The Bengals took the division last year and in my opinion are the favourite to do so again. This is a team with the potential for a really strong offense but there has to be some concern about the defense because DC Mike Zimmer finally got that head coaching opportunity he deserves.
The Baltimore Ravens were classic in following up their Super Bowl winning campaign with a frustrating season in which they didn’t even qualify for the playoffs. They gave big money to QB Joe Flacco and saw Ray Lewis retire and things just weren’t the same.
There are so many story lines with the Cleveland Browns it is hard to know where to start. Josh Gordon? Johnny Manziel? The fact that this team can never seem to get it right?
How about all of the above?
As much as any franchise in the NFL the Pittsburgh Steelers expect to win. As a result last year do not sit well with the franchise but with no overly dominant team in the division right now there is no reason they can not reverse their fortune and get back on top of the division this season.
Green Bay Packers Preview
The Green Bay Packers look primed to continue their run atop of the NFC North. I am not a big fan of their signature move of the offseason – bringing in DE Julius Peppers – but even if it is a failure this team should have more than enough offense to make the playoffs, then who knows.
They haven’t bridged the gap with the likes of Seattle but they are a contender, maybe second in the conference after the Seahawks who they face the opening week. Cappers Picks provides free NFL football handicapping tips all season long.
The Detroit Lions showed some improvement last season after a terrible 2012 but it wasn’t enough to save the coach. This year they are hoping that Jim Caldwell can get them to the next level with a little help from Matt Stafford and Megatron of course. This team has always been able to move the ball and score but they need to get their defense to pick up some of the slack too.
There are some nice pieces that they need to gel as a unit. Cappers Picks provides free NFL football handicapping tips all season long.
The Minnesota Vikings won 5 games last season and it is going to be hard to improve on that total this season. Overall I think this team is poised to get to a more competitive level in the near future but with their top pick at QB not quite ready for prime time it will be at least another season before improvement shows up in the form of wins and losses.
Cappers Picks provides free NFL football handicapping tips all season long.
The Chicago Bears enter the season looking to break the box of mediocrity they have been for the last few seasons. At times, when the offense is clicking they look every bit the equal of Green Bay, but they inevitably struggle down the stretch to collect the wins they should.
Coach Marc Trestman looks like he belongs in the league now he has to prove he is a winner and not just an offensive guru. Cappers Picks provides free NFL football handicapping tips all season long.
