A lot happened this past weekend in the NFL that deserves to be mentioned.  I will take it upon myself to go over a few things that I see fit to be discussed after every week during the NFL regular season and playoffs.  Lets get started shall we.

The Detroit Lions lose because of a silly rule

It had appeared to everyone that was watching it happen live that the Detroit Lions had won their first road game in 3 years.  Yes, it’s been that long.  Detroit played a good game and well, lets just say that Chicago needs some work in short yardage situations.  Also Jay Cutler still has the turnover problem (1 INT, 1 fumble). 
Detroit had lost Matthew Stafford earlier in the game and Shaun Hill stepped in and did an admirable job.  He did throw one interception, but the drive that mattered at the end of the game was a beauty.  Detroit’s best receiver Calvin Johnson was thrown to often.  He only managed 4 catches for 45 yards to end the game, but he made an incredible catch for what was to be the go ahead touchdown. 
However, the referees huddled (pun intended) and deemed the catch to not be a catch because Johnson did not have control of the ball coming down.  Now from first impression, it was a catch.  Had the ball in the air.  Came down, still with the ball.  Butt hits the ground, still has the ball.  Then as he starts to get up, the ball is left on the ground when Johnson gets up. 
There is a rule that was put in place last year that says (I’m paraphrasing) that the receiver has to have full control of the football after he touches the ground.  Here is the rule so you can read it for yourself.  By rule, Johnson did not have control of the football.
Now I don’t like the rule at all.  A running back lunging for the goal line loses the ball at the pylon still counts as a touchdown.  The ball crossing the plane of the goal line still counts as a touchdown.  This rule doesn’t make sense when you account for those other two. 
The Lions did get hosed, but the referees were correct.  They reviewed it to be sure and still came back with the correct answer.  Unfortunately the NFL won’t change the rule in the middle of the season.  It’s not their style.  The only saving grace is that it was during Week 1.  Not Week 17 or during a playoff game.  Like we think the Lions will make the playoffs this year anyway.  Oops.  Did I say that out loud?

A quarterback controversy in Philly?

Now you would think that the controversy would have something to do with the Eagles trading away Donovan McNabb and maybe regretting it.  Honestly I didn’t expect a controversy to happen until mid-way through the season, but after Week 1?
Kevin Kolb looked lost and who could blame him.  Why was Michael Vick being inserted on what seemed to be every other play against the Packers?  Kolb couldn’t get a rhythm going.  It also didn’t help that he was planted in the turf by Packers linebacker Clay Matthews Jr.  Kolb wouldn’t return thanks to a concussion.  Vick proceeded to take over the second half of the game and almost got the Eagles the victory, but at what cost?  Kolb is their future. 
They traded McNabb to get ready for the Kolb era.  Vick isn’t the long term solution.  At least when they signed him I didn’t think he was going to be.  There seems to be a silly misconception with Andy Reid and what he thinks Michael Vick can do for his offense.  Vick doesn’t solve your problem on 3rd down and 1 to go.  Vick is not the accurate passer that the west coast offense needs. 
How is there a controversy to begin with?  Kolb is hurt.  Yes he looked lost, but to me it’s because Andy Reid wants to use gimmick plays with Vick way too often.  The Miami Dolphins wildcat offense thinks Reid is doing that way too much. 
This is a non-issue right now, but when Kolb is ready to play, will Andy keep doing the gimmick plays?  If so why did you trade Donovan McNabb to begin with?  Kevin Kolb needs the offense to himself if you think he is your future.  Anybody can tell you that coach.

Two stupid mistakes equals a loss

Dallas was down by only a field goal with less than 30 seconds to go in the first half.  They were somewhere on their own 30.  Take a knee and go into the half knowing you’re only down by 3 right?  Wrong if you’re head coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who is the next head coach in Dallas. 
The Cowboys proceeded to try and move the ball down field.  I’m screaming take a knee!  What are you doing?  Sure enough on the third play, it was a botched screen pass, I think and Tashard Choice promptly fumbles and the Redskins return it for a touchdown.  10-0 Redskins at halftime.  Thank you Dallas.
That’s why you take a knee Phillips and Garrett.  Every time something like that happens, you always think that in some way shape or form that it will bite them in the but.  Sure enough it did. 
The Cowboys were down 13-7 on the last drive and the Redskins had left Miles Austin open far too often.  Dallas was in the redzone with less than 10 seconds in the game.  Romo was under pressure escaped the pocket briefly to find a wide open Roy Williams in the endzone.  Touchdown Cowboys game over right?  Wrong again. 
Right Tackle Alex Barron, who was starting for injured Marc Colombo, was called for holding.  It should have been for a choke hold on Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo because that’s what it was.  Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams was quoted saying “You can’t blame it on that one play.”  Yeah you can.  That would’ve won the game. 
Wade Phillips took responsibility for the idiotic move of not taking a knee before halftime.  He also seemed to fault Choice as well.  “If you catch the ball with 4 seconds left, you don’t need to make an extra yard or two.”  Keep telling yourself that next time coach.

Panic in tinsel town

With all the talk the Jets have been doing this offseason and the “Hard Knocks” HBO special, it was time to put up or shut up.  Well, they should have realized who they were playing for their first game.  The Baltimore Ravens have seen this before many times and they usually know what to do.  Smack them in the mouth.
Neither team could get anything going offensively, but the Ravens did have success getting Anquan Boldin the ball.  Which to the surprise of many, Darrelle Revis wasn’t moved to his side of the field until it was too late. 
Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis made his presence known throughout the game by disrupting the running game and laying the smackdown on Jets tight end Dustin Keller late in the game.  It was brutal.
All in all it was exactly what I expected.  The Ravens would bring the Jets back down to earth and the Jets would have to tone down the talking and get back to business.  However, I didn’t expect the kind of panic from most about the Jets lack of an offense.  They played the Ravens folks.  They have a good defense too last I checked. 
Seeing Dustin Keller run out of bounds to end the game without looking for the first down marker summed up the entire game for me.  Baltimore was in their heads from start to finish.  Sanchez had no time to throw and the running game couldn’t get a decent push on the line.  The Jets will recover.  The Ravens are here to stay.  That’s all.  Don’t jump ship yet New York.  Yikes.

1. Dallas Cowboys: 11-5
Hosting a Super Bowl doesn’t guarantee you a spot in the Super Bowl.
2. New York Giants: 9-7
Where’s the running game and the defense?
3. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-8
Will Philly fans miss McNabb at any point this year?
4. Washington Redskins: 6-10
A new coach and a new QB, but there are still a few headaches on the team.

Coaches

Tom Coughlin – Giants
Hard to believe it’s been three years since Tom Coughlin led the Giants to perhaps the biggest Super Bowl upset in NFL history.  Since then, the Giants have hit a snag in development.  Winning the division in ’08 didn’t guarantee they would repeat as Super Bowl champions as they were ousted by division rival Philadelphia in the divisional round.  Last year with a 5-0 start to the season, things began to look good for the Giants until they started a four game losing streak that resulted in a 3-8 record to finish the season 8-8.  In the midst of all the turmoil the defense had allowed 40+ points in three of their final four games.  Coughlin knows that in order to get back into contention, especially in the NFC East, it starts on the defensive side.  His job depends on it.

Mike Shanahan – Redskins
In owner Daniel Snyder’s ten year reign, the Redskins have only had three winning seasons and six different head coaches.  Mike Shanahan is now the eighth.  There is optimism though in D.C.  Shanahan brings a new attitude that starts at the top and is working its way down to the players.  He and new general manager Bruce Allen have total control over personnel decisions and so far it has worked with the acquisition of Donovan McNabb from Philadelphia, but so far has failed with Albert Haynesworth.  There will be some bumps in the road this year, but Shanahan has the Redskins thinking of being back in the lime light of the NFL.  With a legitimate quarterback at the helm, that could be sooner than later.

Andy Reid – Eagles
From the time Andy Reid was hired in 1999 he has had the same quarterback leading his team.  Now that McNabb is in Washington, Reid will turn his attention towards making sure Kevin Kolb doesn’t turn out to be a bust.  Reid has a knack for making the most out of seemingly hopeless situation.  McNabb for the longest time didn’t have the best receivers to throw to, but the Eagles had appeared in five consecutive NFC championship games.  Reid has more to work with on offense to help ease the transition over to Kolb, but they don’t have a dominant rushing attack to help take more of the burden off Kolb’s shoulder.

Wade Phillips – Cowboys
The talk of can the Cowboys win a playoff game with Tony Romo and Wade Phillips is now over.  They got past their division rival Philadelphia in the wild-card game last year, but were exposed against the Vikings in the divisional round.  Phillips has some question marks in how he handles his teams in big games.  At times the Cowboys look like they’re the best team in the NFL, but others they look like they belong in the middle of the pack.  With Cowboys Stadium being the sight for this years Super Bowl it won’t be said, but you can bet that owner Jerry Jones wants to see his team play in that game.  The Cowboys normally start out strong, but if they struggle early, it will interesting to see if Jerry keeps his finger off the trigger.

Best Acquisition: QB Donovan McNabb – Washington Redskins
No matter what you say about McNabb, you can’t deny that he is a proven winner.  The Eagles only had two losing seasons with McNabb at quarterback.  That is tough thing to do in a tough sports town like Philadelphia.  The Redskins haven’t appeared in a Super Bowl in almost 20 years.  McNabb doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank, but he has at least three more good years left in him.  There isn’t as much to throw to in D.C. as there was in Philly, but that didn’t stop McNabb from being the Eagles all-time passer.

Quarterback – Grade
Giants – A
Cowboys – B
Redskins – B
Eagles – C

He isn’t the flashiest quarterback, but Eli Manning gets the job done.  Last year was by far his best season statistically.  He had great chemistry with his receivers Steve Smith and Mario Manningham.  The bigger emphasis on the passing game was due in large part to a change in philosophy with the coaching staff.  The weren’t getting the same push in the running game and instead went to the pass.  Like his brother Peyton, if Eli goes down the Giants are in serious trouble.
Tony Romo being the quarterback for “America’s Team” has perhaps the biggest monkey on his back.  He has always managed to keep a positive outlook on his position.  It helps when he has Jason Witten to throw to.  Romo has also brought out the best of Miles Austin who has become one of the biggest deep threats in the NFL in just one year.  Romo also has the benefit of having an owner that will do everything possible to put a winner out on the field.  The added pressure of the Super Bowl in Dallas might be too much for Romo to handle.
Washington has struck out on so many quarterbacks during the Daniel Snyder era.  This should be the home run they’ve been looking for.  Donovan McNabb is a proven winner and he has done so without a lot of receivers to throw to or a viable running game throughout his career.  McNabb has two tight ends in Chris Cooley and Fred Davis to target.  Santana Moss is still one of the best at running the deep route.  McNabb also has a good running back in Clinton Portis to fall back on should the passing attack fail during games.  Don’t expect a playoff run, but Washington will have a more balanced offense.
The Eagles have said good bye to their all-time passing leader and said hello to Kevin Kolb.  He has a handful of starts under his belt, but against inferior opponents.  The former second round pick was thought of highly when he was selected in the ’07 draft.  Everyone wondered why the Eagles selected a quarterback so high, but it has now become apparent this year.  The Eagles are a talented enough team to avoid a total meltdown in Kolb’s first year as starter, but if the Eagles fall short of the 8 win plateau, many will wonder if they’re in a full rebuilding mode.

Running Back – Grade
Cowboys – A
Giants – B
Redskins – B
Eagles – C

Dallas has a three headed monster at running back.  Any one of them can start for every other team in the NFL.  Marion Barber is the workhorse.  He’ll get the tough yards and is a constant threat to score in the redzone.  Felix Jones is the speedster.  Always a threat to run it all the way he’s used primarily on draw plays that utilize his speed.  Tashard Choice is the wild card.  He could be an every down back, but is better used as the third down back.  An underrated receiver he is also adept in pass protection for Tony Romo.
Ahmad Bradshaw will be named the starter, but Brandon Jacobs is still a big part of the running game for the Giants.  The Giants need both to be on their game to get back to the playoffs.  Jacobs is hard to stop in the trenches and Bradshaw is difficult in the open field.  Both complement each other well.  The only problem for the Giants is on third down.  They don’t have a reliable option there.  Bradshaw is by default by he isn’t great in pass protection.
Clinton Portis is getting really close to the end of his career.  The wear and tear on his legs is starting to catch up to him.  The Redskins hope to ease some of that off Portis this year which resulted in the signing of Larry Johnson.  Together they form a pretty good duo of backs that should provide a decent duo for McNabb and the offense.  Portis will still be the primary third down back due to his blocking skills and Johnson will be the primary back in the redzone.
The Eagles began the youth movement at running back last year with LeSean McCoy getting most of the carries due to Brian Westbrook’s multiple concussions.  McCoy showed some flashes of his potential, but he was non-existent in short yardage plays.  Mike Bell was signed to provide some stability in short yardage situations and at the goal line.  McCoy should get over the 1,000 yard plateau this year, but the Eagles should look to get him more involved in the passing attack. 

Wide Receiver – Grade
Cowboys – A
Giants – B
Eagles – B
Redskins – C

An already good group got even better when rookie Dez Bryant fell to them in the first round.  With Bryant the Cowboys will have a formidable combination of him and Miles Austin for quite some time.  Austin exploded for 11 touchdown catches and over 1,300 yards receiving last year.  He probably won’t come close to those stats, but expect his catches to go above 81.  Bryant is deceptively fast and is great at catching passes over the middle.  He fits that Anquan Boldin mold of a big physical receiver that isn’t afraid to make contact.  Jason Witten is still one of the best tight ends in the NFL.  He’s tough for linebackers to bring down when given room to move after the catch.  Roy Williams can still be productive, but this is his last chance to prove his worth on a contending team.
Eli Manning has a good group that has developed great chemistry with one another during one of the best passing seasons in Giants history.  Steve Smith had a breakout season with 107 receptions and over 1,200 yards receiving.  Mario Manningham added 822 yards and his 5 touchdown catches to the mix.  Both will be the go to guys for Manning.  Last years first round pick Hakeem Nicks came on slowly, but managed to have a productive year with 790 yards and 6 touchdowns.  Kevin Boss was a favorite target for Manning during their Super Bowl run when Jeremy Shockey was out with an injury.  Boss’ strength is mostly in blocking, but he is slowly becoming a great pass catching tight end.
Philadelphia has enough weapons at Kevin Kolb’s disposal to help ease him along in his first season as the starter.  DeSean Jackson is perhaps ready to dethrone Steve Smith in Carolina as the best deep receiver in the NFL.  His receptions will certainly increase from 62 of a year ago.  Brett Celek is a given at tight end.  He is the best target to throw to since he’s always in single coverage.  Celek’s quickness also allows him to lineup as a receiver to create mismatches.  Jeremy Maclin was often lost in the offense, but improved late in the season.  The former 1st round pick will need to create chemistry quickly with Kolb in order to bring more balance in the passing attack.
Both tight ends will be used often in the Redskins passing game.  Chris Cooley is still a Pro-Bowl caliber tight end when healthy.  Fred Davis, given the opportunity, proved his worth last year for the Redskins.  Both will instantly be McNabb’s favorite targets.  Santana Moss still has the speed that made him a 1st round pick for the Jets in ’01.  Moss will be what DeSean Jackson was for McNabb in Philadelphia.  A deep threat on every down.  Devin Thomas was given more playing time down the stretch last year and showed some potential, but he will be on a short leash with pressure to produce immediately.

Defense – Grade
Cowboys – B
Redskins – B
Eagles – C
Giants – C

Dallas has perhaps the most feared pass rush in the NFL and it starts with DeMarcus Ware.  It was a down year for Ware (11 sacks), but he still left his mark in most games he played.  Without Jay Ratliff and Igor Olshansky on the line, Ware wouldn’t be running as freely as he does.  Ratliff isn’t one to shy away from sacking the quarterback either.  His 13.5 sacks are second only to Ware in the last two years.  Keith Brooking and Bradie James patrol the middle for the Cowboys.  Brooking’s veteran presence and James’ speed and agility complement each other well in Wade Phillips’ attacking scheme.  The one area of weakness has always been the secondary.  Cornerback hasn’t been the problem with Terrence Newman and Mike Jenkins, but rather at safety.  No one has been able to cover the deep pass since Darren Woodson patrolled center field for the Cowboys.  That will need to change if the Cowboys are to play in the Super Bowl.
The Redskins are changing to a 3-4 defense, which is probably a good thing.  Washington has struggled to cause turnovers and switching the scheme might change that.  The most important part of the 3-4 is the defensive line.  If they don’t plug the gaps, blockers will be after the linebackers.  Albert Haynesworth will be counted on to help in that area, but with his attitude needing adjusting it’s a long shot.  It will be up to the linebackers lead by London Fletcher to make sure the new scheme is up to par.  Brian Orakpo and Andre Carter will the pass rushers of the edge.  Both combined for 22 sacks last year and should be able to duplicate that in a 3-4.  Fletcher will be joined by Rocky McIntosh in the middle to plug the running lanes and get after receivers over the middle.  Both are very good in both departments.  Carlos Rogers and DeAngelo Hall will have a lot of responsibilities this year.  More blitzing means more single coverage and both haven’t lived up to their first round potential in quite some time. 
The Eagles pride themselves on having an undersized front seven.  That’s how they’re always near the top in total defense with their team speed.  They took a few steps backwards last year due to injuries and guys getting older, but they’ve infused youth into the unit.  First round pick Brandon Graham will be starting opposite Trent Cole on the end.  Cole is still an excellent pass rusher and Graham will be expected to achieve at least a half-dozen sacks this year.  Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson are two of the most underrated run stuffers in the NFL.  Both have a quick first step and are always pushing forward.  Ernie Sims was acquired from Detroit in a trade and instantly infuses some youth at linebacker.  With Stewart Bradley back from injury both will bring some stability to a unit that struggled against the pass and run last year.  Asante Samuel is still a ball-hawking corner always with a keen eye on the quarterback and receiver.  Rookie Nate Allen will be thrust into the starting safety spot left by free acquisition Marlin Jackson who is lost for the season.  Allen will be in a tough position of protecting the defense from the likes of Romo, Manning and McNabb in six games this year. 
New York, to put it simply was awful last year on defense.  Tom Coughlin cleaned house in the coaching staff and hired Perry Fewell from Buffalo.  Fewell will look to bring back the pass rush and dominate the passing game.  Their depth on the defensive line is second to none in the NFL.  Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka are every down ends that could play tackle if need be.  Osi Umenyiora is relegated to being a situational end, but is slowly earning his way back to getting more playing time.  First round pick Jason Pierre-Paul is a raw athlete, but will get plenty of looks to see what he can do as a pass rusher.  Keith Bullock is the new middle linebacker after spending his first 10 seasons in Tennessee on the outside.  Bullock brings needed veteran presence to a defense that will need a kick every once in a while and Keith is that guy.  Corey Webster fell off the map late last year and the Giants don’t need a repeat of that.  Aaron Ross struggled with a hamstring injury that kept him out of most games and they need his physical play to stop the best passing teams.  Antrel Rolle will immediately help stop the deep pass, but the Giants need former 1st round pick Kenny Phillips healthy to help.  Both Rolle and Phillips will complement each other well and create what Rolle had in Arizona with Adrian Wilson.

1. Green Bay Packers: 11-5
Hopefully Aaron Rodgers will be sacked less than 51 times.
2. Minnesota Vikings 10-6
With Brett Favre, Super Bowl contender.  Without, barely .500.
3. Chicago Bears: 7-9
Can Mike Martz fix Jay Cutler?
4. Detroit Lions: 6-10
Another year of progress from Stafford and a better defense will help.

Coaches

Mike McCarthy – Packers
A relative unknown when he was hired in ’06, McCarthy has slowly turned the Packers into a contender once again.  Everything was looking up when he had Brett Favre at the helm his first two years.  A 21-11 record isn’t bad.  An appearance in the ’07 NFC Championship had the football world wondering if McCarthy could keep it going.  With Favre’s retirement/departure from Green Bay, that meant Aaron Rodgers was thrust into the starting spot.  McCarthy has entrusted Rodgers with the offense and with a few bumps early on, the Packers are now a contender again after an 11-5 record that ended in a shootout with Arizona in the playoffs.  With some improvements on the offensive line, Green Bay should be a favorite to win the division and possibly the NFC.

Jim Schwartz – Lions
His first season was a relative success (2-14).  When you consider the previous year was a win less one.  Schwartz has a good core to build upon on the offense with Matthew Stafford at quarterback.  Calvin Johnson at wide receiver and Jahvid Best at running back.  Now he just has to get everything together on the defensive side.  Ndamukong Suh is not going to be the lone savior for the Lions defense, but he is a nice–great start.  Schwartz had a game changing tackle at Tennessee when he was defensive coordinator.  His name was Albert Haynesworth.  Suh is potentially better than Haynesworth in many areas.  Doubling last years win total will a point in the right direction, but the defense getting out of the cellar of the NFL will be a welcome sight.

Brad Childress – Vikings
You could say that without Brett Favre, Brad Childress would not be the head coach of the Vikings.  You have to admit that if you were Childress, you would be doing everything in your power to make sure Favre plays for you.  It’s wrong, but can you blame him?  Childress has the right group of players that fit the system he’s implementing.  It also helps to have Adrian Peterson as your running back.  There might be some problems on third downs now without Chester Taylor (Chicago).  This is essentially the make or break year for this Vikings team.  Super Bowl or bust.  The defense is still one of the best in the league.  Especially when it comes to getting the quarterback (48 sacks).  Childress might have to rely more on the defense this year than he would like with Favre banged up and Peterson prone to fumblitis. 

Lovie Smith – Bears
He is proof positive that if you can get a franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance in 21 years in ’06, you will have a free ride.  Even if your record is a combined 23-25 the next three seasons.  This is without a doubt his last chance at a winner in Chicago.  You want to know how he knows it?  He hired Mike Martz, who was the Rams head coach when Lovie was the defensive coordinator.  Martz will be charged with turning around an anemic offense that ranked 23rd in the league.  Lovie Smith is also losing touch with his defense.  Yes, losing Brian Urlacher during the first game of the season didn’t help, but he couldn’t seem to ignite any confidence from his players after the fact.  The boo birds in Chicago will be heard at the first sign of trouble.  The Bears aren’t the type of franchise to yank a coach in the middle of a season, but they might make an exception this year.

Best Acquisition: DE Julius Peppers – Chicago Bears
This was the first sign that Chicago was desperate when they outbid everyone to get the best free agent of 2010.  Peppers is considered a difference maker by most in the league.  He could play in any system, but his true value is taking on double teams.  In Chicago, that means all-pro defensive tackle Tommie Harris will be left with one blocker.  Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs will be free to make plays on the ball.  Peppers will get his double digit sack totals, but he will open everything up for the defense.  The secondary will benefit immensely from a consistent pass rush that ranked 13th last year.  The acquisition was needed not for the future, but for right now.

Quarterback – Grade
Packers – A
Vikings – A
Bears – B
Lions – B

Aaron Rodgers has solidified himself as one of the elite quarterbacks in just two years as a starter.  In just two years he’s thrown 58 touchdown passes and almost 8,500 yards passing.  That’s astonishing numbers from someone who’s replaced a legend in Green Bay.  He has a great group of receivers to throw to.  What’s even impressive is that he doesn’t have an elite running game to take pressure from the passing game.  Plus he’s been sacked more than a quarterback would like to be.  With an added emphasis to fixing the o-line, Rodgers should produce MVP type numbers.
What can I say, he’s Brett Favre.  Ready for another round, its become apparent that Favre is doing this not for the fun of the game anymore.  It appears to me that he just wants to be the man again.  He’s trying to dictate how to end his legacy, but lets be honest.  Not everyone can go out on top like John Elway.  Favre is one of the best, but this dog and pony show in the offseason is waning on his football triumphs.  The Vikings need him.  Unfortunately for Minnesota their chance came and went last year, but the old gunslinger has made us look foolish before.
Chicago does have one of the best young quarterbacks today.  He just needs some fine tuning.  For the Bears sake, they hope Mike Martz can fix it quick.  Cutler has great potential, but his interception totals were a concern to say the least (26).  He had combined for 37 in his first three seasons.  Whether it be a poorest line or hardly any playmakers on offense, the point of the matter is every quarterback has a bump in the road.  Cutler needs to get his confidence back.  The best way is to get the running game going and to better utilize the playmakers the Bears do have to Cutler’s advantage.
Taking the starting job from day one is not something most coaches would do, but in Detroit’s case was there a better one?  Matthew Stafford threw more interceptions than touchdowns (20-13), but he did show great poise under constant pressure and played hurt during their thrilling win against the Cleveland Browns.  That earned him some big points in NFL circles.  This year he has another weapon in 1st round pick Jahvid Best.  The former Golden Bear will be a sight for soar eyes on third down situations and on draw plays.  Getting Stafford more help on offense is the Lions reward for an impressive rookie campaign.

Running Back – Grade
Vikings -B
Bears – B
Packers – C
Lions – C

He’s still considered one of the best running backs in the NFL, but Adrian Peterson has a big flaw that was exposed most of last year and especially in the NFC Championship game, fumbles.  He did put work into fixing the problem, but not in the way that former Pro-Bowl running back Tiki Barber did by not holding the ball out in the open all the time.  Once Peterson realizes that, all will be well in Minnesota.  They will miss Chester Taylor, but gain another bruiser in Toby Gerhart.  The 2nd round pick will be a nice complement to Peterson’s style.
Chicago had a nice running game in ’08 with then rookie Matt Forte rushing for over 1,200 yards.  But ’09 had Forte rush for only 929 yards and his rushing touchdowns were cut in half (8-4).  That was due in large part to the Bears being down early and often in most of their games.  Thus the emphasis on passing the ball.  That has to change, but Mike Martz is a pass first guy.  That should help Forte be more involved as he has excellent skills in that department.  He has 120 receptions in his two seasons in Chicago.  Chester Taylor will an excellent third down back and will help on pass protection as well.
Green Bay has managed to have great seasons out of unknown running backs in the past decade.  Ryan Grant is just the latest example.  His last two seasons he’s rushed for over 1,200 yards and nearly 1,000 in his first season in Green Bay.  Grant doesn’t provide much in the passing game, but is an underrated blocker.  Brandon Jackson has been injury prone in his first three seasons, but is a nice change of pace back.  His value is on third down passing situations.
The Lions have a nice combination in the backfield.  Kevin Smith has been the constant force for his first two seasons.  An injury sidelined his ’09 campaign, but with a new running mate in Jahvid Best, the Lions will be looking for the same success most teams are having in the running game.  Smith will most likely get the bulk of the carries, but Best has shown he can handle his own.  Best will a nice weapon especially in dual-back formations with Smith.  The Lions need to take away some of the pressure from Stafford and put more emphasis on getting the running game on track.  They don’t need the next Barry Sanders, but getting into the middle of the pack would be nice.

Wide Receiver – Grade
Packers – B
Vikings – B
Lions – B
Bears – C

Having Greg Jennings, Donal Driver and Jermichael Finley as your three targets is always a good thing if you’re Aaron Rodgers.  This is the main reason for Rodgers’ early success.  Jennings has continued his breakout performance of ’07 in which he caught 12 touchdowns.  His yards went over 1,100 the next two years.  As did his receptions to over 65.  He has gained a great rapport with Rodgers the last two years.  Driver is all-time leading receiver in Packers history.  It helps having Favre throw you all those footballs and with Rodgers, Driver is sure to shatter the record books.  Finley was a relative unknown is his rookie year of  ’08, but he broke out in a big way in ’09 with 55 receptions, 5 for touchdowns.  Rodgers will continue to look his way in the redzone.
Minnesota suffered a blow when Sidney Rice went for hip surgery during camp.  He will most likely miss the first six games of the season.  Luckily the Vikings have enough weapons to offset that loss for a while.  Bernard Berrian will be thrust into the number role.  A hamstring injury sidelined him last year, but he still has breakaway speed and will continue to be the deep threat.  Percy Harvin was every where for the Vikings.  Whether it be out of the backfield or in the slot, he was a distraction for every defense.  Favre developed a great chemistry with Harvin, but he still has trouble with migraines and that could be a problem throughout the season.  Visanthe Shiancoe had a Pro-Bowl year with a career high 11 touchdown catches.  Favre loves throwing to tight ends in the redzone and Shiancoe is hard to stop when he smells the endzone.
The Lions made a move by signing Nate Burleson early in free agency.  The reason was to have a deep threat to offset the constant double coverage Calvin Johnson was receiving.  Burleson isn’t the best at catching the ball over the middle, but gets good yardage after the catch.  Johnson’s specialty is over the middle.  He is too fast for most corners and too strong for some linebackers.  In Detroit’s case the fourth time was the charm as Johnson was the fourth wide receiver selected in the first round in five drafts by the Lions.  Brandon Pettigrew developed a good chemistry with Stafford, but he struggled at times with the offense and that’s why Detroit acquired Tony Scheffler from Denver to bring some added motivation to Pettigrew going into this season.
Chicago focused on improving the defense in the offseason and decided to stay pat with the receivers they had.  Cutler developed good chemistry with some, but most were either hurt or inconsistent to gain Cutler’s trust.  Greg Olsen was Cutler’s favorite target catching 8 touchdown passes.  Olsen is good enough to play the slot for Chicago, but his numbers might go down with Martz running the offense.  Tight ends are used as blockers more than receivers in his system.  Devin Hester and Johnny Knox will need to learn the system in a hurry as Earl Bennett and Devin Aromashodu are waiting in the wings.  Hester and Knox have the speed Martz craves, but Bennett and Aromashodu have chemistry with Cutler on their side.

Defense – Grade
Packers – A
Vikings – B
Bears -B
Lions – C

Green Bay for the first time turned to the 3-4 defense.  Dom Capers proved that a team that has never used the system before can become a great defense over night as the Packers had the 2nd best defense in the league.  Thanks in large to the ball-hawking secondary led by 2009 Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson.  The Packers led the league with 30 interceptions, 9 by Woodson.  Nick Barnett and Clay Matthews were the constant force in the middle.  Barnett was healthy and had a blast running in the 3-4.  Matthews had an amazing rookie year leading the team with 10 sacks.  Look for him to post double digit sack totals most of his career.  The defensive line is big and bulky.  Cullen Jenkins is the workhorse.  Constantly getting into the backfield pressuring both the quarterback and running back.  Ryan Pickett will move to the outside leaving the nose tackle position to last years 1st round pick B.J. Raji.  Pickett will continue to produce, but the key will be Raji who looked lost at times last year.  With a few tweaks the emphasis will still be getting to the quarterback and causing turnovers.
Minnesota perhaps has the best front seven in the league.  Jared Allen, Ray Edwards and the Williams’ wall of Kevin and Pat form the best defensive line in the game today.  Edwards and Allen combine for 23 of the teams 48 sacks last year.  The Williams’ are the best run stuffing tackle combination in the league.  It’s no surprise that they ranked 2nd against the rush last year.  Chad Greenway is an underrated outside linebacker.  His motor is constantly running.  Ben Leber is decent in coverage, but has a knack for causing havoc in the backfield.  E.J. Henderson appears ready to play after a horrific leg injury ended his season late last year.  Once he went down the defense suffered a bit down the stretch.  The secondary has a needed boost of adrenaline with 2nd round pick Chris Cook aboard.  His size (6’2″) and deceptive speed will be trouble for most number one receivers in the near future.  Antoine Winfield isn’t the same corner he used to be, but can still help in run support.  Tyrell Johnson is slowly becoming a great safety.  He is sometimes prone to the deep pass, but is improving in that realm.
Chicago will definitely get and added boost with Julius Peppers on the defensive end.  Most quarterbacks were relaxed against the Bears last year knowing their lack of a pass rush, but they will have trouble sleeping the night before they play Chicago.  Brian Urlacher returning to Pro-Bowl form will be an added bonus.  The life was sucked out of the defense when he went down with an arm injury during the first game.  Two players that must return to form are tackle Tommie Harris and Lance Briggs.  If they have another sub par season fans will be demanding the Bears get a return on their investment from both of them.  The secondary still has some trouble spots, but it can only go up from here on out.  Charles Tillman is healthy.  Zackary Bowman gained valuable experience during last season.  This year figures to be a plus for the safeties as Chris Harris was signed from Carolina and Major Wright, a 3rd round pick out of Florida will help in both coverage and in stopping the run.
The Lions figure the best way to get a great defense is to start from scratch.  They’ve rebuilt the entire defensive line by the drafting of Ndamukong Suh 2nd overall, trading for Corey Williams and signing Kyle Vanden Bosch.  Vanden Bosch and Suh figure to make immediate impacts as their high motors and tough persona will spread throughout the ranks.  Williams was a bust in the 3-4 system in Cleveland, but in a 4-3 in Green Bay the previous year he looks to rebound to his old form.  Julian Peterson is the only viable option at linebacker.  The 11 year veteran is determined to see a winner in Detroit (Michigan State alum).  The secondary is revamped.  Chris Houston was the number one cornerback in Atlanta.  He was acquired to bring some added toughness to the secondary.  Louis Delmas was the lone bright spot as his toughness and tenacity were welcome, but it didn’t translate into much.  This year will different in the Motor City.