Mattie T’s 2009 NFL Season Preview: NFC North

Will the addition of Jay Cutler “claw” the Bears to the top of the division?

(Teams are listed based on last season’s division standings)

1. Minnesota Vikings (10-6 last season, lost to Philadelphia in Wild Card round)

Head Coach: Brad Childress (4th year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: It feels very odd saying that Brett Favre is about to start his 3rd straight season with a different team.

But that is indeed the case after Favre ended his 2nd NFL retirement on August 18th, as he signed a 2-year deal with the Vikings.

There are reports already brewing that the future Hall of Fame quarterback has already lost trust within his own locker room, so he’ll have to get off to a good start despite recently admitting that he has a cracked rib in addition to a rotator cuff injury on his throwing shoulder.

He will have a dominant running back to handoff to, as 3rd year pro Adrian Peterson looks to continue his rising stardom into the NFL after leading the league with 1,760 rushing yards last season.

Minnesota is hoping this is the season that Bernard Berrian finally breaks out, as the 6th year pro from Fresno State has hauled in at least 950 receiving yards or more in each of the past 2 years.

Defensively, the Vikings are led by defensive end Jared Allen (tied for 5th in NFL with 14.5 sacks last season) & linebacker Chad Greenway (led team last season with 115 tackles).

Tyrell Johnson will be starting at strong safety in place of Darren Sharper, who left as a free agent over the offseason & signed with New Orleans.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 9-7

2. Chicago Bears (9-7 last season, missed playoffs)

Head Coach: Lovie Smith (6th year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: For the first time since the Jim McMahon era, the Chicago Bears finally have an established play-caller at quarterback.

Jay Cutler was traded to Chicago from Denver on April 2nd, and was able to show earlier this preseason a glimpse of what he can do to a Bears offense that ranked 26th last season in total yards per game (295.9).

Cutler engineered a 98-yard scoring drive that basically knocked his former Denver team out of the game, as the Bears’ coaching staff are already raving about his phenomenal arm strength.

Devin Hester will be the top receiver & hopes to build on a solid 2008 season in which he caught 51 receptions for 665 yards, which are both career-highs.

Hester will also go back to being the team’s full-time punt returner, as he’ll look to regain his electric form from 2006 & ’07 that made him the most dynamic return man in the NFL.

Earl Bennett will start opposite of Hester at wide receiver despite failing to catch a single pass last season, but has already shown good chemistry with Cutler during the pre-season, as the two were former college teammates at Vanderbilt.

Matt Forte will look to build upon an outstanding rookie season in which he finished 3rd in the entire league with 1,715 yards from scrimmage.

The Bears will rely on Adrian Peterson & Garrett Wolfe a bit more in 2009 following the injury to Forte’s backup Kevin Jones, who was lost for the season on September 3rd after tearing ligaments in his left ankle during the team’s final preseason game against Cleveland.

Greg Olsen is now the team’s starting tight end & could finally emerge among one of the league’s best after hauling in 54 receptions for 574 yards & 5 receiving touchdowns last season, which are all career highs.

The left side of the offensive line will have a totally new look this season, as Orlando Pace & Frank Omiyale come over from the St. Louis Rams & Carolina Panthers respectively.

Zackary Bowman will take over as starter at right cornerback for Nathan Vasher, who has struggled to stay healthy in each of the past 2 seasons.

The Bears activated cornerback Charles Tillman from the PUP List Saturday, which makes him eligible to play in the season-opener at Green Bay on September 13th.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 11-5

3. Green Bay Packers (6-10 last season, missed playoffs)

Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (4th year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: Green Bay decided to change things up this offseason, as they will now sport a 3-4 defense & a new defensive coordinator.

Dom Capers comes over after spending 2008 as the special assistant/secondary coach for the New England Patriots.

Capers hopes to have a healthy Nick Barnett, as the linebacker appeared in a career-low 9 games last season after suffering an ACL injury in November of 2008 against Minnesota.

A.J. Hawk is also looking to have a bounceback season after totaling a career-low 86 tackles despite appearing in all 16 games for the Packers in 2008.

Aaron Kampman will also look to redeem himself, as his sack total has dropped in each of the past 2 seasons after recording a career-high 15.5 sacks during 2006.

Offensively, Aaron Rodgers is out to prove that 2008 was no fluke, as he finished 4th in the NFL with 4,038 passing yards & 4th with 28 passing touchdowns.

Pass protection was a bit of an issue last season for Rodgers, as he was sacked 34 times (5th highest total among quarterbacks who appeared in all 16 games).

Greg Jennings continues to emerge as one of the league’s best young wide receivers, as he hauled in a career-best 80 receptions last season for 1,292 yards.

Ryan Grant will look to shed his “slow start” approach, as he averaged 81.6 yards per game throughout Week 9-16 of last season, compared to 68.8 yards per game through Week 1-8.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 10-6

4. Detroit Lions (0-16 last season, missed playoffs)

Head Coach: Jim Schwartz (1st year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: The Lions have made several changes to ensure that they will never suffer another embarassing 0-16 season again.

The biggest change may be at quarterback, as rookie Matthew Stafford has been named the starter & will start the season opener on September 13th against New Orleans.

Schwartz feels that Stafford has a good command of the offense, as he will start over veteran Daunte Culpepper, who’s still nursing a foot injury.

Stafford will have a security blanket in 3rd year pro Calvin Johnson, who caught a career-high 78 receptions last season for 1,331 yards & scored 12 touchdowns.

Detroit will have a revamped secondary this season, as Anthony Henry & Philip Buchanon come over after spending the previous season with the Dallas Cowboys & Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively.

Larry Foote will also try to anchor a starting spot at middle linebacker, as he comes over from the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 6-10

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