The countdown is on again as far as what Brett Favre is going to do this season, as reports come in that he is working out with high school players in his hometown. After the season Favre had last year, I don’t see any way he retires. With Favre back, most would say the Minnesota Vikings are favorites to win the NFC North again, without him they could possibly bring up the rear in the division. In my opinion the favorites to win the division are the Green Bay Packers, and if Favre plays, the Vikings finish second. Green Bay had a great 2009 season, with Aaron Rodgers coming into his own as Favre’s replacement. I know the Vikings won both head-to-head matchups between the teams, but that won’t happen this season. Green Bay’s defense betrayed them in the playoffs against Arizona, and Rodgers wound up being a goat for turning the ball over to cost them the game. I feel defensive coordinator Dom Capers will straighten out the defense going into this year, and I like Packer coach Mike McCarthy over the Vikings’ Brad Childress. Favre played great last year but with the offense revolving around him, all-pro back Adrian Peterson’s play suffered. Childress has got to figure out a way to get Peterson more involved and pull in the reins on Favre this season, especially since defenses will be gearing up to stop the aging quarterback. I also feel the Vikings will miss Peterson’s backup, Chester Taylor, more than they realize. Taylor was an important part of their offense, and the fact he now plays for divison rival Chicago, and will face the Vikes twice, will have even more of an impact. The Bears could be a dark horse in the division. Coach Lovie Smith will be on the hot seat this year, as the “political capital” he built up by taking the Bears to the Super Bowl a few years ago begins to fade. The addition of Julius Peppers to the defense will certainly help, especially if Brian Urlacher stays healthy. The Bears have enough impact players on defense to be competitive, and their offense should be among the league’s best, “should” being the key word. “Should” turns into “will” when Jay Cutler becomes consistent at quarterback. The Detroit Lions, the laughing-stock of not only the NFC North but the entire NFL for a few years now, are starting to turn the corner, and I believe they will surprise some people this year. General manager Martin Mayhew has put some key pieces in place – coach Jim Schwartz seems to be well-liked by both players and fans so far, Matthew Stafford looks like the real deal as the Lions’ QB of the future, his main target, Calvin Johnson, is one of the NFL’s best, and the addition of Ndamukong Suh to the defense is a major building block. It’ll be up to Schwartz to begin molding his young stars into a competitive team, but there’s no doubt Mayhew has made a lot of good moves.
NFC North – Wherefore Art Thou Brett Favre?
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