Just 16 days until the start of the NFL season, so we will continue the RTSB NFL season preview. Today I'm going to dive into the NFC North. If you want to check out Spencer's AFC East preview click here.
(Editors note: Already revising this post, The Bears have looked awful on defense this preseason and Aaron Rodgers has looked amazing so go ahead and switch the Bears and Packers in this post! I know it's flip flopping but it is still the preseason so I can change my mind.)
1. Chicago Bears
2013: 8-8, 2nd in the NFC North didn't make the playoffs,
Key Losses: Josh McCown, Julius Peppers, Michael Bush, Devin Hester and Major Wright.
Key Additions: Jared Allen, Ryan Mundy, M.D. Jennings, Domenik Hixon, Adrian Wilson, and
Kyle Fuller.
Toughest Matchups: San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers(twice), New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is a tough decision to pick the Bears over the Packers. The Packers will be a good if not great football team but there is something I really liked about the Bears. The Bears have a better offense an overall group.
I might not take Jay Cutler over Aaron Rodgers. I will take Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte over the Packers offense. Those guys were all monsters under first year head coach Marc Trestman.
Now those guys will have another year of comfortability with the system under their belts. Jay Cutler will have a big year. Actually in the first 6 games before getting injured in week 7, Cutler had 12 TD's and 6 Int's to go with around a 70 QBR. The Bears were 4-2 in that span.
The Bears defense is the only problem. They let up 29.9 points per game and finished third to last in the league. What will help them is the fact that every other team in the division finished in the bottom half of the league in all the major defensive categories. They just have to play slightly better and rely on outscoring opponents.
(Editors note: Already revising this post, The Bears have looked awful on defense this preseason and Aaron Rodgers has looked amazing so go ahead and switch the Bears and Packers in this post! I know it's flip flopping but it is still the preseason so I can change my mind.)
2013: 8-8, 2nd in the NFC North didn't make the playoffs,
Key Losses: Josh McCown, Julius Peppers, Michael Bush, Devin Hester and Major Wright.
Key Additions: Jared Allen, Ryan Mundy, M.D. Jennings, Domenik Hixon, Adrian Wilson, and
Kyle Fuller.
Toughest Matchups: San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers(twice), New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is a tough decision to pick the Bears over the Packers. The Packers will be a good if not great football team but there is something I really liked about the Bears. The Bears have a better offense an overall group.
I might not take Jay Cutler over Aaron Rodgers. I will take Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte over the Packers offense. Those guys were all monsters under first year head coach Marc Trestman.
Now those guys will have another year of comfortability with the system under their belts. Jay Cutler will have a big year. Actually in the first 6 games before getting injured in week 7, Cutler had 12 TD's and 6 Int's to go with around a 70 QBR. The Bears were 4-2 in that span.
The Bears defense is the only problem. They let up 29.9 points per game and finished third to last in the league. What will help them is the fact that every other team in the division finished in the bottom half of the league in all the major defensive categories. They just have to play slightly better and rely on outscoring opponents.
