NFL Preview '08: NFC North Without Favre

NFC North Standings
1. Minnesota Vikings 11-5- NFC North Champions
2. Green Bay Packers 8-8
3. Chicago Bears 7-9
4. Detroit Lions 6-10

The Minnesota Vikings have themselves a loaded team with the only question mark being the QB position. Tarvaris Jackson is the man, but the youngster has been far less than impressive in his short NFL career. I do believe the Vikes have plenty of talent offensively and defensively to make up for the weak QB. In the backfield you have Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. The wideouts include Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, and Robert Ferguson. The O-line is solid as well. The defense is considered one of the best in the NFL with Pat and Kevin Williams at DT, Jared Allen at DE, LB EJ Henderson, and Dwight Smith, Madieu Williams, and Antoine Winfield in the secondary. The Vikings are the class of this division. The Green Bay Packers traded their legendary QB so that youngster Aaron Rodgers may take the reigns.! This move will not pay off this season and may never pay off. Favre lead the Packers to the NFC Championship game last year and this year I believe they will miss the playoffs. Rodgers has the talent around him so he should reach the 8 win mark. The Bears are pitiful offensively, while Detroit is anemic defensively. Neither of these teams look like playoff contenders. The Bears have Kyle Orton at QB with no offensive weapons. WR's Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Mohammed left in the offseason, and Muhammed was even quoted as saying Chicago is where WR's go to die. Detroit has a solid offense, but the defense is just not there.
Next up the NFC South, where the Bucs, Panthers, and Saints all look like possible contenders in the NFC. Stay tuned.