4. Detroit Lions: The Lions are known to be the worst team in football ever since Barry Sanders after the 1998 season. The Lions had a very successful decade in the 90’s, making the playoffs six out of the 10 years, thanks a lot to the help of Barry Sanders. What will it take to make this team good once again? They have a young potential star quarterback in Matthew Stafford, a very good running back in Kevin Smith, probably the best wide receiver in the game in Calvin Johnson and they have a new tight end in Tony Scheffler. All these players are top of the line, but, their defense is still terrible. Everyone knows that defense is important to having a successful team in the NFL and the Lions still have a long ways to go in that department. They did draft Ndamukong Suh to help their defense out, but other than him the Lions defense still has a lot of holes. The Lions may be a little better due to the addition of Scheffler and Suh, but they will still let up a ton of points. The Lions may outscore a few teams, but not many. The Lions will improve by one win this season with a 3-13 record. At least they are improving every year, just very slowly.

3. Chicago Bears: Last year the Bears thought they had a playoff team with the acquisition of Jay Cutler. They were sorely disappointed when Cutler struggled all season long throwing interception after interception. Cutler finished the season with only one more touchdown then interceptions with 27 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. Cutler’s interception rate goes up every season, if it goes up anymore, Cutler will probably be in the 30’s. It is very hard to have a winning season when your quarterback throws 30+ interceptions. I think the Bears should focus on running the ball more this season because they have a great running back in Matt Forte. Cutler wasn’t the only one to blame for the Bears misfortunes last season. The Bears do not have great receivers, Devin Hester has speed, but he can’t catch. Earl Bennett has a promising future and may even be the top receiver on the team this season. The Bears tight end, Greg Olsen is one of the best in the league, he should be Cutlers main target unless he is double covered, which will probably happen a lot. The Bears defense is solid like usual led by Brian Urlacher. The Bears shouldn’t have any trouble stopping their opponents from scoring unless Cutler keeps giving up the ball. Basically this team all depends on Cutler, if Cutler stops throwing interceptions, they will be a playoff team, but I don’t see that happening. I think the Bears will have the same record as last season at 7-9.

2. Green Bay Packers: The Packers had a disappointing end to their season when they lost to the Cardinals in the playoffs in overtime. Everytime they lost last season, their defense let them down. Every single one of their losses, the Packers let up at least 30 points in the game. Two out of the Packers five losses also came from their division rival Vikings. If the Packers want to go further into the playoffs this season, they will have to find a way to beat the Vikings. Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Last season Rodgers had near MVP numbers with 30 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, giving him a quarterback rating of 103.2. Rodgers should thank his two great receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver for his success last season. The Packers running back Ryan Grant had a bounce back season last year and I think he will continue to improve this season. The Packers defense did not improve in my eyes with the departure of Aaron Kampman to the Jaguars. I think the Packers will struggle beating the Vikings again this season. The Packers will have to rely even more on their offense this season to outscore their opponents. I think the Packers will finish with the same record of 11-5 this season.

1. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings may have the best offense and defense in the league. It is a toss-up between the Vikings and Saints as the best team in the NFC this season. The Vikings need Brett Favre to come back to have the best team in the league status. Favre announced last week that he will be retiring because his ankle isn’t well enough to play on. The season is still a little more than a month away though, there is still plenty of time for Favre to get back in shape. Like usual Favre is making his decision too soon, most people are expecting Favre to come out of retirement for the third straight year. With Favre the Vikings will be dangerous once again, their offense is lethal. Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Adrian Peterson round off the best all-around offense in the NFL. With Favre the rest of his offense will flourish, without him they will be wasted talent, Tavaris Jackson already tried to lead the Vikings and failed. The Vikings defense is solid with Jared Allen, Kevin and Pat Williams, Chad Greenway, Lito Sheppard, and Antoine Winfield. Even without Favre their defense will help them win a lot of games. The Vikings have a good chance of making it to the Super Bowl if favre comes back, if he doesn’t the Vikings will be lucky to make the playoffs. I will have to make two predictions for the Vikings, with Favre 13-3, without Favre 8-8.(nfl.com)

By Eric Heyer of Sports Fan Blog Network

A former second-round pick, Manning has started 40 of 61 games for the Bears at free safety, cornerback, nickel, and strong safety. Manning skipped the start of offseason voluntary workouts, but rejoined the team just prior to the draft.

A four-year veteran, Manning has posted 286 tackles, six interceptions, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, in addition to 14 pass breakups and two sacks.

Click here to read the full article – By Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com

“I know what I’m best at,” Hester said Thursday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000. “The return game is my bread and butter, so if I had to cut back on my receiving and go back to returning, that’s something I would love to do.”

Hester scored 11 regular-season touchdowns on punt and kickoff returns from 2006 to 2007, and brought a kick back for a score in the Super Bowl in 2007. In an effort to get his play-making ability on the field more, Bears coaches turned Hester into a receiver before the 2008 season, and the experiment has had mixed results.

Hester has averaged 54 catches for 711 yards in his two full seasons as a receiver, but his return game has suffered. He hasn’t scored a touchdown on a return since Dec. 30, 2007 against the New Orleans Saints. After returning 31 kicks without a score in 2008, Hester returned just seven in 2009 as Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox got the bulk of the work.

Hester said the coaching staff makes the decisions, and he is willing to do whatever they ask.

Click here to read the full article – By of ESPNChicago.com

Greenwood County coroner James T. Coursey told ESPN that Adams, a Greenwood native, was taken to the emergency room at Self Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9 a.m.


Adams, who had just completed his third season in the NFL, went into cardiac arrest at his family’s home early Sunday morning, said Marcia Kelley-Clark, chief deputy coroner for Greenwood County.

The autopsy showed Adams had an enlarged heart, a condition Kelley-Clark said can often lead to a heart attack. But Adams’ relatives didn’t know about it.

“Nobody was aware of any kind of medical condition,” Kelley-Clark said.

Toxicology tests are being run by the State Law Enforcement Division, though drug use was not suspected as a factor in Adams’ death. However, those results probably will not be available for at least two months, Kelley-Clark said.

“I remember him at the 2007 Draft as a fine young man,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said of Adams on Sunday. “Our condolences to Gaines’ family, his teammates on the Bears and Buccaneers, and their organizations on their loss.”


Click here to read the full article – By of ESPN.com

AFC
Jets @ Chargers 1/17 4:40pm
Ravens @ Colts 1/16 8:15pm

NFC
Cowboys @ Vikings 1/17 1pm
Cardinals @ Saints 1/16 4:30pm

My Predictions:
AFC
Jets 21 Chargers 17
Colts 28 Ravens 20

NFC
Cowboys 28 Vikings 17
Saints 27 Cardinals 10

Wolfe suffered the injury on Nov. 8 versus Arizona, and he was hospitalized for the next few days. Still, the Bears were optimistic Wolfe would be able to return in 2009.

The Bears said Wolfe will be placed on injured reserve.

Practice squad running back Kahlil Bell is a strong candidate to be promoted to the 53-man roster.

Click here to read the full article – By Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com

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The Bears initially announced Wolfe’s ailment as a back injury. Lovie Smith will meet the media at 3 p.m. ET, and may shed some more light on the injuries to Wolfe, Charles Tillman and Al Afalava.

Click here to read the full article – By Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com

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