team developed questions just about everywhere simultaneously. The offensive line needs major rebuilding, the defense has sprung holes, and three key players - Urlacher, Harris, and Brown may never regain pre-injury form. Oh, almost forgot : where will they find a quarterback?
Lions : Even with great receiving talent, the infrastructure of the team continues to hold them down. What good is all the wideout talent if the offensive line can't block, and the defense can't prevent opponents from scoring? Packer fans should be thankful for the Millens and McCaskeys of the world.
Vikings : Most likely the next main challenger to the Packers in the division. Still, one man teams (Adrian Peterson) are too one-dimensional to make it to the top. And : is T. Jackson really a longterm answer at quarterback? Even their defensive strength - the tackles - is a question. Pat Williams won't play till he's 57, right?

We Packer fans all have quite a bit to be thankful for. Things look bright!

[Tony Oday]

THe Packers still have to get over the Favre slump...I hope its like the transition between Montana and Young instead of the QB situations after Elway and Marino. Our defense needs to get younger in the secondary.

Vikes have the young talent at the specialty positions but their line is aging and has a ton of money wrapped into that left side. This Team has a stud defense right now but with big Pat retiring in 2 years I dont think they will be as strong in the future.

Bears they are well honestly screwed. The only young talent that they have is hester and Olsen. Defense is aging and getting hurt.

Lions getting young at skill positions and defense is playing better than in the past.

[Rastak]

THe Packers still have to get over the Favre slump...I hope its like the transition between Montana and Young instead of the QB situations after Elway and Marino. Our defense needs to get younger in the secondary.

Vikes have the young talent at the specialty positions but their line is aging and has a ton of money wrapped into that left side. This Team has a stud defense right now but with big Pat retiring in 2 years I dont think they will be as strong in the future.

Bears they are well honestly screwed. The only young talent that they have is hester and Olsen. Defense is aging and getting hurt.

Lions getting young at skill positions and defense is playing better than in the past.

That's true, but they banked about 20 mil in cap money for next year and should be in great shape for the short term. QB is the big question mark.

Lions coaching staff is the big question.

[b bulldog]

The Vikes will be my favorite next season in the North unless we can solidify our Oline and get another good RB. Our aging corners, actually the entire secondary is also a concern.

[Pacopete4]

how in the world would the pack not be the favorite if favres back next year.. it doesnt make sense. Ya the vikes are on a hot streak but we have won 10 games, going on 11, blew them out once finishing the sweep..

[b bulldog]

tHEY GET A qb along with AP would be my reason.

[Pacopete4]

we still have better WR's, QB and ryan grant looks pretty damn good to me.. plus our D annnnnnnnd COACHING... stupid comment havin them favorites after watchin the pack dominate this season

[b bulldog]

I bet the Pack wants no part of Minny in the playoffs, watch what you say.

[Pacopete4]

i bet the pack arent even thinking of the vikings.. mostly cuz they just won the division, beat the vikes twice and are thinking of the beat down theyre gonna lay on st. louis... oh what'd the vikes do? win 3 games in a row.. ya theyre the next best thing i guess.. again stupid comment

[gbgary]

The Vikes will be my favorite next season in the North unless we can solidify our Oline and get another good RB.

you can't have enough good linemen but our line isn't as bad as you let on. it can always be better but you don't get a record like ours or have grant running through the holes he is without a pretty good line.

i think more coaching experience and better game-planning will win more games for the Pack than another lineman.

[b bulldog]

Well first game in Minny we basicly only win because AP didn't get the reps. The game at Lambeau, they had a smurf at QB, AP was hurt and the Packers are better this year. Your comments are brilliant, did you watch the game in Minnesota? cHILDRESS WAS THE mvP OF THAT GAME CAUSE HE NEVER GAVE THE BEST PLAYER ON THE FIELD THE NEEDED TOUCHES TO WIN. One more thing, I don't see Brett having another year like this and I say that just because of his age, nothing else. I forgot one more thing, we've been very healthy this year, usually that doesn't keep going that way.

[Pacopete4]

weird cuz no one was this year happening for favre and he proved people like u wrong.. AP wasnt hurt for the game at lambeau he was hurt during and he wasnt doing a damn thing anyways.. we are the better team and just cuz the off season comes doesnt mean minny jumps ahead of us as the class of the north.. u make zero sense

[MJZiggy]

Well first game in Minny we basicly only win because AP didn't get the reps. The game at Lambeau, they had a smurf at QB, AP was hurt and the Packers are better this year. Your comments are brilliant, did you watch the game in Minnesota? cHILDRESS WAS THE mvP OF THAT GAME CAUSE HE NEVER GAVE THE BEST PLAYER ON THE FIELD THE NEEDED TOUCHES TO WIN. One more thing, I don't see Brett having another year like this and I say that just because of his age, nothing else. I forgot one more thing, we've been very healthy this year, usually that doesn't keep going that way.

That's a load of crap. It isn't the Packers' fault that Childress is an idiot. Why can Brett not have another good year? You said he can't all last offseason. If Vinnie can still be in there playing effectively at his age, why can Brett NOT have another good year? And I just rewatched that second game yesterday and to be honest we kicked the living shit out of them. That's why we won. And another thing--before Peterson went out of that game, we had him SHUT DOWN. Maybe you need to go take another look at it.

[BallHawk]

The Vikes will be my favorite next season in the North unless we can solidify our Oline and get another good RB. Our aging corners, actually the entire secondary is also a concern.

If you ask me, you're looking for things to be concerned about. Our OL is decent, they're a far cry from the OLs of 1, 2 years ago. If Grant today didn't show you that he's a legit guy than I don't know what will. In regards to the secondary, yeah, we're getting old, I can agree with that. But Harris and Woodson are still the best 1-2 CB tandem in the league and should remain that way for at least 1 or 2 years. Rouse looks promising and though I have concerns about Bigby and Collins that can be fixed through either FA or the draft.

The Vikes still don't have an elite WR, even though Sidney Rice is getting there. Tavaris Jackson will be their QB for at least 1 more year and if you're putting Favre up against Jackson it isn't even close. And even if you assume that Favre retires (and I see no reason why he would) Rodgers is just as capable as Jackson, if not more capable of leading a team.

I'm sorry, but I have no idea how you can say the Vikes are the favorites. Are they contenders? Sure. Are they favorites? Not even close.

[cpk1994]

I bet the Pack wants no part of Minny in the playoffs, watch what you say.

B.S. The Packers will take on all comers. Its the Vikes that want no part of GB.