In Predicted Order of Finish
1) Chicago Bears (11-5 Lost in NFC Title Game to Eagles)-The Bears should have won the division last season but found a way to let it slip out of their paws. Still, they rallied in the post-season and made it to the NFC Championship game and there is much anticipation of improvement this year. Coach Calvin Opheim has built one of the best, if not the best, offensive lines in football. C Ryan Kelly, guards Joel Bitonio and Alex Cappa, and tackles Terron Armstead and Mekhi Becton form a tremendous unit. Young QB Joe Burrow seems the consensus starter, but Dwayne Haskins is also likely to play a prominent role. A trio of backs will share the workload with Ronald Jones the top Bear who should get spelled by Alexander Mattison and Darrell Henderson Jr. The receiving corps is stacked with Deandre Hopkins, Cee Dee Lamb, Tee Higgins, and DJ Chark out there along with TE Dallas Goedert and H-Back Gerald Everett. The defensive front 7 could be special although there may some nagging injury concerns. DE Myles Garrett is a one-man wrecking machine and diverse Quinnen Williams should chip in. Devin White will head up a powerful line backing unit and his pass rushing abilities will make Chicago fearful indeed. The front 7 will need to be good because the secondary is an area of weakness. Still, with such a dominant front, the secondary might not have to be elite.
2) Minnesota Vikings (12-4 Won Division but lost in Playoffs to Bears): Coach Eric Lindner, basically, coached his team to the NFC Central title last season and might be able to do it again. QB Philip Rivers will start his 7th season at the helm for the Norsemen and has been one of the best signal callers in league history. Backs Kenyon Drake and Melvin Gordon will, yet again, be the mainstays in the backfield. The WR's seem fine led by Kennan Allen but TE could be a worry spot where Jonnu Smith figures to be the top guy. One can expect quite a few different names playing along an offensive line that is not elite but has depth. The defensive line is diverse and talented and will use pass rush specialist Denico Autry to put some heat on opposing QBs when needed. LBs Jamie Collins and Leonard Floyd are very good. The secondary lacks an elite talent but is, nonetheless, pretty good and should be fine.
3) Detroit Lions (2-14 4th place): The Lions and head coach Joe Perry had high expectations a season ago and it just never materialized. QB Jared Goff will be the gun slinger in an offense that looks like it might be going to a 2 TE set scheme. WRs Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster and Jarvis Landry are outstanding, and it looks like TEs T.J. Hockenson and Dalton Schultz could work with them as the primary personnel package. The backfield could be a bit of a juggling act, but Clyde Edwards-Helaire seems poised to be the lead back. Bruising Leonard Fournette should be the short down chain mover and Chase Edmonds could become the 3rd down receiving back. C Travis Kelce is very good, but the rest of the offensive line is not very strong. DT Malcolm Brown is solid, but the defensive line is lacking. The line backing has some potential with Bud Dupree and Za'Darius Smith roaming the turf. The secondary has health concerns and lacks solid depth so that area could become a problem as the season unfolds.
4) Green Bay Packers (6-10 3rd place): The once proud Packer organization has fallen on some hard times of late. QB Dak Prescott has been designated to the taxi squad ending his season and that means Joe Flacco and Nick Mullens will have to combine the duties. RB James Robinson is a very good back and the offensive line, albeit with health issues, is still decent at spots. There simply is not enough at WR and QB for this team to threaten folks week in and week out. The defensive line is pretty good but the line backing unit is going to have its hands full in this division and the CB grouping is not strong enough to hold up.
5) New Orleans Saints (1-15 last place): The rudderless Saints have been perennial doormat team for some time now and are in desperate need of good ownership. They have won just 5 total games over the past three seasons and the future does not seem great. QB Drew Lock will have nobody to hand the ball to as the running back situation is a disaster area. Sterling Shephard is the best target in a weak receiving group and the offensive line is led by two aging players in T Duane Brown and C Ben Jones. Yannick Ngakoue and Kerry Hyder do supply pass rush on the defensive line but there is not much behind those two at either the line backing or secondary positions.
Final Analysis: Chicago should win the division and challenge for a run at the Super Bowl but that was also said last season. Minnesota always seems to find a way to succeed but might not have enough to get to the NFC Title game. The rest of the division has too many holes to fill at the moment.
Posted on 02 Dec 2021 by dolphins
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