Sizing Up The NFC North

With the NFL season kicking off, this is a good opportunity to take a look at the NFC North Division, where the Green Bay Packers will be looking to knock Minnesota off the divisional pedestal.

We know Green Bay's pluses -- a high-powered offense led by a healthy Aaron Rodgers -- and their negatives -- an unknown defense now led by first-year Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine. Pettine showed none of his cards in the preseason, playing a vanilla brand of D through four games. Granted, GB's youth in the defensive backfield, and questions about quarterback pressure, are tops on the list.

But Pettine has a track record of building good defenses, tailoring his schemes to the talent he has. This is a big change from Dom Capers, who stressed scheme-scheme-scheme over play strengths & weaknesses.

Green Bay probably needs at least a dozen wins to get home field advantage in the playoffs, something Rodgers has never enjoyed. Is a 12-win season possible? I'm thinking so, while Sports Illustrated predicts 11, has them finishing falling to the Vikings in the divisional round.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS perhaps made the most news with the signing of free agent QB Kirk Cousins -- who inked an $80 million+ contract that was totally guaranteed. Cousins has some great weapons in wide receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, plus RB Delvin Cook is back from an injury.

Still, Cousins is Cousins -- long on talent, short on results with the Washington Redskins. Vikes had a pretty solid defense last year, lost a couple of key pieces. Still, Green Bay's neighbor to the north will be the main challenger.

CHICAGO BEARS made headlines just before the season started by trading for Khalil Mack, a talented defensive player who can rush the crap out of the QB. However, the Bears may have mortgaged the future with this move, giving up a pair of first-round picks and more, then inking Mack to a huge long-term contract.

All the local hacks (and I count Chicago on this) are saying how unstoppable Mack will be, how the Packers won't be able to block him Sunday night in the opener at Lambeau Field, etc. This might be the case as the season wears on, but not Sunday. Mack did not have a training camp, and he won't be in football shape. Sure, the Bears will run him out there for a handful of snaps. But being a force? Sorry, not this week.

The Bears could make the Khalil deal because the really, truly believe (and hope) that Mitch Trubisky is their quarterback of the future. They have him on his five-year rookie contract, which means they have money to load up in other areas (much like the Seattle Seahawks were able to do for Russell Wilson's first few seasons). They have a solid RB in Jordan Howard, some questions at wide receiver and a pretty decent defense for first-year head coach Matt Nagy.

Sports Illustrated tabs them to win seven games this season -- that's a reasonable number. They will improve as the season goes on.

DETROIT LIONS welcome the emotional Matt Patricia, who served as defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, as head coach. Quick! Name the four teams that have NEVER appeared in a Super Bowl. If you tabbed Cleveland, Jacksonville, Houston and the Lions, go to the head of the class. In fact, Detroit hasn't won an NFL title since 1957 -- the second longest drought behind the Arizona Cardinals, who started in Chicago, then spent 1960 to 1987 in St. Louis..

Detroit has a fairly solid QB in Matt Stafford and more than a few weapons -- yet they always seem to underachieve and disappoint their fan base. SI tabs them for 10 wins, and that's about right. But in the NFC North, they will still finish third.