2014 NFC North, NFL Preseason Predictions: Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears
I used to think the NFC East was the best division in football, but the emergence of Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers, along with the rebuilt Detroit Lions, the consistent Chicago Bears, and Adrian Peterson’s Minnesota Vikings have the NFC North as the best, in my book, from top to bottom over the past few years. Let’s take a look at how the NFC North will shake out in our 2014 NFL Preseason Predictions.
1. Green Bay Packers (12-4): This is a team that knows how to win. Aaron Rodgers will have the Packers in the hunt again this year, and I don’t really see them faltering. A balanced offense and a great coach should have Green Bay taking this one, as long as they stay healthy this year.
2. Chicago Bears (9-7): Does anyone else miss Brian Urlacher? I love the explosive offense the Bears have with Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, and Matt Forte, but I miss that linebacking corps. As the defense struggles to find its identity after a season where they allowed 478 points, I think the Bears will be mediocre again. They’ll be a special kind of mediocre with an explosive offense that led the NFC in points, but mediocre nonetheless.
3. Detroit Lions (8-8): The Lions collapsed last season, proving once again that they simply don’t know how to win. The defense has some explosive pass rushers, the offense has arguably the best quarterback to wide receiver combination in the league, but they don’t know how to win. I think they can be great this year, but I always think that, and I’ve decided to put to paper in 2014 what always seems to happen on the field – a disappointing season.
4. Minnesota Vikings (6-10): Adrian Peterson can’t do it all by himself, but he’ll try again in 2014. He’s an animal, but he’s getting old and the team around him is mediocre at best. I don’t expect a surprise season out of the Vikings, and I see them falling well short of the .500 mark. That said, anything can happen when you’ve got a back like Peterson and a bunch of unknown parts. Maybe they surprise people.
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