NFC North:
1. Green Bay Packers
I can't leave the defending champs out of a division title this year. They return every major player in that super bowl run besides Cullen Jenkins; they even brought James Jones back. Ryan Grant and Jermichael Finley are back from their season-ending injuries last year. Aaron Rodgers is the future of the NFL at this position. He just flat out puts the ball in the right spots, but it doesn't hurt to have Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson. Even James Jones and his slick gloves are back. Rodgers is also the best quarterback at extending a play after Vick and Roethlisberger. Clay Matthews just bull-rushes the opposing tackles and punishes the quarterback. Tramon Williams was a breakout star last year at corner and is also a speedy return-man. Nick Collins, Sam Shields and Charles Woodson round out a solid secondary. The biggest worry for this team is the age of players such as Driver and Woodson (especially with Woodson’s injury-ridden past), but we've seen Ted Thompson’s knack for drafting guys to fill those positions.
2. Detroit Lions
This team is most analysts' darling and playoff sleeper this year. I'm not ready to give them a playoff spot, but this is for sure an up and coming team with loads of talent. The season really depends on Matthew Stafford's health. But if he does keep it going, he's got Calvin Johnson and Jahvid Best, two electrifying players that make big plays and keep defenses on their toes. People are really talking about their defense, however. Nick Fairley joins a defensive line that includes breakout star Ndamakong Suh and veteran workhorse Kyle Vanden-Bosch. This could, if not the best, one of the better D-lines in the league and put less pressure on defensive-minded coach Jim Schwartz to send extra guys at the quarterback. It already looks like when its all said and done, Suh could be one of the best to ever play his position.
3. Minnesota Vikings
It was hard for me to decide whether the Vikings would fall at the bottom at the North this year. But there are still some bright spots to this team. Donovan McNabb has a huge step up from Washington in terms of running back, clearly, in Adrian Peterson, who still has at least two or three years in him as the best back in the league. The defense still has some of the pieces that made it such a terrifying unit two years ago: the bullish defensive end Jared Allen, the always-underrated and never under-performing cornerback Antoine Winfield, and the brick wall linebacker Chad Greenway. I’m obviously not saying this is a playoff team, but I would not be surprised to see 8-8 or 9-7 for a team led by a smart guy in coach Leslie Frasier and a once-elite and now with something to prove quarterback in McNabb.
4. Chicago Bears
The defense is getting older and the offense didn't get any better, unless you put a lot of stock in the additions of Roy Williams and Marion Barber. I don't even know if I can get deeper than that. I just don't like the feel of this team. But here’s the list of issues: Cutler has his leadership problems (maybe it’s because he’s always on his back), Mike Martz’s honeymoons with teams as offensive coordinator never seem to last long, the middle of the offensive line is hurt with the departure of Olin Kreutz (from an already sack-friendly O-line), the team doesn’t have an elite threat at wide receiver (Johnny Knox and Devin Hester are just deep threats, not every down guys, although Earl Bennett is improving as a position receiver), and Matt Forte is unhappy with his salary, which more often than not can hurt a season (see Jackson, Vincent).
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