Breaking Down the NFC North, 2022 Edition

Status
Not open for further replies.

Schultz

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 8, 2021
Messages
2,651
Reaction score
1,537
IMO. I would take said trade in a New York minute. IMO.
 

gopkrs

Cheesehead
Joined
May 12, 2014
Messages
5,332
Reaction score
1,265
I'll just say that I am optimistic about our passing game for this coming season. And I believe we will do it w/o increasing receptions to the backs. Because they already have been thrown to quite a bit.
 

Kramer

Cheesehead
Joined
May 17, 2022
Messages
14
Reaction score
20
Location
NC
Regardless on how you feel about Rodgers and that whole situation, great that he is back. As he goes, so will this team. I think offensively we will be ok, still just a bit anxious about the other side of the ball but we shall see. Still think overall we have the best team in the division.

The Vikes always stumble at some point and I think they will again. Bears are meh more than they have been for a long time. Surprise I can see is Detroit. They lost a lot of close games last season and have had a solid offseason; deffo not a pushover as they have been.

Will be an interesting division race to say the least.
 
D

Deleted member 6794

Guest
Eh...I was very fair to Amon-Ra but honest. Last year he clearly excelled in a team that saw a promising second year guy then (Cephus) go down and some others they were planning on. The field opened up in front of him in a way not many rookies see happen - especially for a fourth rounder. This would be like Lazard and Watkins both going down for the year and Watson by nature is shoved out there for twice the number of snaps he probably would have been had that not happened.

Amon-Ra was extremely productive once presented with an opportunity though, once Packers' receivers at the bottom of the depth chart have failed to achieve. Therefore I think he's a very talented player and not only a product of getting an increased number of snaps. If it would be that easy there's no need to worry about the Packers' receiving corps entering this season at all.

Chark is an excellent WR, and I advocated for him to come here, not sure I get the "odd" way comment because I was merely sharing production over careers and just like Watkins and Cobbs numbers illustrate injury issues his do as well, HOWEVER unlike Watkins and Cobb - he is young (four years) and still has posted SOLID figures.

My point was that when talking about Chark's production there's no reason to take his 2018 and '21 seasons into consideration.

I'll just say that I am optimistic about our passing game for this coming season. And I believe we will do it w/o increasing receptions to the backs. Because they already have been thrown to quite a bit.

In my opinion it's all but guaranteed both Jones and Dillon will be more involved in the passing game this season.
 

Mondio

Cheesehead
Joined
Dec 20, 2014
Messages
15,893
Reaction score
3,795
That's only like one more reception a game or less than Lazard had last season, and he missed two games even. None of this is to discredit Amon Ra, I said all along the dude was a second round worthy prospect all day long...but until he stacks a second or third good season together I'm not christening him anything. It will be curious with a healthy Cephus, Chark there and when Williams gets healthy just how much of a focus St. Brown is.
That is the difference between 30 some catches and 50+, yes. I think he was quite capable of more but feel fairly confident he’d have had at least that as a rookie here in GB.

If faced with a rookie and a 55 catch season or a 3-4 year guy with around 35, Im looking to the young guy. On the team he was with he far exceeded that and clearly looked the part doing it.
 

tynimiller

Cheesehead
Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
13,772
Reaction score
4,801
That is the difference between 30 some catches and 50+, yes. I think he was quite capable of more but feel fairly confident he’d have had at least that as a rookie here in GB.

If faced with a rookie and a 55 catch season or a 3-4 year guy with around 35, Im looking to the young guy. On the team he was with he far exceeded that and clearly looked the part doing it.

Your undershooting Lazards' recepts a touch but I understand and was quite high on Amon-Ra and still am. I do however feel when Williams is healthy and Chark isn't injured he is more a Lazard on their team than a Davante and will end up eventually being their 2/3 type level guy.
 

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
As I do every year after the draft, I want to rank the various positions groups within the division to see where the Packers stack up.

Quarterback: The top two are pretty simple. The Packers have the two time reigning MVP, the Vikings have a good starting QB. But the last two are hard to stack-- you're weighing Goff's floor vs. Fields' ceiling. I went with Goff, but I would not argue either way. However, given how wretched Fields' supporting cast is, I don't think he will look better even if, in a vacuum, he is better.

1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Lions
4. Bears

Running Back:
This is a really good position across the entire division. I like all four teams at this spot. But GB is #1 for me because both Jones and Dillon are very good, lead back quality players. Dalvin Cook might be better than either, but the Vikings' top 2 isn't on par. I gave the nod to the Bears because Montgomery is more established than Swift, but I don't think there's a big gap.

1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions

Tight End:
If you look at the primary TE's across the board, it becomes clear who the top two teams are at this position. Hockenson is emerging as one of the premier players at tight end in the entire league, and he's a complete player. Quietly, Cole Kmet isn't that far behind him. On the bottom end, I gave the nod to GB over Minnesota because the Packers have decent role players at all three spots (Y, H, and F), though Minnesota could have a nice option in Irv Smith Jr. if he comes back healthy in 2022.

1. Lions
2. Bears
3. Packers
4. Vikings

Wide Receiver:
The Vikings easily deserve the top spot here with Jefferson being one of the league's elite young receivers in front of the still useful Adam Thielen and the emerging K.J. Osborn. The emergence of St. Brown in the slot for Detroit helps them a lot here, and they have built around him with Chark and now Jameson Williams. The Packers are #3 for two reasons, one lesser and one greater. The lesser: they have youth and potential on the roster, even if they don't have a ton of proven talent. The greater: the Bears have the worst receiving corps in football.

1. Vikings
2. Lions
3. Packers
4. Bears

Offensive Line:
It goes a little overlooked because the Lions are so bad, but they have a great offensive line. Left to right, Decker, Jackson, Ragnow, Vaitai, and Sewell are all proven quality. I love the Packers on the line too, but they are counting more on growth, whereas the Lions have guys who are a year or two ahead of their Packer counterparts. Minnesota has a huge range of outcomes on the line, depending on how well Darrisaw, Bradbury, and Ingram play. They could be above average or horrible. And the Bears have a small range of outcomes: horrible.

1. Lions
2. Packers
3. Vikings
4. Bears

Interior Defense Line:
Kenny Clark has needed help, and he got it. Jarran Reed is a useful veteran who will be better with fewer snaps, Dean Lowry is still capable as a rotational guy, and they're adding the draft's best interior rusher. The Vikings are respectable, able to field a good trio in Tomlinson, Phillips, and Watts. But the Lions and the Bears are both really weak here. Detroit has Brockers and then youngsters who aren't there yet, and the Bears have... no one.

1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Lions
4. Bears

Edge Rusher:
Green Bay features a high quality starting duo of Preston Smith and Rashan Gary, and they will hope that backups like Garvin, Ramsey, and Enagbare can give them quality snaps as spell players. The Vikings are similar, though I would say with a step down in terms of certainty and ability seeing as how the healthy of Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter is an open question. The Lions could be making a move up this list in a hurry if rookies Hutchinson and Paschal hit. The Bears have an aging Robert Quinn and... ?

1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Lions
4. Bears

Linebacker:
If Campbell is even in the neighborhood of the player he was in 2021, then adding Quay Walker could give GB the best duo in the NFL. The Vikings also have a nice group in Kendricks, Hicks, and rookie Asamoah, but Kendricks is starting to fade. The Bears have a high quality player here in Roquan Smith, but very little else (they should trade him). The Lions are nursing along young players who are still in over their heads.

1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions

Cornerback:
Given that players take their biggest leaps between years 1 and 2, I think there's a good chance the Green Bay's top 3 at cornerback will be the best in the NFL. There's a steep drop-off after that. The Vikings have Dantzler, who is good, and they added Booth, Evans, and Chandon Sullivan. The Bears have a quality player in Jaylon Johnson and they added that cute ballerina to the lineup. The Lions are a mess at this position, largely because Okudah has not materialized, though they may have something in Oruwariye if he continues to progress.

1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions

Safety:
This was a tough call at the top because I still think Harrison Smith is the single best safety in the division, but overall I think Amos-Savage is a better tandem in 2022 than Smith and a rookie Lewis Cine. The Bears could be decent here as they added Brisker, their best draft pick of the weekend, to the position along with the decent but overrated Eddie Jackson. The Lions aren't quite as messy here as at corner or linebacker, but they still aren't very talented.

1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions

Overall (Lower is better):
If you think about this division from a broader perspective, this rings true. The Vikings still have a lot of quality pieces, but they're the same quality pieces that couldn't overtake the Packers previously, so they're probably stuck in the same purgatory of being a winning team that cusps between missing the playoffs and losing early in the playoffs. There's an outside chance that Pettine makes them worse than that even. The Lions are on the come, but there are still too many spots (QB, LB, CB, S) where they're really bad for them to compete at this point. And the Bears are in competition with Atlanta for the worst roster in the league. Don't be shocked if they win two games and pick #1 overall next year.

1. Packers: 15
2. Vikings: 22
3. Lions: 29
4. Bears: 34
Nice work. Can't argue meaningfully about your rankings. The Packers are set to run away with the division, but new management, or almost new, in Minnesota, Detroit and Chicage could make it rougher than prior years. I didn't know Pettine was in Minnesota. Good.
 
OP
OP
Dantés

Dantés

Gute Loot
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Messages
11,946
Reaction score
2,897
Nice work. Can't argue meaningfully about your rankings. The Packers are set to run away with the division, but new management, or almost new, in Minnesota, Detroit and Chicage could make it rougher than prior years. I didn't know Pettine was in Minnesota. Good.

The Vikings offense will be good, but their defense is fixing to get eviscerated. They'll be back in that neighborhood of .500 where they've been.

The Lions should be feisty, but they aren't there yet.

The Bears roster is an abomination.
 

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
The Vikings offense will be good, but their defense is fixing to get eviscerated. They'll be back in that neighborhood of .500 where they've been.

The Lions should be feisty, but they aren't there yet.

The Bears roster is an abomination.
Did the Bears hire a new GM this year? Or is it still Poles? He is, or was, useless.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
14,262
Reaction score
5,661
The field opened up in front of him in a way not many rookies see happen - especially for a fourth rounder. This would be like Lazard and Watkins both going down for the year and Watson by nature is shoved out there for twice the number of snaps he probably would have been had that not happened.
This is really a complimentary argument to losing Adams and weakening our WR room.
Put a few guys in there who have good potential to be early risers (good production for a Rook). I think you get 1,000+ between the two together.

Then spread the ball a little more to your entrenched veterans such as Lazard, Cobb and Tonyan and I don’t really think you’d lose more than a couple hundred yards or a couple Passing TD’s compared to previous seasons. I think the media has largely underestimated MLF/#12/Gute as a formidable trio. We acquire, we coach up and we execute.

In the meantime, people largely ignore that we quietly injected 2 Starters into our Defense and Kept our entire unit intact. I’d be shocked if we didn’t finish top 10 in scoring. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t field the best Defense since that
2009-2010 group.
 
Last edited:

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
It is Poles, but he's new this year. Previously, it was Ryan Pace.
I must have been thinking of Pace. Although I saw where Poles fired a nasty gram at Fields over a comment he never made about getting a stud WR like Adams or Hill. Patience, patience, it's the Bears after all.

Thanks Dantes.
 

Sunshinepacker

Cheesehead
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
5,766
Reaction score
896
This is really a complimentary argument to losing Adams and weakening our WR room.
Put a few guys in there who have good potential to be early risers (good production for a Rook). I think you get 1,000+ between the two together.

Then spread the ball a little more to your entrenched veterans such as Lazard, Cobb and Tonyan and I don’t really think you’d lose more than a couple hundred yards or a couple Passing TD’s compared to previous seasons. I think the media has largely underestimated MLF/#12/Gute as a formidable trio. We acquire, we coach up and we execute.

In the meantime, people largely ignore that we quietly injected 2 Starters into our Defense and Kept our entire unit intact. I’d be shocked if we didn’t finish top 10 in scoring. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t field the best Defense since that
2009-2010 group.

Aaron Jones will end up the #1 receiving target and he'll miss 3-4 weeks before the playoffs for arm replacement surgery.
 
OP
OP
Dantés

Dantés

Gute Loot
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Messages
11,946
Reaction score
2,897
I must have been thinking of Pace. Although I saw where Poles fired a nasty gram at Fields over a comment he never made about getting a stud WR like Adams or Hill. Patience, patience, it's the Bears after all.

Thanks Dantes.

The Bears fired Matt (Nagy) and Ryan P(ace) and hired Matt (Eberflus) and Ryan P(oles).

It’s confusing.
 

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
The Bears fired Matt (Nagy) and Ryan P(ace) and hired Matt (Eberflus) and Ryan P(oles).

It’s confusing.
Oh wow I didn't know that! Seems like something the Bears would do, even if unintentional!
 

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
Aaron Jones will end up the #1 receiving target and he'll miss 3-4 weeks before the playoffs for arm replacement surgery.
Well at least we know Jones and Dillon are decent receivers. Just might need em.
 
D

Deleted member 6794

Guest
The Packers are set to run away with the division, but new management, or almost new, in Minnesota, Detroit and Chicage could make it rougher than prior years.

While new management and coaching staffs in Minnesota and Chicago might end up making it tougher for the Packers to win the division in future seasons I fully expect the Packers to win the division this season taking a look at the rosters around the NFC North.

Then spread the ball a little more to your entrenched veterans such as Lazard, Cobb and Tonyan and I don’t really think you’d lose more than a couple hundred yards or a couple Passing TD’s compared to previous seasons. I think the media has largely underestimated MLF/#12/Gute as a formidable trio. We acquire, we coach up and we execute.

In the meantime, people largely ignore that we quietly injected 2 Starters into our Defense and Kept our entire unit intact. I’d be shocked if we didn’t finish top 10 in scoring. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t field the best Defense since that
2009-2010 group.

I agree the defense should be a top unit in the league this season. There's no denying there are a ton of question marks on the offensive side of the ball though.
 

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
While new management and coaching staffs in Minnesota and Chicago might end up making it tougher for the Packers to win the division in future seasons I fully expect the Packers to win the division this season taking a look at the rosters around the NFC North.



I agree the defense should be a top unit in the league this season. There's no denying there are a ton of question marks on the offensive side of the ball though.
There's no question in my mind the Packers will run away with the NFC North this year, and probably for as long as Rodgers plays.
 

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
This is really a complimentary argument to losing Adams and weakening our WR room.
Put a few guys in there who have good potential to be early risers (good production for a Rook). I think you get 1,000+ between the two together.

Then spread the ball a little more to your entrenched veterans such as Lazard, Cobb and Tonyan and I don’t really think you’d lose more than a couple hundred yards or a couple Passing TD’s compared to previous seasons. I think the media has largely underestimated MLF/#12/Gute as a formidable trio. We acquire, we coach up and we execute.

In the meantime, people largely ignore that we quietly injected 2 Starters into our Defense and Kept our entire unit intact. I’d be shocked if we didn’t finish top 10 in scoring. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t field the best Defense since that
2009-2010 group.
Well said. The D pretty much held serve when Campbell, Douglas, P. Smith, and Alexander were resigned. Adding Walker and Wyatt makes a formidable D that much better.

And over the years (people should remember there was a time when Adams wasn't an All Pro) the Packers have "coached up" well. This year, I think concerns with the offense are a little overblown. Yes, the WR has a lot of question marks, but Rodgers is the QB. I think they'll be fine. Otherwise, the O line has been reinforced with the guy from UCLA, Bakh and Jenkins will be back, and Jones and Dillon are still the #1 and #2 RBs.

They could falter. But I think any team with Rodgers at QB is probably set right there to win 10 games. And the Packers have a lot of good players around Rodgers.
 

Sanguine camper

Cheesehead
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
1,891
Reaction score
558
The Vikings offense will be good, but their defense is fixing to get eviscerated. They'll be back in that neighborhood of .500 where they've been.

The Lions should be feisty, but they aren't there yet.

The Bears roster is an abomination.
The Vikings have a injury prone Dalvin Cook and a star receiver in Jefferson. I think Theilen is getting old and is on the way down. Their o line is mediocre at best along with most of the remaining cast. When not under pressure, Cousins looks super. When he's rushed, he falls apart. The Vikings will score 35 one week and turn around and put up 14 the next when they face a godd pass rush. I see their offense as very inconsistent. They look like an 8 or 9 win team. BTW, the Bears still suck and I agree their roster is a joke.
 

Heyjoe4

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
6,301
Reaction score
1,695
The Vikings have a injury prone Dalvin Cook and a star receiver in Jefferson. I think Theilen is getting old and is on the way down. Their o line is mediocre at best along with most of the remaining cast. When not under pressure, Cousins looks super. When he's rushed, he falls apart. The Vikings will score 35 one week and turn around and put up 14 the next when they face a godd pass rush. I see their offense as very inconsistent. They look like an 8 or 9 win team. BTW, the Bears still suck and I agree their roster is a joke.
I can see the Vikings winning 8 or 9 games. But that's dependent on a healthy Cook and a healthy Jefferson. I expect they'll get better slowly, just no this year. That said they'll beat the Packers once because........ they always do. It's magical.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest posts

Top