My NFL Playoff Picks

Colts over Chiefs
Eagles over Saints
Bengals over Chargers
Packers over 49ers

Bears Beat Packers With Field Goal in OT

Robbie Gould kicked a 38-yard field goal in overtime as the Bears beat the Packers, 20-17.

The Bears were dead throughout those first three quarters. They managed to tie the game at 17, and then block what would have been the game winning field goal.

Who else saw during the overtime coin toss when the coin hit Brian Urlacher in the helmet? That must have been a lucky bounce, as the Bears ended up winning the coin toss and eventually winning the game in overtime.

The Bears still need help to make the playoffs. They can win the NFC North if they beat the Texans and if the Vikings lose to the Giants.

According to the Yahoo Sports Playoff Geenerator, The winner of the NFC North will play either Dallas or Tampa Bay, depending on if Dallas wins or loses to the Eagles this Sunday.

"Broadway Brett" Makes First Statements Since Trade

Click on the video below to see Favre's first public statement as a member of the New York Jets.


Here's Michael Bloomberg presenting Favre with his Street Sign.


Finally, the Brett Favre saga is over. Favre was traded from the Packers to the Jets. "Broadway Brett", as I'll call him, has joined the toughest division in the AFC, the AFC East. Now Favre and Tom Brady will meet up twice this season. This is great news for all of us Football Fans.

The trade of Favre meant the Jets had to let Chad Pennington go. Pennington will draw interest from another team, like Miami, another AFC East team.

"Broadway Brett" has become the most prolific Quarterback to join the Jets since "Broadway Joe", Joe Namath. Will this result in the Jets making the playoffs? Jets fans sure hope so.

The Patriots won't go 16-0 again this season. "Broadway Brett" will make sure of it.

Bucs, Jets New Favre Frontrunners

Now, Packers fans are holding their breath until the Packers trade Brett Favre out of Lambeau. The Packers are refusing to budge, as they keep saying Aaron Rodgers is their starter and Brett Favre is nowhere in their plans. Brett Favre's agent said that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets are the new frontrunners to land Brett Favre.

Jon Gruden loves to have about five to six quarterbacks on his Depth chart, but Favre will not be happy if he is relegated to the fifth or sixth guy on the depth chart. Tampa should play Favre immediately if they land him.

How about the Jets? Last season for them was all about Kellen Clemens, as Chad Pennington was relegated to one of the highest paid backups in the NFL last year. Would Favre join Pennington as a benchwarmer?

The Jets should also play Favre if they land him, but if he goes to the Jets, that may result in another situation like the one in Green Bay.

Whoever lands Favre should play him. If he wants to win for your team, I say: let him. Don't let him sit on the bench.

Back To Square One With Brett Favre

Has Brett Favre left Lambeau for the last time?

It appears as though the Packers are, as I thought, working out trade scenarios for Favre. Favre has said he wants to head to Minnesota or Chicago, but the chances of that happening are slim.

Favre wants to play, but the Packers don't want him playing for them.

Who will win the Brett Favre Sweepstakes?

Packers To Welcome Brett Favre Back

It turns out that the cover of Madden NFL 2009 may not feature a retired player after all.

Comissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Brett Favre on Sunday.

ESPN said the Packers would hold an open competition for Favre.


That's they way it should be. Hold an Open competition and let the best man win. It will be intriguing to see what will happen if the Packers still name Aaron Rodgers the starter. Who will Brett Favre get traded to then?

Favre Faxes Reinstatement Paperwork to NFL

Brett Favre Asks Packers to Release Him

Brett Favre is eyeing a return to the NFL, but it apparently won't be with Green Bay. The longtime Packers quarterback is asking the team to release him so he can come back with a different team.

Good move by the Packers to finally put their foot down and say "no" to Brett Favre's yearly "Should I Stay or Should I Go" game.

On A Second note, does anyone want Brett Favre as a starter? Anybody?
(Pin Drops)
Didn't think so either.

Someone really desperate may make an offer, but would Brett want to play for a noncontending team?

Brett Shouldn't ruin his legacy by leaving Green Bay. If the Packers don't want him, he should just kill "the itch" to come back.

Brett Favre Hangs Up His Cleats

After considering retirement for years, Brett Favre means it this time. The Green Bay Packers quarterback announced his retiremement after a 17-season career in which he dazzled fans with his grit, heart and rocket of an arm.

I know I can still play, but it's like I told my wife, I'm just tired mentally. I'm just tired," Favre said.

Tuesday's surprise move comes just months since the 38-year-old three-time MVP set several league records, including most career touchdown passes, in one of his most successful seasons.

Coach Mike McCarthy said Favre informed him of the decision by telephone Monday night.

"He said it was time for him to hang up the cleats," McCarthy said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Favre's agent, Bus Cook, also learned of his decision Monday night.

"Nobody pushed Brett Favre out the door, but then nobody encouraged him not to go out that door, either," Cook told The Associated Press by phone from his Hattiesburg, Miss., office.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson thanked Favre for 16 years of wonderful memories with the team.

"His accomplishments are legendary," Thompson said. "And it's the passion with which he played that made everyone a Brett Favre fan."

Favre led the Packers to the NFC championship game in January, but his interception in overtime set up the New York Giants' winning field goal.

"If I felt like coming back — and Deanna (Favre's wife) and I talked about this — the only way for me to be successful would be to win a Super Bowl," Favre said. "To go to the Super Bowl and lose, would almost be worse than anything else. Anything less than a Super Bowl win would be unsuccessful."

Last season, Favre broke Dan Marino's career records for most touchdown passes and most yards passing and John Elway's record for most career victories by a starting quarterback.

He retires with 5,377 career completions in 8,758 attempts for 61,655 yards, 442 touchdowns and 288 interceptions.

The news stunned many.

"I was surprised when I heard it this morning," former Packers general manager Ron Wolf said. "He played with such a great passion. He must have figured he no longer had that passion, and it was time to get out."

Even Favre's teammates didn't see it coming.

"I just saw it come across the TV," Packers wide receiver Koren Robinson said, when reached on his cell phone by The Associated Press.

In his final season, Favre also extended his quarterback-record streak of consecutive regular-season starts to 253 games - illustrating his trademark toughness. Add the playoffs, and Favre's streak stands at 275.


We all knew this day was coming. I Still Can't believe the news. I don't think anybody seriously thought Brett Favre would let his final pass of his career be an interception to end the Packers chance at a Super Bowl.

The "Post-Favre" Era has begun. Now we can all see if Aaron Rodgers is ready to step up and fill the enormous void left in the Packer Locker Room.

I wonder If Brett's Recievers will miss the fact that Brett could break recievers fingers with his rocket of an arm!

This is a truly sad day, as we are witnessing the retirement of the last Pure Gunslinger in NFL History.

Erroneous Report States Brett Favre Retires

Green Bay's Website Earlier Today Said Mistakenly that Brett Favre had retired.


Brett Favre's retirement lore is becoming almost as popular as his on-the-field heroics.

On Thursday, the Packers' official Web site briefly reported he was retiring, but the page under the breaking news section was live for only a few minutes.

"There's nothing to it," Packers spokesman Jeff Blumb told The Associated Press. "People who handle our Web site had set up a dummy page in the event he was to retire. They were asked to take down that page."

A call by The AP to Favre's agent, Bus Cook, was not immediately returned.

Cook told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Favre, in his annual rite of winter, had not made up his mind whether to return for his 18th season. The three-time MVP's decision one way or the other is not expected this week.


Several Internet sites have screen captures of the page that show Favre's picture with a caption saying, "Packers quarterback Brett Favre has announced that he will retire."

The page also had a blank area to enter the story's text and details on general manager Ted Thompson holding a "brief press conference" to talk about the announcement.

This is not the first time a team put major news on its Web site, and then promptly removed it.

On Oct. 23, 1999, the news that Don Baylor had been hired as Cubs manager appeared on the team's Web site, and was subsequently removed within hours. The team denied the story, but on Nov. 1, Baylor was hired.

Mike Holmgren To Return For A Final Season As Seahawks Coach

Mike Holmgren will return for a final season as coach of the Seattle Seahawks — but only a final season.
The 59-year-old veteran of 16 seasons as an NFL head coach announced his decision Tuesday to fulfill the final year of his contract, after spending the weekend with his wife at their offseason Arizona home.


"Kathy and I came to this decision to finish my contract," said Holmgren, who had hinted at retirement for weeks. "This will be my last year. We are going to make it the best year ever.

"And then probably after that, I will take a little time off — but not yet. We are going to go after it hard."

Two days after Seattle lost at Green Bay in the NFC divisional playoffs, Holmgren was asked if there was a third possibility beyond retiring or finishing the final season of his contract. He signed that extension soon after the Seahawks lost in the Super Bowl to Pittsburgh 23 months ago, at the end of a deal that was paying him about $7 million per season.

Holmgren said yes to the the "longer, larger" option of another contract extension beyond 2008, but the Seahawks have never approached him about it.

Tuesday, Holmgren said his comments about an extension were overblown and "misinterpreted," that the decision was always about working one more season or retiring.

The Seahawks have a likely heir to Holmgren in place in Jim Mora.

Soon after Mora was fired as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons on New Year's Day, 2007, Holmgren added him to the staff as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach. Mora, 46, led Atlanta for three seasons and went to the NFC championship game in his first season there.

"The transition beyond this year should be really smooth. The organization is healthy," Holmgren said.

He didn't mention Mora by name, leaving talk of his successor "for another press conference. I won't be there."

Mora went to junior high and high school in the Seattle area while his father was an assistant at the University of Washington. Last week, as Holmgren was in Arizona contemplating his future, Mora removed himself from consideration for the vacant head coaching job with the Washington Redskins following two days of interviews.

Holmgren said Tuesday that Mora and all other defensive assistants will remain in their same roles in 2008.

A father to four daughters and grandfather to four more girls, Holmgren said he did not want next season to be "a farewell tour" that would take focus away from his team.

And he did not rule out a return to football in 2010 or beyond.

"Oh, I think you always have to say that's a possibility," he said, "but that's very speculative at this point."

Seattle won its fourth consecutive NFC West title this season and believes its window of opportunity for a Super Bowl title is still wide open with the core of the team returning next season. Five of the Seahawks' six division titles have come under Holmgren.

"I want to do this because I want to give this one more shot with this team," said Holmgren, who led the Packers to two Super Bowls, winning one at the end of the 1996 season.

Holmgren's record with Green Bay and Seattle, where he arrived in 1999, is 170-110, one win behind former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs for 10th in NFL history. Holmgren is 86-68 in nine seasons with Seattle. He passed Chuck Knox this season for most victories by a Seahawks coach.

Holmgren said he will make some changes to his coaching staff on the offensive side.

Offensive line coach Bill Laveroni will not be back, a move not unexpected with the struggles Seattle had running effectively the last two seasons. Laveroni had been the Seahawks line coach since 2004.

Laveroni's assistant, Keith Gilbertson is being shifted to receivers coach, after Nolan Cromwell left to become the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M for new Aggies' coach Mike Sherman. Offensive assistant Gary Reynolds also is joining Sherman's staff.

AFC & NFC Championship Previews

Tom Brady Is One Win Away From Taking His Undefeated Patriots Back To The Super Bowl.

Brett Favre Can Make A Return Trip To The Super Bowl. Favre's Packers Defeated The Patriots In Super Bowl XXXI.
Here Is Your AFC And NFC Championship Game Previews. By Sunday Night, we will know for sure who will be playing in Super Bowl XLII.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: SAN DIEGO CHARGERS VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 3:00 PM EST CBS

The San Diego Chargers, playing without Antonio Gates, LaDanian Tomlinson, or Phillip Rivers, were able to watch their backups rise to the occassion. The Colts receivers weren't able to, as Dallas Clark, who is normally so surehanded, dropped a sure first down to end the game, and San Diego defeated the Colts 28-24.

Lightning struck once for San Diego. It Isn't going to happen again.

New England has too many weapons, and their defense has so many ways to beat you. Plus, Phillip Rivers, LaDanian Tomlinson, and Antonio Gates will all not be 100 percent for this game. Now I hear the Chargers fan Protesting "We Beat Indy without Rivers, Tomlinson, or Gates" and I say, "True. You did beat the Colts. But You won't beat the Patriots." New England will be healthy for this game, they will mount a heavy pass rush,eqaualing many sacks of Phillip Rivers, and they will clog all of the holes, giving Tomlinson and Michael Turner nowhere to run. New England also causes turnovers, lots of turnovers. The Patriots cannot be beaten. The Patriots will hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Arizona, and will be known as the greatest team of all time.

PATRIOTS OVER CHARGERS

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: NEW YORK GIANTS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS 6:30 PM EST FOX
Now to the more interesting and intriguing Championship Game, the NFC Championship Game.
The Packers have had a magical quality about them all season, and that's not going to change.Green Bay has plenty of offense with Pro Bowl quarterback Brett Favre and running back Ryan Grant. The Packers also have an aggressive defense that is built around a fast front seven and a secondary full of playmakers and Pro Bowl-caliber cornerbacks. If that's not enough, the Packers also get to play the Giants in what should be a frigid Lambeau Field. If there's one positive for these teams with this cold weather,it is that both Ryan Grant and Brandon Jacobs will both get a lot of carries. That doesn't mean the Giants will fall apart Sunday. They are 9-1 on the road this season for a reason. It just means that their compelling playoff run is about to end. They have too many injuries in the secondary, and you know Brett Favre will take care of that. Brett Favre is about to face his old nemesis, the Patriots, again in a Super Bowl. Favre faced the Patriots and beat them in Super Bowl XXXI. The only difference between Super Bowl XXXI and Super Bowl XLII is that Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will complete their magical run at an undefeated season and end the Storybook Season of Brett Favre and the Packers.
PACKERS OVER GIANTS

Watch the Games On Sunday!

Big Game Tonight On NFL Network!

A pair of 10-1 teams will meet tonight at Texas Stadium when the Dallas Cowboys host the Green Bay Packers. The winner takes a one-game lead in the race for home-field advantage in the playoffs and the tiebreaker. Packers quarterback Brett Favre has never won in eight games on the Cowboys' home turf.

Many fans will not be able to see the game. It's on the NFL Network, which has been in a dispute with large cable providers. The network is available in about 35 million of the nation's more than 111 million homes with televisions.

With their five Super Bowl trophies and the "America's Team" label they treat like a birthright, it's easy to forget the Dallas Cowboys were once nothing more than wannabes who kept getting turned away by Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers.

To call their early meetings a rivalry wouldn't be fair to the Packers. They were the kings of the NFL and Tom Landry's Cowboys were just another team aiming for the crown.

Drama arrived in 1967 with championship games played on the very first day of the year and the very, very frigid finale. Both games were decided by one play in the final half-minute. Green Bay came through both times, then went on to beat the AFL champions in the first two Super Bowls.

The Dallas-Green Bay rivalry moves into a third generation Thursday night, when Favre and the 10-1 Packers visit Texas Stadium to face Tony Romo and the 10-1 Cowboys.

The winner moves a game up in the race for home-field advantage in the playoffs and gets the tiebreaker, making it a two-game lead with four to play. What it really means is that this game could determine whether the NFC championship — which could be yet another high-stakes Dallas-Green Bay game — is played at Texas Stadium or Lambeau Field.

Favre is 0-8 at Texas Stadium, having lost every regular season and postseason matchup from 1993-95, then again in '96, when the Packers were headed to their first Super Bowl title since the late '60s. He lost one more in '99 and hasn't been back since.

If You Can watch the game on NFL Network, Great! If You can't, listen to the game on the radio or go to a friend's house who has NFL Network. Just Keep up with the game! It's gonna be great!

My Pick for the game:
DALLAS OVER GREEN BAY

NFL Week Eight Preview

The New Wembley Stadium normally is the host of Soccer Games, but on Sunday, it will play host to the Dolphins and the Giants. In the future, Wembley Stadium may play host to a Super Bowl.

It is time for the NFL Midterm Exam. Get your pencils ready. Make sure they are sharpened. It is time for the Midterm.

Cleveland vs. St. Louis 1:00 PM EST
Cleveland is coming off a bye. Two weeks ago, The Browns lost to the Patriots. The Rams are coming off a loss, as they have not won a game all season. St. Louis and Miami are both in the running to go 0-16, which has never happened in the history of the NFL. I expect both Miami and St. Louis to lose this week, therfore keeping alive their chances to go completely winless.
BROWNS OVER RAMS

Detroit At Chicago 1:00 PM EST
This is Chicago's first meeting with detroit since Detroit spoiled the debut of Brian Griese as Quarterback of the Bears, as the Lions scored an NFL Recod 35 points in the fourth Quarter to beat the Bears. Brian Griese led the Bears on a game winning 95 yard drive last week as the Bears defeated the Philladelphia Eagles. The Lions are coming off a victory over the Buccaneers. I pick Chicago to win because they are at home. The defense will need to step up and they have to contain Calvin Johnson. If they can do that, they win this game.
CHICAGO OVER DETROIT

Indianapolis at Carolina 1:00 PM EST
Vinny Testaverde gets the call to quarterback the Panthers again this week. Indianapolis is hoping to remain undefeated so they can face the Patriots with a 8-0 record. This game against Carolina should be a good game. I expect Indianapolis to win, but if they start going through the mostions, they will lose this game.
INDIANAPOLIS OVER CAROLINA

New York Giants vs Miami Dolphins (THE GAME OF THE WEEK)
This game will be played at the beautiful New Wembley Stadium in London, England. NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell has expressed the idea of giving London a Super Bowl, which I am for, if they do it very carefully. Football is America's Game. America is losing it's own game, but if it gets some more fans, it will all be worth it. However, if America says to England "You're gonna watch NFL Football and you're gonna love it more than English Football", then their whole strategy will backfire. How will England react to America getting a Super Bowl? They will probably react the much differently than the way America reacted to the news that David Beckham was coming to America to play Soccer in Major League Soccer for the Los Angeles Galaxy. England and Europe has never really cared about NFL Football. Maybe if we give them a Super Bowl or a matchup with two really good teams playing each other, maybe that will change. The NFL Europa League shut down due to lack of talent. If England got the Colts and the Patriots to play each other in England, that would draw much more fanfare than one winless team playing a slightly better team. The NFL is willing to do anything to get some new fans, so let's see two good teams play each other in London.

Back to the actual game, New York's defense is performing better than I think anyone could have expected. I think Miami's team is much worse than anyone could have expected, and the fact they are talking about Ricky Williams yet again shows how badly the Dolphins are this season. I expect the New York Giants to win this game because of their defense.
NEW YORK GIANTS OVER MIAMI

Oakland at Tennesee 1:00 PM EST
Rob Bironas tied an NFL Record in the first half of the game by making five field goals. He made three more, including the game winner, to set a new NFL Record with Eight field goals in a game. I expect Tennesee to win, whether or not Vince Young is healthy. Kerry Collins has always been a good veteran backup, and he proved that against Houston as he did just enough to give Tennesee the victory.
TENNESEE OVER OAKLAND

Philladelphia at Minnesota 1:00 PM EST
This game features two excellent running backs. Brian Westbrook versus Adrian Peterson for the Vikings. Philladelphia has underperformed so badly this season. Donovan McNabb has not helped himself get off the hot seat, as he has had another mediocre season. Hopefully, he is able to stay healthy for the whole season, otherwise that will be the final straw that breaks the camel's back. I expect the Eagles to win this game. Next Sunday Night, the Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys, who are off this week.
PHILLY OVER MINNESOTA

LATE GAMES

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh 4:05 PM EST
This is always a big AFC North battle. Pittsburgh is coming off a last second defeat to the Denver Broncos. cincinnatti is coming off a victory over the Jets.Chad Pennington faces Carson Palmer, two good quarterbacks going at it. Pittsburgh wins this game because of defese.
PITTSBURGH OVER CINCINNATTI

BUFFALO AT NEW YORK JETS 4:05 PM EST
Trent Edwards and J.P. Losman are currently slugging it out for the Starting Quarterback job in Buffallo. If Trent Edwards can hold continue performing well, he will make J.P. Losman pack his bags to become the starting quarterback somewhere else. If thomas Jones and Marshawn Lynch both find daylight, the runing game will be how those teams win the game.
NEW YORK JETS OVER BUFFALO

Houston at San Diego 4:15 PM EST
This game will still go on despite the raging wildfires in California. The Chargers practiced in Arizona this week while the league was deciding what to do with this game. I think San Diego will win this game. Their gearts are heavy watching those wildfires, and they are going to want to perform well in front of their fans, many of which are hurting with them.
SAN DIEGO OVER HOUSTON

Jacksonville At Tampa Bay 4:15 PM EST
Jacksonville has a major question mark as to who will be their quarterback as David Gerrard is injured. Quinn Gray may end up starting for the Jaguars this week. If jacksonville can keep running the ball as well as they did two weeks ago against Houston, they will win the game. Jeff Garcia has revitalized the Bucs. I go with Tampa Bay because they are not dealing with the injury bug, but if jacksonville can continue running the ball well, they will win this game.
TAMPA BAY OVER JACKSONVILLE

New Orleans at San Francisco 4:15 PM EST
Alex Smith may be back quarterbacking the 49ers this week. If he does, he will provide the 49ers with leadership they have been so badly missing. Frank Gore, the prolific 49ers running back, called out his team this week for not trusting their offensive coordinator. this game really could go either way. I pick the Saints because of Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. If those two have good numbers, the Saints will win the game.
NEW ORLEANS OVER SAN FRANCISCO

Washington At New England 4:15 PM EST
New England will win this game. They are too much on fire to lose this game. Tom Brady set a new career high in Touchdown Passes against the Dolphins last week with six touchdown passes. New England will use this game as target Practice for when they play the Colts next Sunday.
NEW ENGLAND OVER WASHINGTON

SUNDAY NIGHT

Since there is no Sunday Night Football this week due to Game Four of the World Series taking place that night, I've decided to use this space to blog about the World Series to this point. The series shifts to Colorado Saturday and Sunday. The Colorado Rockies needs a win Saturday Night to keep hope alive to win the World Series. On Saturday Night, Josh Fogg opposes Daisuke Mastuzaka. Jon Lester, the best individual story in baseball this season, will be opposed by Aaron Cook for the Rockies. David Ortiz will play first base due to there being no Designated Hitter in the National League. I feel like picking a winner to this game. I expect Colorado to win one of these two games, but I still expect the final result of the 2007 World Series to be:
BOSTON OVER COLORADO

Monday Night Football

Packers vs. Broncos 8:30 PM EST
While I am on the subject of the World Series, if Colorado is able to win one of the games on Saturday or Sunday, Game Five of the World Series will be at Coors Field in Denver. Less than a mile away in Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium, the home of the Denver Broncos. I expect Boston to wrap up Game Five of the World Series on Monday Night (Josh Beckett is on the mound for the Red Sox, opposed by Jeff Framcis.) I also expect Green Bay to beat Denver on Monday Night Football.
GREEN BAY OVER DENVER

If you studied and did your homework, you passed the midterm! Congratulations! Enjoy Your Sunday!

NFL Preview: NFC North

Brian Urlacher is the heart of the Chicago Bears Defense,and the defense is why the Bears will win the NFC North Again.


The Chicago Bears of 2006 had the greatest season in 22 years. The Bears made it all the way to the Super Bowl, before "Mr. Inconsistent" Rex Grossman started fumbling snaps and throwing interceptions, throwing away Chicago's chance for their first Super Bowl Title since the days of "Sweetness" Walter Payton, and "Da Fridge" William Perry. The Bears still have the best defense in the entire NFC, so that alone chalks them up to win at least 11 games this season. Add to that the fact that no other team in the NFC North appears ready to make a run at the Bears, and the Bears, as long as Rex Grossman becomes more consistent, will have a shot at the Super Bowl again this season.

Prediction:11-5, 1st Place.

GREEN BAY PACKERS: Yes, Cheeseheads, Brett Favre is back to attempt to become all time Touchdown Pass King, but he doesn't have any descent receivers. Javon Walker is gone, and Michael Jennings is a questionmark. Ahman Green is also no longer with the Packers, but, with his career winding down anyway, I don't it would have made much of a difference. One thing Green Bay does have working for them is their linebacking Corps, heralded by A.J. Hawk out of Ohio State. If it wasn't for Brian Urlacher, we would be calling A.J. Hawk the best linebacker in the NFC North. Mike McCarthy may suprise people this season if some real breakout players emerge in the regular season. I just don't see it happening.

Prediction: 7-9, 2nd Place.


MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Tavaris Jackson may be ready to emerge as a premiere Quarterback this season. Adrian Peterson will rush for 1,000 yards behind Steve Hutchinson and will help Minnesota win games. Troy Williamson needs to show more consistency in the Wide Reciever department. The Vikings Secondary is starting to age. Minnesota will take one step forward with Adrian Peterson, but will take two steps back in the aging defense. Is Tavaris Jackson ready to step up? If so, this team may be in contention until midway through the season.

Prediction: 6-10, 3rd Place.

DETROIT LIONS: There is optemism in Detroit behind Calvin Johnson, and he will be a great player on a terrible Detroit Lions team. Jon Kitna is so-so, and Kevin Jones and T.J. Duckett won't be able to run for a whole lot. Detroit's defense is terrible. The Lions will have to deal without Dre Bly, as they traded him away. Yes, there is optemism in Detroit, but under this Matt Millen Franchise, it won't be there for long.

Prediction: 4-12, 4th Place.


Our Next NFL Preview takes us to the NFC West. Will the loss of Norv Turner hurt Alex Smith in the development department? Is Arizona finally ready to win the division? Find out in the Next NFL Preview.