NFC North
Minnesota Vikings (Last Year: 8-8).
Major Additions:
QB Brad Johnson, WR Troy Williamson, WR Travis Taylor, G Marcus Johnson, DE Erasmus James, DT Pat Williams, DT C.J. Mosley, OLB Napoleon Harris, MLB Sam Cowart, CB Fred Smoot, S Darren Sharper, K Paul Edinger.
Major Subtractions:
QB Gus Frerotte, G David Dixon, DE Kenny Mixon, DT Chris Hovan, OLB Chris Claiborne, CB Terrance Shaw, S Brian Russell, K Morten Andersen.
Offense This Year: Oh no, Randy Moss is gone. What ever will the Vikings do? Although Randy Moss is the most skilled receiver in the NFL, the Vikings are better off without him. No longer will a Minnesota receiver walk off the field with time left on the clock, go for a pass with one hand or alligator arms, or have the ball ripped from him by a rookie cornerback in a would-be deciding touchdown. Moss is history, and the Vikings couldn't be better off. What made Moss expendable was the emergence of Nate Burleson. The second-year receiver had 68 receptions for 1,006 yards as a secondary target. In the five games Moss missed because of injury, Burleson registered 29 receptions, 297 yards and four touchdowns. Now in his third season, Burleson is ready to become one of the premier receivers in the NFL. Minnesota also has Marcus Robinson, Travis Taylor, Kelly Campbell and Troy Williamson, who was drafted seventh overall in April. Another target for Daunte Culpepper is Jermaine Wiggins, who had a breakout campaign in 2004. Wiggins caught 71 passes for 705 yards and four touchdowns. Not bad from someone whose previous career high had been 203 yards. Culpepper will have time to throw to Burleson, Wiggins and his other weapons, because he will be behind one of the better offensive lines in the league. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie, center Matt Birk, right guard Chris Liwienski and right tackle Mike Rosenthal are all superior linemen. Running the ball last season was a problem for the Vikings. Neither of their top three running backs -- Onterrio Smith, Mewelde Moore and Michael Bennett -- accumulated more than 550 rushing yards. Smith has been suspended for the entire 2005 season, but Moore and Bennett should have better success, thanks to the return of Jim Kleinsasser, who missed 15 games last year. Kleinsasser, one of the elite blocking fullbacks in the NFL, should be able to open up huge holes for Bennett and Moore.
Defense This Year: Minnesota had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, but they also had the most cap room of any team in the league. The end result? They added six players to the defensive side of the ball, all of whom will make significant contributions in 2005. Starting up front, Pat Williams will help mend the Vikings' 21st ranking against the run. Williams is one of the best run stuffers in the NFL, and was mainly responsible for Buffalo's elite run defense. He will play alongside Kevin Williams, who registered 12 sacks in 2004. Kenechi Udeze, who had five in his rookie campaign, starts at one defensive end position, while the other will probably be occupied by first-round selection Erasmus James, who specialized as a pass rusher at the University of Wisconsin. Starting at strongside linebacker is Napoleon Harris, who was acquired from Oakland for Moss. Harris is one of the top players at his position. Middle linebacker Sam Cowart is no longer the player he once was, but should be able to hold the fort until third-year E.J. Henderson is ready. Weakside linebacker appears to be the only position of concern for Minnesota. While second-year Dontarrious Thomas is physically talented, he is often caught out of position. Pro Bowlers Antonie Winfield and Fred Smoot are the starters at cornerback. Opposing quarterbacks will be frustrated when throwing against those two, especially since the Vikings also possess a pair of brilliant safeties. Free safety Darren Sharper is one of the best at his position, while strong safety Corey Chavous is one of the smarter players in the NFL. Contrary to the previous six seasons, Minnesota has talent and depth at very position of their stop unit. If Carolina doesn't have the best defense in the NFC, the Vikings do.
Schedule and Intangibles: It seems as though the Vikings struggle after their annual loss to the New York Giants. Minnesota is 11-1 in pre-Giants contests since 2003, but are just 6-12 in post-Giants games. If the Vikings wish to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XL, they will have to beat the Giants... Minnesota is just 2-21 the previous three seasons in outdoor games. The two victories have remarkably been at Lambeau Field... Another excellent addition for the Vikings is Paul Edinger, one of the best kickers in the NFL. Edinger struggled in 2004, but is a career 75.3 percent kicker, and should thrive now that he's kicking indoors... For all the talent the Vikings have, they have one of the worst coaches in the NFL. They will have to overcome Mike Tice to qualify for the Super Bowl. However, bad coaches have gone to the Big Game before. Just ask Mike Martz... Minnesota has a second-place schedule, meaning they avoid Philadelphia and Seattle. Instead, their easy, non-divisional contests include: New Orleans, Cleveland, St. Louis and Tampa Bay.
Analysis: The decline of the Green Bay Packers and a plethora of curses, hexes and toads in Philadelphia has opened the door for Minnesota. Will they step through?
Projection: 12-4 (1st in the NFC North).
Detroit Lions (Last Year: 6-10).
Major Additions:
QB Jeff Garcia, WR Mike Williams, WR Kevin Johnson, TE Marcus Pollard, G Rick DeMulling, G Kyle Kosier, DT Shaun Cody, CB R.W. McQuarters, CB Stanley Wilson, S Kenoy Kennedy, S Jon McGraw.
Major Subtractions:
QB Mike McMahon, WR Az Hakim, WR Reggie Swinton, TE Stephen Alexander, OT Stockar McDougle, S Brock Marion, S Brian Walker.
Offense This Year: Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller have a lot in common. Both were PAC 10 quarterbacks. Both have struggled early on in their careers. And, both finally have a great number of skilled players surrounding them, meaning it's time for them to step up or sit down. It's hard pressed to find a triumvirate of receivers better than the group the Lions possess. Roy Williams was a monstrous presence for Harrington in his rookie campaign, catching 54 passes for 817 yards and eight touchdowns. Mike Williams, chosen with the 10th overall pick in April, should have been the first player selected in the draft. Charles Rogers, chosen second overall by the Lions in 2003, has only played five games in his NFL career, but is back from injury. The three fantastic receivers are accompanied by Marcus Pollard, one of the top tight ends in the league. The Lions have four superb offensive linemen: left tackle Jeff Backus, left guard Rick DeMulling, center Dominic Raiola and right guard Damien Woody. The right tackle position is occupied by second-year Kelly Butler, who needs to work on his pass blocking. However, Butler is an excellent run blocker and should be able to open up running lanes for Kevin Jones, who gained 4.7 yards per carry in his inaugural season. Jones tallied 1,133 rushing yards. With all of this talent around him, Harrington cannot possibly fail. If he does, Steve Mariucci will not be afraid to yank him in favor of Jeff Garcia. While the former Pro Bowl quarterback struggled in Cleveland, Garcia is familiar with Mariucci's version of the West Coast Offense, and should be able to thrive given the opportunity.
Defense This Year: The Lions were ninth against the run in 2004, just one year after being ranked 29th in that department. Despite their improvement against wrapping up opposing rushers, Detroit struggled to stop the pass, thanks to their one-man pass rush and pedestrian secondary. The Lions added a few players this off-season, meaning they expect their young players to improve. One player they acquired via the draft was second-rounder Shaun Cody, who is expected to supplant Cory Redding at defensive end. Redding managed just three sacks last season, despite starting opposite of James Hall, who registered 11½. Detroit is set at defensive tackle, which is occupied by Shaun Rogers, one of the best players at his position, and Dan Wilkinson, a monstrous run stuffer. At outside linebacker are a pair of talented, former second-round picks. Boss Bailey is one of the fastest linebackers in the league, while Teddy Lehman is a smart, blue-collar player who offers his share of bone-shattering hits. Middle linebacker Earl Holmes is past his prime at 32, but can effectively stop the run. Cornerbacks Fernando Bryant and Dre' Bly are average, at best. There is no way either can stay with the likes of Nate Burleson, Muhsin Muhammad, Javon Walker or Donald Driver. Young corners Chris Cash, Andre Goodman and Stanley Wilson must step up and eventually overtake Bryant and Bly. Terrence Holt and Kenoy Kennedy, who start at safety, are the best defensive backs the Lions possess, which isn't really saying much.
Schedule and Intangibles: Eddie Drummond is the best return man this side of Dante' Hall. Drummond had four touchdowns before Thanksgiving... Jason Hanson, who has been a reliable kicker his entire career, was just five-of-eight from 40 yards and beyond in 2004. Perhaps the fact that he is 35 had something to do with it... The Lions have a pretty balanced schedule. They have tough, non-divisional contests against Baltimore, Carolina, Atlanta, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. However, they also play Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Arizona and New Orleans.
Analysis: If Detroit doesn't qualify for the playoffs this year, they need to look elsewhere for their signal caller. What else could it possibly be?
Projection: 9-7 (2nd in the NFC North).
Chicago Bears (Last Year: 5-11).
Major Additions:
RB Cedric Benson, WR Muhsin Muhammad, WR Mark Bradley, OT Fred Miller, G Roberto Garza, G Terrence Metcalf, K Doug Brien.
Major Subtractions:
QB Craig Krenzel, RB Anthony Thomas, WR David Terrell, G Rex Tucker, CB R.W. McQuarters, K Paul Edinger.
Offense This Year: When asked about Chicago's offense, most would remember a unit that scored just 13.2 points per game after September, and featured four quarterbacks who threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (9). However, it is completely forgotten that the Bears won at Lambeau and nearly beat the Vikings in Minnesota during the first three games of the season. The Bears averaged 19.7 points per game during that time span. The difference? Rex Grossman, who incurred a season-ending injury at Minnesota. Grossman will be back, and the Bears organization did a great job of surrounding the young signal caller with skilled weapons. The most significant addition was wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who greatly enhances Chicago's receiving corps. Joining Muhammad are promising youngsters Bobby Wade, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian and rookie Mark Bradley. The offensive line is another reason why the Bears will be able to score more points in 2005. The five linemen -- left tackle John Tait, left guard Ruben Brown, center Olin Kruetz, right guard Roberto Garza and right tackle Fred Miller -- form one of the best offensive lines in the NFC. Running behind the mammoth line will be rookie Cedric Benson, chosen with the fourth overall selection in April. Benson has the potential to be Chicago's best running back since Walter Payton. Bears fans have plenty to be excited about.
Defense This Year: It doesn't stop with the offense. Chicago has a dominant defense as long as middle linebacker Brian Urlacher is in the lineup. The Bears were 5-4 with Urlacher in the lineup last year, restricting opposing offenses to just 16.6 points per game. Without Urlacher? Chicago was 0-7, yielding 26 points per contest. The Bears will be effective against the run in 2005 because Urlacher will be protected by a trio of solid defensive tackles: Tommie Harris, Ian Scott and Tank Johnson. Stellar safeties Mike Green and Mike Brown ensure that Chicago's defense up the middle is one of the league's strongest. However, if the Bears wish to stop the pass, they will need more pressure from their defensive ends. Starters Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown respectively accumulated 5½ and six sacks. Michael Haynes, the team's first-round pick in 2003, had just two sacks in his second season. The Bears also need help at outside linebacker, which is occupied by Marcus Reese and Lance Briggs. The former should not be a starter in this league, while the latter needs to improve against the run. Joining Green and Brown at defensive back are a pair of talented cornerbacks, Charles Tillman and Jerry Azumah. Despite the stout starting secondary, the Bears lack depth at defensive back.
Schedule and Intangibles: The Bears need to establish a dominant home-field advantage if they want to play in the postseason. They were just 2-6 at Soldier Field in 2004... Kicker Paul Edinger is gone because Chicago signed Doug Brien. Although Brien was 11-of-13 from 40 yards and beyond, he missed the two most important kicks of the season. Don't count on him if the game's on the line... R.W. McQuarters, a talented punt returner, is now with the Lions. Can Bernard Berrian duplicate what McQuarters brought to the Bears?... Chicago has the easiest schedule of all the teams in the NFC North. Their non-divisional foes include: Washington, Cleveland, New Orleans, San Francisco and Tampa Bay.
Analysis: Chicago will be in playoff contention for the first time since their magical 13-3 season in 2001. Whether they qualify for the postseason or not depends on Grossman.
Projection: 9-7 (3rd in the NFC North).
Green Bay Packers (Last Year: 10-6).
Major Additions:
QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Terrence Murphy, G Matt O'Dwyer, OLB Raynoch Thompson, S Earl Little.
Major Subtractions:
G Marco Rivera, G Mike Wahle, CB Michael Hawthorne, S Darren Sharper, S Bhawoh Jue.
Offense This Year: Green Bay scored 26.5 points per game in 2004, and nine starters should be returning on offense, so the team is a lock to be among the top-scoring squads in the NFL, right? Not necessarily. There are plenty of things for Packers fans to be worried about. First and foremost, guards Marco Rivera and Matt O'Dwyer have departed for other venues. Replacing them will be two of three candidates: Adrian Klemm, Grey Ruegamer and Matt O'Dwyer. Klemm is a backup lineman at best, Ruegamer is nothing more than average, and O'Dwyer is 32 and past his mediocre prime. Brett Favre and Ahman Green will obviously be affected by the offensive line's decline. Favre threw for 4,088 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, but is no longer the quarterback he once was. He has been known to throw up ugly ducks when trailing, and more importantly, he has lost his mystique at home. The dome-grown Falcons and Vikings have respectively won at Lambeau in the 2002 and 2004 playoffs. Favre may also be without his top receiver, Javon Walker, and his favorite endzone target, Bubba Franks. Walker is following in the footsteps of Terrell Owens and is holding out, while Franks is currently without a contract. Green is still one of the best running backs in the NFL, having rushed for more than 1,150 yards in each of his five seasons with the Packers. However, will Green be able to run as effectively with just three solid linemen returning? Probably not.
Defense This Year: The Packers have one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They surrendered 4.7 yards per carry and maintained one of the worst secondaries in league history last season. Starting with the positives, Green Bay managed to accumulate 40 sacks, thanks to Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila's 13½. The other defensive end, Aaron Kampman, is a hard worker and is pretty decent against the run. Defensive tackles Grady Jackson and Cletidus Hunt are also solid at wrapping up opposing rushers. However, the former played in only 10 games last season and is showing some wear and tear at the age of 32. Middle linebacker Nick Barnett is one of the fastest at his position, but he is not a good tackler, and struggles to get off blocks. Outside linebackers Hannibal Navies and Na'il Diggs are mediocre at best. The former is small and struggles against the run, while the latter is slow for his position. Green Bay's secondary is undoubtedly the league's worst. Cornerback Al Harris is solid, but the Packers have a void of talent elsewhere. Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas, both second-year players, will be competing for the other starting corner job. Both were burnt often last season. The No. 4 corner on the depth chart is Chris Johnson, who would be sixth on most depth charts elsewhere. Safeties Earl Little and Mark Roman are terrible -- it's only a matter of time before rookies Marviel Underwood and Nick Collins surpass them on the depth chart. It may be hard to believe, but this year's defense could be worse than the unit that surrendered 23.8 points per game in 2004.
Schedule and Intangibles: The Packers are 84-20 at home since 1992, but they are only 9-7 at Lambeau the past two seasons. Furthermore, they are just 1-2 in home playoff games since 2002 after going unscathed in franchise history... Kicker Ryan Longwell is one of the league's finest. He connected on 24-of-27 attempts in 2004... Special teams failed to return a touchdown last year. The Packers need a better returner than Antonio Chatman... Green Bay has a number of challenging games on its schedule, including: Carolina, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Additional Reading: Why drafting Aaron Rodgers means the Packers will be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season.
Was Brett Favre out of line when he made his comments about Javon Walker's contract?
Analysis: Every team is the NFC North is now better than the Packers. Remember the hideous 1-4 start Green Bay had last season, punctuated by their 48-27 loss to Tennessee on Monday Night Football? That was a sign of things to come.
Projection: 4-12 (4th in the NFC North).
2001 Season Preview
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