Looks to be another tuf year for the Packers. O-line cobbled together, probably starting two rookies -- Brett needs more protection than that -- I fear he may go down to injury finally, and we'll see Aaron Rodgers take the helm. Plus, other than butterfingers Ahman Green, they have absolutely no playmakers. WR and TE situation is grim. But optimism that the D will be stronger (alhtough I have fears about the corners and safeties)

So with that I regretfully predict:

1. Da Bears
2. Vikes
3. Pack
4. Lions (since they're, well, the Lions)

[ August 28, 2006, 06:57 AM: Message edited by: DCBucky ]

This division has only one good team; the Bears. How the remaining three teams will finish is anybody's guess, since none of them have any playmakers on offense or defense. With Favre scared to death of getting hit (who can blame him?), there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Packers, Vikings, and Lions at QB, RB, or WRs. But the Vikings have a better defense, so that might be enough to get them past the Lions and Packers. So I see why you ranked them as you did.

My prediction:
1. Vikings
2. Bears
3. Lions
4. Packers

Vikings have the most complete team in the division. The Bears have the best defense, but no offense. The Vikings will have be solid all the way around - offense, defense, and special teams. The Lions have some fire power, but never really harness it. I think it will take time for that to happen and think they could be tough at the end of the season. The Packers are done. With no line or RB to generate a running game they will be asking Favre to win every game - we saw how that turned out last year.

1. Bears, maybe they'll find an offense this year. 2. Vikings
3. Packers
4. Lions and I hope they rot in the cellar for what they did to Joey.

I agree with you about the Packers and Lions, but, dude, you have to be a Vikings fan to think they will finish ahead of the Bears. True, the Bears don't have much of an offense, but with the best defense in the NFL, they don't ask much from their offense. Have you forgotten? Let's review: Randy Moss has left the building, and, nullified any Vikings deep threat. Nuff said.

[ August 31, 2006, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Give me a break!! It's not about what the Lions did to Joey but more about what he DIDN'T do for them AND most likely won't do even more of for Miami!

Chicago
Minnesota
Detroit
Green Bay

[ September 04, 2006, 05:06 AM: Message edited by: eddiec. ]

Here's another funny line from a Bill Simmons column where he gives thumbs up or thumbs down in his NFL Preview. One of his thumbs up:

Too f**king funny!

Just how many first and second round "busts" does one franchise have to have before you blame the organization rather than the players? Seems to me the Lions, at least during the Millen error, I mean era, have had more big name A listers go boom than any other team in the league. That says more to me about the Lions oragnization. Either their scouting system sucks or the coaching staffs have no idea how to handle young players. And the fact that they've had so many coaching changes instead of giving some of these guys a chance to grow into the job. The Lions are a lousy franchise, plain as that. Joey Harrington can't be responsible for that.

The one thing all professional football players are supposed to have in common is knowing how to play football.Someone forgot to tell little Joey!Who will he blame if/when he screws up in Miami?
Yes the Lions have had lousy coaching and management for years but these so-called players are still supposed to know the fundamentals of this game.

So all these guys who had enough knowledge of football fundamentals in college to play on National Championship contenders and be finalists for the Heisman trophy suddenly lose those fundamentals when they get to Detroit?

No doubt -- the NFL is devised to cycle taems: build 'em up with great players, then have them fall apart (lower draft picks, free agency), then back up (higher drafts, easier schedules) -- Dallas was up in the 90s, down now; same with the Pack; 'skins down in the 90s, maybe back up this year.

But the Lions? Seems like they've always been down. The Ford family runs the team like they run their car company.

The fundamentals get lost during those nude drunk driving lessons.

Clearly, Cullen needs treatment and I'm glad he's getting it. However, this statement from the article made me laugh: "The ticket does not provide any other information why Cullen was allegedly nude. The Lions said alcohol was involved."

Allegedly nude?!? Either one is or isn't nude. Imagine being the police officer who pulled him over--you know he's thinking 'here's something you don't see everyday!'

~Adam

Think DCBucky got this one figured out. The NFL is set up to limit the successes of the good teams and change the misfortunes of losing teams, but this doesn't always work. Detroit is down right now because they had a lot of late first rd draft picks during their heyday, the nineties, when they were a very good team. Unfortunately for Detroit, many of those late rd picks didn't work out for them, so after a few good years, they couldn't find talented replacements for the ones they lost. I think this is one of the reasons why the Lions are struggling right now.

But GeorgeTwinsfan, I'm a little surprised you didn't acknowledge the Lions glory years; e.g. 1989-1999. With WRs like Brett Perriman and Hermann Moore, and the league's most feared RB, Barry Sanders, the Lions were a playoff team more times than not. Since that time, the Lions have not had much success, so, yeah, they have been one of the league's worst teams lately, but that's a very short chapter in their otherwise esteemed history. Losing is something Detroit fans have endured for only a few years now; it is not a perennial result; e.g.; like the Saints. But, yeah, I do agree with you that Ford and Millen have made a mess of things; especially the hiring and firing of Mornhinweg, Marriucci, and Jauron.. And, yes, none of Detroit’s recent draft choices have panned out very well (Mike Williams-2005; Roy Williams-2004 and Kevin Jones-2004; and Charles Rodgers-2003). So I understand your beef against Ford and Millen. But before Millen, I think Detroit drafted very well, especially with Fontes at the helm:

Look at what the Lions drafted during their heydays (19989-2000):

Bennie Blades (1988), 1st rd, #3, Safety
Chris Spielman (1988), 2nd round, #29, LB
Barry Sanders (1989), 1st rd, #3, RB
Hermann Moore (1991), 1st rd, #10, WR
Johnny Morton (1994), 1st rd, #21, WR
Reggie Brown (1996), 1st rd, #17, LB
Bryant Westbrook (1997), 1st rd, #5, CB
Andre Ware (2000), 1st rd, #7, QB
Joey Harrington (2002), 1st rd, #3, QB; I still think he’s a decent QB.

I think all these 1st round draft choices were solid picks, and, performed well while in a Lions uniform. I also think Harrington and Rodgers are very good players, at least statistically. But I can understand EddieC's frustration too. QB has been the most glaring weakness in that Detroit offense for years. Guys like Herrington, Ware, Batch, Detmer, Mitchell, and Peete have been blessed with excellent receivers that can run under or catch up to weak-armed floaters (Harrington, Mitchell, Detmer) or errant projectiles (Ware, Peete). The Lions would have at least two SB victories in the nineties if they’d had a great QB to compliment Sanders, Moore, and Perriman. I suspect EddieC is just tired of watching poor QB play for the last six years. Except for Kramer, the QB situation has been a thorn in the side of that Lion offense for years, and they still haven't got that fixed yet. And this can't happen until they get some talent and toughness on that awful O-line.

[ September 08, 2006, 12:48 AM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Thomas, please read my initial post on this topic dated September 6. I clearly state that I am making reference to the Millen regime.

And it's kind of sad that a franchise that has been around as long as the Lions have as their "glory years" a 10 year period where they made the playoffs alot. Other than the Cardinals they are probably the oldest franchise nevr to get to a Super Bowl.

[ September 08, 2006, 05:52 AM: Message edited by: George Twins fan ]

[ September 08, 2006, 05:52 AM: Message edited by: George Twins fan ]

Hey, don't get all defensive on me, GeorgeTwinsFan. I know your post referenced the Millen era. Not callenging what you said, just wanted to show some love and give some props to one of the most fun NFL offenses of the nineties; for balance.. I had a lot of fun watching the Lions back when; one of my all time favorite teams. Every so often, I'll throw in an old VCR tape and laugh some more as I watch Barry juke and jive his way through and around four or five defenders. Dude was a gridiron magician. It might take a while before that kind of magic returns to Detroit, but maybe not.

[ September 08, 2006, 06:21 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Koren Robinson has signed and he'll get two shot at revenge against my Vikes. Just hope he doesn't drink too much wine with all the cheese.

Vikes pull out a pretty impressive win on the road in Washington. Brad Johnson just gets the job done. Nothing flashy or fancy but he sure does win.

And the defense looked pretty good too even with Dwight Smith suspended for tonight's game. Either that or the Redskins offense is really overrated.

[ September 11, 2006, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: George Twins fan ]

I don't think either team played very well. Right now, the Vikings feature a one man running game and an age-challenged QB who, although smart and crafty (he showed up the Skins rookie CB real bad a couple times), is not likely to remain healthy a full season. I don't know what to make of the Vikings' W against the Skins because the Skins didn't fight back; e.g.; the front seven was timid and that secondary was just awful. As for the Vikings, I just don't see much talent on this team, but it's early and anyhting can happen. The Skins went on a five or six game winning streak late last year and wound up in the playoffs. The Chargers went on a three game skid and missed the playoffs. It's a funny game. You don't need a roster full of superstars to win in this league. The Jaguars and Patriots (most recently, the Bears) win every year without them. TEAM will trump superstars every time, but the Vikings are playing TEAM football right now either. So, we'll have to wait and see.

[ September 14, 2006, 01:15 AM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Sigh....The Lions are just sad,sad,sad. Barf!!

Yeah, every week in Peter Kings MMQB, he's reminding himself how stupid his Lions win the North PS pick was.

He did quite well for the Pack on Sunday -- but somehow I still think he's going to pull some bonehead off-field stunt. Cris Collingsworth made a similar remark on Sunday about how Robinson deserved a drink for his performance!

Something told me to pick the Lions in the NFL pickem (Temporary insanity?) and they nearly pulled if off.Sigh.

Well, the Chicago Bears appear to be the team to beat in the NFC this season. They thoroughly dominated the Seahawks in every phase of the game last night. I was glad to see them moving the ball against a very strong Seattle defense. Rex is not spectacular, but is doing all the right things. They got the running game going as well, and the Bears' defense is without peer.

Everybody! Let's all sing:

Bear Down, Chicago Bears.
Make every play clear the way to victory!
Bear Down, Chicago Bears.
Put up a fight with a might so fearlessly!

We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation,
With your T formation.

Bear Down, Chicago Bears.
And let them know why you're wearing the crown.

You're the pride and joy,
of all Illinois.

Chicago Bears, Bear Down!

you might be right on that Spartan, Bears are looking damn good. Sexy Rexy keeps playing the way he is they are going to be tough to beat

I liked the Super Bowl shuffle better

If they keep playing like this....we might have to discuss who was better....the 85 Bears, or this team....but they have to keep playing like they are.

Argh, I think I'll have to get some industrial sized advil for that conversation. Comparing teams from the past to the present is one thing, but doing it with Chicago fans just somehow seems worse.


And I'm a fan of nearly every Chicago sports team.

I can't help but wonder if I'm the only one who picked the Lions over Buffalo,today!

That was probably the best game calling I have seen Martz do since he was OC of the rams. He needed that since his play calling cost the lions the game last week. I mean come they have a 14 point lead and he calls one running play.

Interesting that Miami's record has dropped to 1-5.Yep,that Joey Harrington is really something.

All I can say is,it's a good thing we have the Tigers,Pistons and Red Wings.

Are the Chicago Bears overachieving to make for the pathetic Chicago Cubs?

Also, which Bear would you rather make out with: Rex Grossman or Brian Griese?