I really think the Packers will be the team to beat in the North this year. The Bears might have the QB but who are they going to throw to? The Vikings have the best running back in football but they will be so predictable because the opposing team will just concentrate on stopping the run. The Lions? oh well, what is there to say? So I'm picking the Pack because they are the most complete team in that division. Their defense is going to be good, their offense is well balance with one of the best wide receiving combinations in the league and they will have a not so great, but good running back in Ryan Grant.

The GreenGay Packers?? Seriously? Take a look at the talent and then look at the scheduals...it'll be my Vikes running away with it. Neither Chicago nor GreenGay has anywhere close to the talent level on defense, smae goes for RB. That just leaves QB/WR...I'll be the first to admit my Vikes don't have the best QB, and we have a run happy coach (that idot Childress, I'll be dancing when they fire his dumba*s) however we do have the best TE (Shanko) and our WR are better than the Bears...GreenGay does have the best WRs in the division but Rodgers is about the same as T-Jack and GreenGays D line is amatuerish compared to the Vikes...AND Grant is nowhere near Chester's level let alone AP's. The Vikings win the divison without breaking a sweat.

oh everyday.....my, my, my how many times in the past twenty years could you have said the same thing about the Vikings? Unfortunately, for you, the Vikings intangibles always seem to trip them up. I don't know if it's lack of focus, inconsistent leadership in the coaching and team ranks, no discipline or just no luck...but the Vikings always seem to find a way to futz things up. I am not saying they couldn't win the division, but the race in the Nordic Division this year will be much closer then you espouse. GB is definitely on the rebound after last year's drop, and don't sell their run game or D-Line short. The latter, especially, has a chance to be much stronger this year. Much of that will hinge on the health of both Jenkins and Harrell....the new guy Matthews is also a definite upgrade...and BJ Raji....scary. Grant is healthy, Johnson is going to be a huge improvement in their run blocking, and by early accounts the Pack's special teams are chomping at the bit. And you never know about the Bears....always tough against the Pack and Vikings. The Favre fiasco alone, doesn't bode well for a consistently disfunctional Vikings group. We'll know more come the end of October.

I can see the Vi-queens winning the North if they sign Michael Vick-Queen. But even that, there is no guarantee that he will be the same player he was before all that mess with the dogs. It still boils down to the fact that they don't have a proven quarterback and we all know that you have to have that weapon to shoot for the top. Sage or Tarvaris will be shooting blanks. AP cannot carry the load for this team. They say that defense win games and the Vikes has that, but their defense will not score 20 or more points every game. Having said that, the packers, again I will say this... they will rebound from that horrible year of last and will finish on top. They will be efficient in all phase of their game...running the ball, Rogers will have a much productive year than last year, the opposing team's quarterback will have nightmares trying to throw against the Pack's defensive backs, and that new 3-4 defense will be scary with all these young, athletic and hungry bunch of cheesehead linemen. And oh yes! Rogers is comparable to Tarvaris Jackson? C'mon! you are kidding yourself, aren't you Everyday Ordinary Guy? Did you happened to look at the stats from last year and compare the two? Rogers had a comparable first year to the man he replaced named Brent (ooops I mean Brett). Oh by the way, I think Brent (I mean Brett) got scared away in joining the Vi-Queens because he knows that he will not have any other weapons in Vi-Queen land other than AP.

no weapons in Viking land other than AP? Are you serious? What about Berrnard Berrian (ask Bears fans about him and his 99 1/2 yard TD), Vshanata Shanko (probably will be the best TE in the league...I know I spelled his name wrong, didn't feel like looking it up), the rookie speedster Percy Harvin, heck I'll even throw Chester Taylor in there (would start for any other NFC North team). The Vikes have some serious weapons, they have the D and the O-line (lets hope Loadholt lives up to his name)...and I think that T-Jack has the talent and will light it up this year (as long as that color by numbers idiot of a coach opens up the playbook past the running page)...I'm excited about this year.

I'll call it now, Vikes will be the NFC champs.

The Bears almost won the division last year without a QB. They have one now and good Tight Ends and a Running Game. Lions... moving right along. Packers, changing to a 3-4. The D is young, but it still takes time to make the change, especially with no true Nose Tackle. Vikings, underachieve. And now a mediocre QB has lost his teams confidence, at least in his mind. That end's in a disaster for them. Bears win this Division but not until week 16 (even if they need a win in the final week they play the Lions in week 17). Packers and Vikings finish neck and neck. I will make a bold prediction, Lions actually win 3 games this season. Finish Order: 1. Bears 2. Packers 3. Vikings 4. Lions

Be real! The Bears have a running game? Forte will be a third stringer with the Pack and will not even make the Vikes squad. You can't win a division with just a tight end. Bears don't have any wide receivers. The Lions will compete with DABears for the cellar on the division. The only way the VI-QUEENS win this thing is if they have BRENT FARVE....Oooops I mean Brett Favre. Even then, they will have a hard time passing the ball without any established wide outs. The Packers are loaded with weapons this year. Let's start with the wide receivers (one of the best in the league...Driver, Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Finley ...on and on...Once again their running game will be solid. Didn't you see the game against the Browns. Yes it's a preseason game but that's still showing something about their plan on running the ball. 230 rushing yards with rookies and third stringers. And HOLY CHEESEHEAD!! did you see the arm on Rodgers on that pass to Driver for a nifty 50 yard TD? And What can I say about their new 3-4 defense shutting down Anderson and Quinn. Their starting secondary did not even play the game. So let see how good Cutler, Sage, Tarvaris or even BRENT FARVE...(Oooops, i mean Brett Fag..ver) will be againts the best secondary in the entire NFL. And look out for the second coming of Warren Sapp in B.J. Raji, the second coming of Kevin Green in Clay Matthews. Yes, I agree the VI-QUEENS have the best defense on paper right now, but the PACK is right up there with them. Here's my prediction Nick Irish Bear Cub, Everyday ordinary Guy... Pack and Vikes will tie for the crown but the PACK will win on a tie breaker (total win over common opponent) DABears will finish 2 games behind them and the Lions will win 4 games. That's it! mark it!

Wellnow...things just got a lot more interesting. Now my Vikes will REALLY dominate the North as well as the rest of the NFC. We may not have the WR's that GreenGay has but we do have AP, now with the addition of Favre, AP should easily get 2000+ yards. How can teams put 9 in the box with an established QB under center? October 5th...MNF...GreenGay makes the journey to Minneapolis...should be a blast (it'll be even more fun if both teams are 3-0). With Cutler chirpin down there in Chi-town this became a 2 team division (really a 1 team...I don't see the 6-10 Packers from last year getting good enough to win 11 or 12 this year). My prediction 1) Vikings 14-2 (losses at Pittsburgh, at Chicago [2nd to last week]) 2) GreenGay Packers 10-6 (wildcard) 3) Detroit Lions...that's right...Detroit Lions 7-9 4) Cutler-led Bears 6-10

everyday, have you hit your head hard recently? Are you feeling okay. $*%#ing jackson is no where near aaron rodgers, the vikings dont have crap besides AP, berrian is definied by one play that he'll never make again, and hell will freeze over before Shanko is the best TE in the league. GATES? GONZALEZ? UMMM HEATH MILLER? ALL WILL STILL BE BETTER WHEN THERE AS OLD AS BRENT (OOPS BRETT) BEFORE Shanko IS BETTER. Also 2008 Jets team like the 09 vikings minus the running back, should have made the playoffs but Mr. Wrangler choked down the stretch, 1-4, 2tds and 9picks its easy to see what will happen the vikings will have the lead till 4 games left and Brent will choke packers=10-6 vikings=start:8-3 finish: 9-7

This is in reply to Mr. No-name up there (or is it Mrs.?).

Jackson is right there with Rodgers, last year's QB rating were Aaron Rodgers 93.8, T Jackson 95.4. Now I'm not too sure but I think Jackson has the better QB rating from last year...unless maybe QB ratings are like golf scores? The lower the better? In that case, Rodgers has the better rating. Also, Shaincoe had the 5th most fantasy points of any TE last year and they didn't really start using him until midway though the season...Gates is better right now but if you're in a fantasy league I suggest you go with Shaincoe. Seems to me Brett likes TE's, I could be mistaken though (Bubba Franks?). As for Berrian, 48 receptions 964 yards (20.1 avg), 7 TD's is not exactly a one hit wonder.

Everyday of course he'll have a better QB rating he only played five games the whole year, by playing that few going 10-12 or 15-18 with like 250 yds and a td will spike it, if he is so great why was he replaced by rosenfels? And im pretty sure he choked when it matter against the eagles in the playoffs? And do you think anyone in the nfl cares about fantasy stats, No they want a good reliable TE anyway lets look at stats form last year Aaron: 4038 pass yds, 28 tds, 63.2 % comp, 13 int, Jackson: 1056 yds, 9 tds, 59.1 % comp, and 2 ints with a td ration of 9-2 its gonna be spiked a lot, and plus if t-jack was so good why did childress have to go with an aging QB with so many excuses for this offseason and last season, When you miss thr playoffs the first words out of his mouth well be it was the shoulder, it just couldnt hold up.

12 million dollars! Now that's what I call the real CASH FOR CLUNKERS! It's funny that the Vikings are not even listed on ESPN's top 5 NFC teams. And for Fantasy football QB's. Aaron Rodgers is on the top five and BRENT FAGvre is not even mention to be a top pick among QB's. The main reason Brad Childish wanted BRENT FAGvre ( Oooops, I mean Brett Favre ) is to save his ass for the coming season. Well, I guess they will go down together just like Favre and Ray Rhodes, Favre and Mike Sherman, Favre and Eric Mango-genie did. Can't you see the trend all you Vi-Queens. What does he really done this past decade except fatten his pocket and build his ego. Do you really think he is going to lead all of you to the promise land? GOOD LUCK!

Favre looked scared and he admited he had butterflies before the game against the Chiefs. Tarvaris made the best plays in the game and should be declared the starter over the old looking dragged down Favre. This is the same QB that said he can run that offense in his sleep. Well oh well, he did looked like he just woke up trying to find his Vi-Queens receivers. He must have been dreaming when he made that comment about running the offense in his sleep. The Vi-Queens won the game not because of the old gun slinger from Kiln, Miss. They won because of Tarvaris Jackson and the goal line defense at the end.

Most people whose teams play against the Vikings would love TJ to start.  Fortunately for the Vikings fans, it appears the coaching staff were going to go with Rosenfels before signing Favre.  I don't know if the Vikings are the team to beat, but to say the Bears, Packers or Lions are the team to beat is biting off a whole lotta nothing.  If any of those teams split with the Vikings it would be a miracle.  The other NFC teams like the Panthers, the Eagles and the Giants would be more likely to give the Vikings a run for the game.  The Packers might split due solely to upping their game to not look like complete fools in the Favre deal, but I highly doubt they can play up against that much talent.  Look at the stats, look at the players, be objective and you know it is true.  Anything else is complete speculation and wishful thinking.  It should be a great season.

It is only pre-season, but I am really likin the way the Packers are playing in this 3-4. Tonight, a better test with Buffalo rendered the same results.....zero points allowed by the 1's on defense and Rodgers looking like he is in mid-season form. Finley is already a monster, and Raji was pancaking guys 7 yards off the line of scrimmage. With the WR squad they have, the double tight-end sets now available with Finley/Lee, Grant healthy and the defense loosed from last year's scheme, it is looking more and more like GBP will definitely be in the hunt for the North crown, as well as a run in the playoffs.

Justice? - the packers are far from complete fools on the Favre deal. In fact quite the opposite as last year already proved. I loved Brett for the quality football he brought back to GBay after decades of mediocrity. But he shouldn't be considered the answer to any team including the Vikings. His best days are behind him and Minnesota will painfully discover that this year. Looks like the Vikes brass panicked a wee bit on the front end of this season.

three dog down- i couldnt have put it better, the vikings again as i have said will start out good then old brent be forty will choke down the stretch playoff pack they are back rodgers will be elite if not this year than next and the defense will be bak to 07 nfc title form they are bak if grant is good then watch out because we are like that 07 team in beeing unexpected to perform after a bad season the year before and we suprise everyone and BOOM no brent no OT INT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but thinking seriously about brett he was shunned when he thought he should be still playing i know where hes coming from but he is a little on the older side i would like to say we as packer fans should be happy for wat he did for us, he made us relevant again he brought bak the lambeau mystique who gives a damn what he is doing he was a great packer and thanx for everything BRETT

Agreed, Favre was a great QB, and did well to help bring a championship to GB. But he also did pretty well in a NY system last year...mostly because he has seen so much and knows what he needs to do each play. He may not be at his peak, but he could QB his way around TJ with his eyes closed. Rosenfels at least had some experience, but TJ is a running QB...with Adrian Peterson, the last thing the Vikings need is a running QB. So with respect to Booty, who is probably as mentally ready as TJ, Favre and Rosenfels give the Vikings decision-making at QB. Whether or not they can follow it up with making the play is yet to be seen. But either know what they need to do. Favre is not a savior, just an experienced veteran. Season will be fun!!

Justice? - I can't argue the fact that Favre has seen about every kind of defense, blitz package and cover set any quarterback can experience. He is incredibly tuned into what a defense can give him. My point is that, as a Packer fan...we always lived and died with his penchant for risk-taking and swashbuckling. When it worked, there was no funner QB to watch and claim as our own....but as many times as not in the past 4-5 years he would absolutely kill you with some of his decision-making. Maybe having AP in the backfield will take the pressure off of him...I just have a hard time believing at his age, iffy shoulder and lack of off-season conditioning that he will make it through the season....even with the incredible streak he has. I just don't see this huge gap between today's Favre and TJ and Sage you are claiming. That said, Bob McGinn of the MJSentinel had some words of caution for anyone writing off Favre this year...."I've learned over the years to never bet against Brett Favre...." or some such. You are right should be an interesting year in the North.

I'm not saying my Vikes will dominate just because of Favre. What Favre has this year that he didn't have last year is...the best RB in the NFL (AP), a top 5 TE in Shainco, a top 5 defense, a top 5 O-line, and an offense that he's already very familar with. I was at the Dome on Friday (I'm a season tic holder, 5 years running) and he looked very rusty. I've said all along that T-Jack has the most talent of ANY QB the Vikes have right now and I think he showed that on Friday. If T-Jack had the brains to go with the talent, we wouldn't need Brett OR copter-boy. I'm thinking in 2-3 years T-Jack will be ready, until then we need some filler and Farve is the best we could've hoped for. The Vikes will go 12-4 or 13-3, more than likely bound for Miami.

Keep on hoping everyday-ordinary guy. What you have in Favre is a spoiled, big head, old, tired gunslinger. He will be around for a couple of games and he'll be gone with that "CHILLY" coach before the season is over. T-Jack is the man in Vi-Queen land and he will prove it.