2009 NFL Season Preview: NFC North

The NFC North has long been the black and blue division, known for impressive running games and hard hitting defenses. Over the course of this off-season, however, they have managed to turn the focus on the quarterbacks. The Detroit Lions spent the first pick of the NFL draft on Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Chicago Bears traded for talented, but disgruntled Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, the Minnesota Vikings just recently welcomed future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre to their team, and the Green Bay Packers are excited about Aaron Rodgers heading into his second season as the starter. It will be interesting to see which of these quarterbacks has the biggest impact for their team and lead them into the playoffs. Here is a breakdown of each team:

Chicago Bears

2008 Record: 9-7

Strengths: The Bears return a solid core of the team that finished second in the division last year and just missed out on the playoffs. If they manage to remain healthy, the Bears defense could be the strong point of the team. Last year, the defense struggled with injuries and ended up ranked 21^st in the league in total defense. They are far more talented than that and should have a bounce back year, led by linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. Last year, rookie running back Matt Forte was the only highlight for the Bears offense. He rushed for 1,238 and 8 touchdowns and was also the team's leading receiver with 63 receptions. Now in his second year, Forte should be even stronger and should be helped out by the presence of a legitimate passing threat at quarterback. That brings us to the Bears' major addition of the off-season, quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears have struggled through numerous seasons with mediocre quarterbacks and finally decided to get themselves a Pro Bowler at quarterback. Cutler is a huge addition and should be able to stretch defenses and create more room for Forte, as well as, throw the ball deep to his speedy receivers.

Questions: The big question for the Bears this year is who is going to catch Cutler's passes. They lack any marquee receivers and have to make due with their stable of young, unproven prospects. However, Jay Cutler will undoubtedly make his receivers better. Devin Hester is one of the fastest receivers in the league and with a quarterback who can actually get the ball to him down field; he becomes a serious deep threat. He is also hard to stop when he gets in the open field and always has the potential to take a short pass and make it a big play. Second year receiver Earl Bennett should also see a lot of balls thrown his way. He played with Cutler in college and they have already rekindled their rapport since Cutler joined the Bears. Even with the wide-outs improving, it is likely that the two leading receivers will once again be tight end Greg Olsen and Forte. They are both solid receivers and will provide a safety valve for Cutler when he gets in trouble, but also have the ability to stretch the field and create big plays.

Outlook: Assuming the offense is better this year (its hard to imagine it won't be) and the defense stays healthy, the Bears should have a good year. Their schedule is pretty favorable and they get their biggest out of division challenges at home. They host both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, but they do have a late season game at Baltimore, which will be tough. Despite those challenges, the Bears should be able to win 10 to 11 games, compete for the division title, and at least make the playoffs as a Wild Card.

Detroit Lions

2008 Record: 0-16

Strengths: Well, they certainly can't do any worse than last year. The Detroit Lions failed to win a single game last year and struggled in just about every aspect of the game. It is unlikely that they will see a remarkable turn around and they make the playoffs, but it is equally unlikely that they will go winless again. The best player for the Lions is receiver Calvin Johnson. During the Lions abysmal season, Johnson managed to rack up 1,331 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. He will be the primary target for whoever is the starting quarterback and could have another big year. If Stafford wins the starting job, Johnson will definitely help the adjustment process and alleviate some of the pressure. Running Back Kevin Smith is a solid rusher and could have a big year if the offensive line creates running lanes. He rushed for 976 yards and 8 touchdowns last season and should have even better numbers this year.

Questions: There are several questions that need to be answered for the Detroit Lions. The biggest one is at quarterback. Veteran Daunte Culpepper will likely begin the season as the starting quarterback, but he will have the Lions number one overall pick, Matthew Stafford, pressuring him for playing time. You have to wonder how long the Lions will stick with Culpepper if he struggles. Also, if the Lions have another rough season, they may just put Stafford in there to get experience, since he is without a doubt their quarterback of the future. Really the question that is more important than who will play quarterback, is will they be able to block for him? Last year, the Lions gave up 52 sacks, second most in the league. If their line does not improve markedly, it will be a long season for whoever is at quarterback. The other big question is whether or not the defense will be able to stop anyone. The Lions surrendered 32.3 points per game last year, the worst in the league, by far. The Lions are hoping that the defense has improved enough to at least keep the team in games and give the offense a chance.

Outlook: The Lions will most likely see another couple of rough years, before they really compete for the NFC North or threaten to make the playoffs. The 2009 season for the Lions will show some promise though. They are bound to be better than last year and will most likely win at least 3 or 4 games. They should have several highlights this year, hopefully including overall improved team play. Matthew Stafford may also get a chance to show his skills and prove that he will be the quarterback the Lions hoped he would be when they drafted him.

Green Bay Packers

2008 Record: 6-10

Strengths: Aaron Rodgers had a solid season for the Packers last year. He threw for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Packers hope that he has an even better year in his second season as the starter. He should be more comfortable in the offense and put up similar or better numbers. It also helps that he has two solid receivers returning, who both had over 1,000 yards receiving last year. Greg Jennings and Donald Driver are two talented receivers and should provide plenty of opportunity for Rodgers to have another big season. Running back Ryan Grant is the other aspect of the offense that makes them dangerous. He rushed for 1,203 yards last year, but only found the end zone four times. He figures to have more touchdowns this year and is poised for a big year. The Packers have all the talent in place to have a high powered offense that gives opposing defenses trouble.

Questions: The big question for the Packers is their defense. Last year, the Packers ranked 20^th in the league in total defense, while allowing 23.8 points per game. They expect big things out of their fourth year linebacker A.J. Hawk. He is the leader of the defense and will have to carry them. It will also be interesting to see if their first round pick B.J. Raji, out of Boston College, can come in and contribute. He held out of most of camp with a contract dispute, but has the talent to make a difference right away. The other question is whether or not the Packers will be able to hold it all together for the entire season. The Packers were in good shape last year, before suffering through a five game losing streak late in the season. They need to avoid the same kind of let down this season.

Outlook: The Packers figure to be right in the thick of NFC North race. It will likely be a three team race and the Packers certainly have the talent to win the North and make the playoffs. As long as they can avoid another late season collapse, they can easily win ten games and be in contention. Green Bay will certainly have November 1^st circled on the calendar. That is when their beloved Brett Favre returns to Lambeau Field, as a member of the hated Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings

2008 Record: 10-6, Lost in Wild Card Round of Playoffs

Strengths: The strength of the Minnesota Vikings is running back Adrian Peterson. He rushed for 1,760 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He carried the Vikings last year as they won the NFC North and made the playoffs. He will likely have to do it again, if the Vikings want to repeat as champions of the division. The offense should also get a boost by the additions of Brett Favre and explosive first round pick Percy Harvin. The defense is another strong point for the Vikings. Last season, they finished ranked sixth in total defense and first in rushing defense. They return the core of that defense and should have another strong year if everyone stays healthy.

Questions: The big question for the Vikings is Brett Favre. Which Brett Favre will the Vikings have leading their offense when the season starts? Will he be the Hall of Fame quarterback that won two Super Bowls with the Green Bay Packers or the aging Brett Favre that struggled with the New York Jets? Favre is coming off of a season in which he threw as many interceptions (22) as touchdowns. He will also turn forty during the season and elected not to have his shoulder surgically repaired during the off-season. Favre has always been a risk taker and gun slinger, but last season his arm proved to be too old for many of the risks he was taking. With the talent around him, if he limits the risks he takes and plays smart, he could have a big year. However, there is already dissension in the locker room and if Favre struggles, it could get ugly.

Outlook: There are some experts who are picking the Vikings to make the Super Bowl. I'm not sold that Favre is the savior they are looking for at quarterback and I don't see them getting that far. However, with Adrian Peterson healthy and their scary defense in tact, they certainly have what it takes to win the NFC North again and make some noise in the playoffs.

SOURCES: NFL Player Statistics - http://www.nfl.com/stats/player

NFL Team Statistics- http://www.nfl.com/stats/team