The Green Bay Packers were a surprising Super Bowl winner last year. This season they are the favourites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy again.
On paper everything is in their favour. Last season, a battered core of players got 10 wins in the regular season and marched through the playoffs. This year many stars, like running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley, are healthy. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is poised for another big year and Green Bay has a weak enough division to build momentum for the playoffs.
In fact, despite the moves made in the offseason, odds are the National Football Conference North gets only one team to the playoffs. Sure, the Chicago Bears have a great defence with Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers and they added offensive punch with Marion Barber. But I see them fighting to get to eight wins and barely holding off the Detroit Lions for second spot.
The Packers should be tested by the rest of the NFC. One of their biggest threats is the Philadelphia Eagles, who feature a rejuvenated Michael Vick at quarterback and playmaker wide receiver DeSean Jackson. With their additions in the offseason (such as Vince Young) the Eagles should get at least 11 wins to win the NFC East again.
The New York Giants should be right behind the Eagles. They had 10 wins last year and I expect a similar effort this year. Running back Brandon Jacobs is primed for a return to form and even with Osi Umenyiora hurt to start the year, the defence can give any offence fits throughout the year.
Green Bay also has to think about the NFC South. Drew Brees has enough talent around him to guide the New Orleans Saints to a division crown with 12 wins. From there look for Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons along with Josh Freeman’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers to hover around 10 wins.
In my opinion, the NFC West remains a weak group that should see a dogfight for a winning record and the division crown. Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams should barely have enough talent to bypass the Arizona Cardinals and Kevin Kolb.
Assuming Green Bay does fight through to the Super Bowl, I expect them to get a better fight from the American Football Conference courtesy of the New York Jets. Mark Sanchez and company have been a real contender the last few seasons. This season I expect Plaxico Burress to open up throwing lanes and push the Jets over the top.
Granted the Jets have competition from all directions. For starters they will be hard pressed to win the AFC East. The New England Patriots are regular season stars with Tom Brady and should get to 11 wins. The AFC North remains a hurdle for New York as Ben Roethlisberger’s Pittsburgh Steelers and Ray Rice’s Baltimore Ravens should slug it out for division supremacy with around 10 wins each.
New York also have to consider the AFC South and the AFC West. I don’t expect either to produce serious contenders because the Indianapolis Colts look to be in trouble with Peyton Manning not 100 per cent and Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers have much to prove. However both divisions should feature loads of intrigue thanks to Matt Schaub’s Houston Texans and Thomas Jones’ Kansas City Chiefs.
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