NFL Off-Season Preview: NFC North Edition

Its time for preview number two. This time, we look at the NFC North. I would consider the NFC North one of the toughest, if not the toughest division in the NFL. Three of the four teams in the division could easily make the Playoffs. The Lions finally made the next step last year and made the Playoffs. The Packers dominated the regular season but fell short in the Playoffs. And they return the majority of their team this year. Chicago added Brandon Marshall to help out Jay Cutler. Then there's the Minnesota Vikings. Well, at least they're staying in Minnesota! I would expect the division race to come down to the last few weeks of the season this year.

NFL Off-Season Preview: NFC North Edition

The NFC North was dominated by the Green Bay Packers last year. They were undefeated for most of the year and looked unstoppable at times. They ended up losing to the Chiefs, then were taken out at home by the Giants in the NFC Divisional Round. The Lions took a big step last year and made their first Playoff appearance in a decade. The offense was finally all systems go with a healthy Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. The Bears struggled on offense and couldn't make it into the Playoffs after winning the division in 2010. And the Vikings had one of their worst seasons in recent memory and still appear to be the 4th best team inside the division. This is still a pretty strong division. The Packers, Lions, and Bears can all make the Playoffs, and with some improvements on defense, the Lions could challenge the Packers for the division title this year.

NFL Week 5 Review

This Review will be better than my Fantasy Football teams, which are a combined 5-15.

Team of the Week: San Francisco 49ers
-Two weeks in a row? You bet. That wasn't a statement by the 49ers, that was a pipe bomb dropping on the entire NFL. Many, including this reviewer, thought the 49ers would be an afterthought this year, even in the below average NFC West. But new coach Jim Harbaugh has brought new life to the entire team. Alex Smith has been brought back from the dead. Frank Gore looks to be back to the Frank Gore of old. And the defense is making plays and putting their offense in a good position to win games. At 4-1, the 49ers pretty much control their own destiny in the NFC West. Tampa Bay was suppose to be the surprise, up and coming team this year. But the 49ers shattered that fantasy this week by holding the offense to only 3 points. There is new life in San Francisco, and it is well deserved for such a storied franchise.

Game of the Week: New Orleans Saints 30  Carolina Panthers 27
-The Panthers are this year's version of the NFL's "Lovable Losers." They have played all of the big boys close this year and came within a minute of up-setting one of the league's power house teams this past Sunday. Cam Newton is putting on a show for the fans. He has sparked life into Steve Smith, which has caused so much pain for this fantasy owner who kept Chad Ochocinco over him this off-season in his dynasty league. Plus the Panthers brought back the option this week with DeAngelo Williams, which gave Williams his best game of the season. But in the end, the Saints showed their offensive dominance marching down the field to take the lead. Ron Rivera taking that timeout at the end of the half and a blocked PAT came back to haunt the Panthers. The NFC South may be the best division in the NFL this year.

Goat of the Week: New York Jets
-If I'm a Jets fan, I'm starting to worry about my team. At 2-3, there are a lot of questions surrounding this team. If it wasn't for Tony Romo, this team would easily be 1-4. Mark Sanchez continues to play terrible. The focus of the offense isn't the running game. And now the Jets WRs are apparently complaining that they don't have enough of a role in the offense. Add to that Rex Ryan getting all emotional about the team's loss, and that could be a recipe for disaster. The Jets have a nice bounce back game against the Dolphins at home on MNF next week, then host the Chargers before their bye. They are already 2 games back of the Bills and Patriots in the AFC East. If they don't right the ship quickly, they may get too far behind to catch up to either team this season.

Other Week 5 Notes
-I have to give a lot of credit to the Oakland Raiders this week. Just a few days after the passing of their owner Al Davis, the Raiders went out and played an inspired game against Houston, and pulled off a mild upset at home. You have to figure this team will play with a heavy heart the rest of the year. And with three straight home games coming up on their schedule, it should help motivate this team even more. The defense held the Texans in check for the most part, and the offense out-played the Texans good offense. This Raiders team is for real focus, and this season could be a great way to remember Al Davis by.

-It's the Tim Tebow Era now in Denver. In reality, it is probably more of the "Suck for Luck" campaign beginning. Sure, Tebow made some good plays Sunday. But he also held onto the ball way too long and scrambled much more than a QB should. He also under threw a lot of WRs. He had Eric Decker wide open down field and even over threw him. The fans wanted Tebow, and now they may face the realization that he isn't the QB everyone hoped he could be.

-Last week, I said the Steelers were in trouble with all of the problems and injuries they were facing. So what did they do? Completely man-handle and beat up a pretty good 3-1 Tennessee Titans team. Ben Roethlisberger played perfectly fine on a sprained foot. The offensive line held up, and the defense didn't miss a beat without James Harrison. Maybe it was my blind hatred towards the Steelers that made me feel like I did, but there is no reason this team should be considered an afterthought in the AFC. Plus, they host Jacksonville and play at Arizona in the next two weeks. That's a nice way to get back on track.

-Something is wrong in Atlanta. A team that was the top seed in the NFC last year is now 2-3 and facing a lot of questions. Matt Ryan is not playing very well. The defense was not able to play a complete game against Green Bay after holding them to 6 points in the first half. The honeymoon may be over for Mike Smith and Matt Ryan in Atlanta. I would even be worried about Carolina coming to town this week. Cam Newton should be able to make a few plays against a vulnerable Falcons secondary not playing up to the level they should. If the Falcons don't turn this around quickly, they could face one of the worst drop-offs a #1 team from the previous year has ever faced.

Hey, I'm Just Sayin....
-Will people now take the Bills for real?

-At least Kevin Kolb's old team is doing as well as his new one.

-50 yard field goal? Yeah that's a chip shot for Sebastian Janikowski.

-Is the shine off of Victor Cruz in New York?

-Did the Vikings just now realize their offense should be 80% Adrian Peterson?

-If Ryan Fitzpatrick is "The Amish Riffle", does that make Andy Dalton "The Gun Slinging Ginger"?

POWER RANKINGS!!!
1. Green Bay Packers (5-0, #1 last week)- Still looks like they are playing on rookie mode in Madden.

2. Detroit Lions (5-0, #2)- Calvin Johnson only had 1 TD this week. Talk about a slump.

3. New Orleans Saints (4-1, #3)- That scare this week may have been needed. They can't rest on their reputation, they need to live up to it.

4. Baltimore Ravens (3-1, #4)- The bye week may have actually hurt their momentum.

5. Buffalo Bills (4-1, #8)- These "No Names" keep winning and are playing with a chip on their shoulders. Everyone needs to take them for real.

6. New England Patriots (4-1, #9)- Bill Belicheck pretty much made Rex Ryan cry. That has to put a smile on his face.

7. San Diego Chargers (4-1, #6)- They almost let Tim Tebow lead a comeback against them. That should worry the San Diego defense.

8. San Francisco 49ers (4-1, #13)- Jim Harbaugh brings new life to wherever he goes. It's like he was born to be a great coach.

9. Washington Redskins (3-1, #11)- Right now, they're the best team in the NFC East by default. But Rex Grossman needs to improve his play for them to stay at the top.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2, #16)- I'm still concerned about their offensive line, but clearly Ben Roethlisberger isn't. I'm pretty sure he would play with his leg cut off.

11. Oakland Raiders (3-2, #17)- That was an inspired game they played in Houston. Their next three games: Cleveland, Kansas City, Denver. All at home.

12. New York Giants (3-2, #10)- And there is the bi-polar New York Giants we all love!

13. Houston Texans (3-2, #5)- Andre Johnson is still out a few weeks, and now Mario Williams is lost for the year. I still think the division is there's for the taking. Just need to stay healthy.

14. Tennessee Titans (3-2, #7)- That is what we call a "Reality Check."

15. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2, #18)- If the defense continues to play at thus level, they may be around the playoff hunt come December.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2, #12)- What the hell was that? Talk about a knockout punch.

17. Atlanta Falcons (2-3, #14)- Time to cue up the panic meter in Atlanta.

18. Chicago Bears (2-3, #16)- The Bears only hopes now are a Wild Card berth. There's no way they are winning the division back three games.

19. Dallas Cowboys (2-2, #20)- Tony Romo had the bye week to get things right. And if he didn't, then he may not be the answer in Dallas.

20. Seattle Seahawks (2-3, #24)- That was a big win for Seattle in New York. Pete Carroll, just like Jim Harbaugh, is a great motivator.

21. Cleveland Browns (2-2, #21)- Peyton Hillis could distract this team for the rest of the season.

22. New York Jets (2-3, #19)- The honey moon is over for Rex Ryan in New York.

23. Carolina Panthers (1-4, #23)- Are they the most exciting 1-4 team in the history of the NFL?

24. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3, #28)- Starting to look like the AFC West Champs from last year.

25. Philadelphia Eagles (1-4, #22)- They booed Santa Claus in Philly. Can you imagine what Andy Reid will hear the next home game?

26. Denver Broncos (1-4, #26)- Tim Tebow: The Path to Take to Get to Andrew Luck

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4, #27)- Blaine Gabbert's next 3 opponents: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Houston. Will he make it out of that stretch injury free?

28. Minnesota Vikings (1-4, #31)- Donovan McNabb saved his starting job for one week.

29. Arizona Cardinals (1-4, #25)- Is Larry Fitzgerald regretting that long term contract yet?

30. St. Louis Rams (0-4, #30)- Maybe the bye week saved them from a 40 point beating against Green Bay? Yeah, don't think so.

31. Indianapolis Colts (0-5, #29)- Why bring back Peyton Manning when you can guarantee Andrew Luck?

32. Miami Dolphins (0-4, #32)- Sage Rosenfels? You guys are still trying to win this year? Riiiggghhhttt.

Three Games I Would Like to See This Week
Buffalo Bills vs New York Giants: Giants can't afford a 3-3 start, Bills need to still silence any doubters.
San Francisco 49ers vs Detroit Lions: Two surprise teams. Whose hot streak ends?
Dallas Cowboys vs New England Patriots: Two weeks to prepare for the Pats, can the Cowboys right the ship?

That's all from me today. NFL Picks later in the week.

Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 5 Picks

It's NFL Picks time! Lets go!

Last Week's Record: 10-6
Year to Date Record: 43-21

Tennessee Titans vs Pittsburgh Steelers
I would have never thought the Titans would be in better shape heading into this game compared to the Steelers. Anywhere you look, the Steelers are banged up. Ben Roethlisberger has a sprained foot, but it likely to play. Rashard Mendenhall is listed as questionable but all signs point to him not playing. The Steelers offensive line is a mess. James Harrison is out for the Steelers. That's not good at all. The Titans are playing surprisingly well. I thought for sure Matt Hasselbeck was done, and we would be seeing Jake Locker by the end of the year. But Hasselbeck has this team 3-1 and atop the AFC South. Can the Titans keep it up? This game will go a long way to proving that. The Titans defense should be able to keep the Steelers in check for the most part, especially with the injuries the Steelers have. The Steelers need to put pressure on Hasselbeck, who is one of the least mobile QBs in the league. I would expect a defensive battle here, and I'm going with the Titans. They're the healthier team, and they may be the better team to.

Tennessee 17  Pittsburgh 16

Seattle Seahawks vs New York Giants
Seattle put up a surprisingly good effort against Atlanta last week. Seattle was down 20 points in the 3rd quarter but made a spirited comeback, only to fall short. Tavaris Jackson threw for over 300 yards, but the running game let the Seahawks down, with only 53 yards on 15 carries. The secondary didn't help matters either. The Giants pulled off their comeback, coming from behind to beat Arizona. Eli Manning torched the Cardinals secondary and again looked like "Good Eli." The Giants will more than likely be without Brandon Jacobs, but they still have Ahmad Bradshaw so that shouldn't be a problem. Seattle also has to deal with traveling across country to the East coast and playing an early game. The Giants may actually be the team to beat in the NFC East now, so they can't slip up here. I don't think they will either.

NY Giants 31  Seattle 20

Cincinnati Bengals vs Jacksonville Jaguars
The Battle of the Rookie QBs: Part 2. Andy Dalton lead a 14 point comeback against an undefeated Bills squad last week. The Bengals took it to the Bills in the second half, showing that they are not a team to be taken lightly. The defense has played exceptionally well, and it is a shame more people in Cincinnati aren't going to the games to see that. A.J. Green looked like a future stud last week, and while Andy Dalton did make some rookie QB errors, he also showed poise leading a comeback. The Jaguars played ok against New Orleans, but they need to step up their game offensively. They've scored a combined 39 points in their first four games. The defense is doing a good job stopping the run, but they are having trouble against the pass. That should mean big things for Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham. Expect an ugly, defensive minded game with two rookie QBs. But I'll take the Bengals in the end. Better defensive team with more weapons on offense.

Cincinnati 20  Jacksonville 14

New Orleans Saints vs Carolina Panthers.
You have to give the Panthers credit. They are keeping games close and making them entertaining. Cam Newton is playing surprisingly well this season. He is making the Panthers, even at 1-3, a team you want to keep tabs on every week. If the Panthers could get their running game going, they could surprise a few more people later this year. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they are facing a very talented team in New Orleans this week. Drew Brees continues to be Drew Brees. He has a great connection with TE Jimmy Graham, who is emerging as a big time player in the Saints offense. The Saints should focus on pounding the ball up the middle in this game with rookie RB Mark Ingram. Also, expect the Saints to throw a lot of different looks at Cam Newton and try to confuse him with different packages. The Panthers kept their game close against the Packers, no reason they can't do it again here. But the Saints win it in the end.

New Orleans 34  Carolina 21

Oakland Raiders vs Houston Texans
The Texans got a big time win last week when they took care of Pittsburgh at home. But just when it looked like the Texans were finally healthy, star WR Andre Johnson went down with a very fluke hamstring injury. Now, Johnson is out for approximately 3 weeks. He may be a bigger loss to the Texans than Arian Foster was. The Texans have a handful of running backs they could replace Foster with. But no one can replace what Andre Johnson brings to the table. Johnson forces the safeties to look his way. Now they can focus more on stopping Arian Foster. You would have liked to see the Raiders put up more of a fight this past week against New England. Jason Campbell didn't have his best game against a bad Patriots secondary. The Raiders should rely heavily on Darren McFadden in this game. He's finally turning into the stud RB the Raiders hoped they would get when they drafted him in the 1st round. I'm really tempted to pick the Raiders here, but I think the Texans pound away with Arian Foster and squeak out a close win.

Houston 27  Oakland 23

Philadelphia Eagles vs Buffalo Bills
So, about that whole "Dream Team" label for the Eagles. At 1-3 and with the way they've  been playing, the Eagles will be lucky to finish at .500. Mike Vick continues to make excuses for the team's poor play. The defense got thrown around last week against a weak 49ers team. That's bad news for the Eagles coming to Buffalo facing a rather good Bills offense. While the Eagles secondary was said to be the strength of the team, they've let them down in recent weeks. The Bills have an array of weapons to use that should spread out the Eagles defense. Expect a decent game from Bills TE Scott Chandler. The Bills are coming off a game where they were physically dominated against Cincinnati. The game probably took them off of Cloud 9 after beating the Patriots the week before. The home crowd should help the Bills out here. The Bills need to contain Mike Vick in this one. They were gashed by the run on defense last week, and Vick could run circles around the Bills LBs. I like the Bills to pull one out here. The Eagles distractions might be their downfall sooner rather than later.

Buffalo 28  Philadelphia 24

Kansas City Chiefs vs Indianapolis Colts
The Chiefs won their first game of the year last week against Minnesota, putting them behind the 8 ball in the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes. But their win wasn't without some drama, as coach Todd Haley and QB Matt Cassel were seen arguing at one point on the sidelines. Cassel has yet to live up to his potential and Haley is taking criticism for the Chiefs bad start. The good news here is that they have the opportunity to go on a bit of a win streak taking on the Colts this week. The Colts will stick with Curtis Painter this week at QB, and it is probably not a bad move. Painter didn't look terrible Monday night against Tampa Bay. He made a couple nice throws to Pierre Garcon and didn't cost the Colts the game, the defense did. The defense gets shredded up the middle in their Cover 2 look. I didn't think the loss of Peyton Manning would effect this team that much, but it has. The Colts should lean on Joseph Addai and Delone Carter here. The Colts also have more talent offensively, and find a way to win their first game here.

Indianapolis 24  Kansas City 21

Arizona Cardinals vs Minnesota Vikings
This game could also be called "Donovan's Last Stand." Donovan McNabb hasn't done anything to justify him to remain the Vikings starter. The team is 0-4, and a loss here would pretty much guarantee that the Vikings will start Christian Ponder very, very soon. The Vikings need to be relying more on Adrian Peterson as the focal point of their offense than they are. McNabb isn't going to win this team any games. The Cardinals blew a second half lead against the Giants last week and fell to 1-3. This team has more talent than their record shows. But the secondary has been a major liability for the Cardinals. The offense woke up last week after vanishing in Seattle, but they can't win the game on both sides of the ball for the Cardinals. For a team that had high hopes coming into the season, their flame is fading fast. Ken Wisenhunt may be on the hot seat if the team doesn't turn it around quickly. With Vikings CB Antoine Winfield out, Larry Fitzgerald should have a huge day. I think that is enough to give the Cardinals to win in a high scoring affair.

Arizona 35  Minnesota 30

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs San Francisco 49ers
It may have been ugly, but the Bucs pulled off a win last week against Indianapolis. Josh Freeman was a bit shaky but got his act together in the 2nd half. LaGarrette Blount has disappeared a bit for the Bucs, and they need to get him more involved with the offense. The defense got heavy pressure on Curtis Painter, and their young defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers are playing exceptionally well. And lets not forget DT Gerald McCoy up the middle as well. The 49ers at 3-1 now have a 2 game lead in the NFC West. They're winning with Alex Smith at QB, something I never would have thought they could do. Frank Gore played very well last week with an injury, and the defense made some big time turnovers to seal the win late. The 49ers are an overtime loss away from being 4-0. They seem to have a rejuvenated spirit under new coach Jim Harbaugh, and I like them to win here against Tampa. The Bucs may be 3-1, but they still haven't impressed me that much like they did last year.

San Francisco 23  Tampa Bay 20

New York Jets vs New England Patriots
There are problems in Jetsland, and they are not good. Mark Sanchez looked abysmal last week against Baltimore. He's yet to live up to his franchise QB label, and has yet to put together a solid season. The Jets are also abandoning the run game for some reason, which should be the focal point of their offense. Their offense should get back on track this week against the worst ranked defense in the NFL, but you never know what Bill Belicheck has up his sleeve. And I'm sure the Patriots haven't forgotten about the whipping they took in the playoffs last year in Foxboro against the Jets. Belicheck doesn't forget these things, and neither does Tom Brady. And with the way Brady has been playing, it can't be a good thing for the Jets. Oh yeah, and Antonio Cromartie has been running his mouth all week too. That doesn't help matters. Rex Ryan likes to talk a big game, and I think that is going to come back to bite him this week. The Pats defense will give up yards and big plays, but the Patriots offense will make more and will give them the win here.

New England 31  NY Jets 21

San Diego Chargers vs Denver Broncos
The Chargers did a good job this year avoiding their usual September slow start. Mike Tolbert and Ryan Matthews have emerged as duel threats in the running game, something the Chargers missed last year. That's a good thing because Philip Rivers isn't off to the best of starts. The running game is doing a good job of keeping the offense going. The defense isn't doing anything ground breaking, but it is keeping teams in check. Sometimes that is all you need out of a defense. The Broncos, meanwhile, continue to struggle to find an identity. You couldn't expect them to beat the Packers, but their struggling mightily on defense and offense. The Tim Tebow outcries from fans have to be getting to coach John Fox and QB Kyle Orton. The Broncos also can't get any type of running game going, even with Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee in the backfield. Orton is putting up respectable numbers, but he is not doing enough to help his team win now. I don't know if Tebow will play this year, but the distractions have to be adding up. And it causes the Chargers to win here on the road.

San Diego 27  Denver 21

Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons
Can anyone stop the Packers? I don't know. Aaron Rodgers is playing at All-World levels right now. If they keep playing this well, you have to wonder if they could go 16-0. If they make it past the Falcons, the only real challenges they have left are two games against Detroit, and road games at San Diego and NY Giants. But I don't even know if an All Pro defense could stop the Packers offense right now. The defense has some concerns attached to it, especially stopping the passing game, but this offense is so good that I will take them in any shootout. The Packers face a Falcons defense this week that gave up 300+ yards passing to Tavaris Jackson, who is about a quarter of the QB Aaron Rodgers is. At 2-2, the Falcons have some work to do. They are currently third in the pecking order in the NFC South after being the top seed in the NFC last year. Matt Ryan is struggling as well. He finally had a decent game last week. Because it is prime time I think the Falcons can keep it close, but the Packers pull away late to seal the win.

Green Bay 35  Atlanta 27

Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions
If you are reading my picks for the first time you should know that I am a huge believer in the Detroit Lions this year. I picked them to finish second in the NFC North this year and to earn a Wild Card berth. But they've exceeded all of my expectations this year. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are playing on Steve Young-Jerry Rice levels. Stafford throws the ball up, Johnson goes up and gets it. Three guys around him? Too bad. Johnson wins. The secondary got picked upon a bit last week against Dallas, which might cause some concern. But the Lions roared back in the second half to remain undefeated. And with DT Nic Fairley making his debut for the Lions this week, it just adds more nastiness to the Lions defensive line. The Bears at 2-2 can't afford to lose this game and fall three games behind in the NFC North. The defense had trouble stopping Cam Newton last week and you have to wonder if they can stop Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson this week. Jay Cutler will have to win this game on offense for the Bears, as the Lions will probably bottle up Matt Forte. With this being the Lions first Monday night game in a while, expect the crowd to be pumped up and help the Lions pull out a victory here.

Detroit 31  Chicago 23

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week's Record: 4-0
Year to Date Record: 9-6-1

Kids I don't encourage gambling, but here are my Vegas picks this week:

Green Bay -5.5 at Atlanta: The Packers offense is a TD better than any offense in the league right now.

Cincinnati +2 at Jacksonville: The Bengals defense will cause fits for Blaine Gabbert

Arizona at Minnesota OVER 45.5: Two bad defenses means points galore.

Buffalo +3 vs Philadelphia: Too many distractions for this Eagles team for my liking.

There's my NFL stuff for the day. Wrestling piece up this afternoon.

Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka