2007 NFC North Predictions & Preview
June 5, 2008
The team at InfoPlays thinks that you are going to have to go with the Bears with your 2007 NFC North predictions unless you want to look silly. There doesn’t seem to be much of a way for any other team in the division to compete with a team that retains so many of their top guys. The Lions and Packers will be improved this year, but not enough, while the Vikings are going to continue to get worse before they get better. This division should be another landslide domination by Chicago.
First Place - 2007 Chicago Bears Predictions - The only big loss from last year’s Super Bowl team was Thomas Jones at running back, but when you have Cedric Benson waiting in the wings and not getting enough carries that was an easy decision to let him go. The team will also be without Tank Johnson for the first eight games of the season, so they went out and got Anthony Adams to take his place. Adam Archuleta was the only other free agent signing, and he’s a guy who can backup the often injured Mike Brown. If Rex Grossman can progess to the next level and become as good of a quarterback as his talent would allow, then this is the Super Bowl team from the NFC, if not they’ll still be good.
Second Place - 2007 Green Bay Packers Predictions - Green Bay didn’t do a whole lot in the off-season which had to make Brett Favre shake his head. The team wants to develop their young talent and get better for the future, a future that won’t contain plans for Favre. Worse yet for Favre is that he isn’t going to have his normal backfield teammates of Ahman Greene or William Henderson. Last year’s excellent run down the stretch might have been bad for the team in giving them hope that this team will be able to compete for a playoff run, instead of realizing they beat three of the worst teams in the NFC and the Bears in a game that meant nothing to them.
Third Place - 2007 Minnesota Vikings Predictions - The Vikings are going through roster changes that will fit the scheme brough in by Brad Childress. Gone is Travis Taylor, Marcus Robinson, and Jermaine Wiggins which were two of the three biggest pass catching threats last season. On defense Fred Smoot got the boot along with Napolean Harris. On offense the team is hoping for big things from Adrian Peterson and Sidney Rice, even though Chester Taylor had more than 1200 yards a season ago and the team is deep at receiver. This team got off to a decent 4-2 start before winning just two of their last ten games, and we don’t expect much better things out of them this year.
Fourth Place - 2007 Detroit Lions Predictions - This team needed a makeover and Rod Marinelli is giving it one. The problem this year will be they lost Dre Bly, James, Hall, and Terrence Holt, which were three of their best leaders. The team didn’t exactly get players to replace them either. On offense Jon Kitna took every snap for the team, and now will be grooming Drew Stanton as his future replacement. Another big name receiver comes in as Calvin Johnson was drafted in the first round, but Roy Williams is the only big name receiver that has panned out for this team. Tatum Bell and Kevin Jones will be a decent one-two combo in the backfield, but this team is going to continue to struggle this season.