Post columnist Steve Serby takes a look at the NFL and breaks down each team and every division as part of our 2011 NFL Preview:
1. GREEN BAY PACKERS
Coach: Mike McCarthy
2011 projection: 11-5
2010 record: 10-6
Over/under wins: 11 1/2
Odds to win Super Bowl: 8-1
Serby Says: Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews are the top-selling NFL jerseys (that’s right, ahead of Ropati Pituitoa and Dave Tollefson. But it must be noted that the inevitable stampede for Tiki jerseys is just a comeback signing away).
GM Ted Thompson sure has been vindicated for tearing the Wranglers off Hattiesburg Brett. As if Rodgers didn’t have enough weapons — lethal Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones — here comes rookie Randall Cobb, who will juice up the return game at the very least. TE Jermichael Finley, back from knee surgery that cost him most of the season, only has a chance to be the reincarnation of Antonio Gates.
Look for the no-huddle to further keep defenses off balance. RB James Starks shined in the playoffs and is ready if Ryan Grant (knee) falters behind an offensive line that can withstand the departure of G Daryn Colledge (Cardinals).
Elite defensive coordinator Dom Capers has an elite secondary (CBs Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams), an elite pass rusher (Matthews) and a rising star (DE B.J. Raji).
PK Mason Crosby is one of the best.
Is there a street named yet after Mike McCarthy? There should be.
Drew’s Fantasy Tracker: Rodgers, Grant, Jennings, Finley — who¹s not to like?
2. DETROIT LIONS
Coach: Jim Schwartz
2011 projection: 9-7
2010 record: 6-10
Over/under wins: 7 1/2
Odds to win Super Bowl: 35-1
Serby Says: The only thing foes have to fear is fear itself, and Ndamukong Suh, who almost makes Alex Karras and Joe Schmidt look like shrinking violets by comparison. And no jokes that Matt Millen would have drafted him as a wide receiver, please.
The days of this franchise being a laughingstock are over. Jim Schwartz has restored the roar. Matthew Stafford, who has missed 19 games over his first two seasons, has a golden arm that someday soon will have 4,000 passing yards in it. In WR Calvin Johnson and TEs Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler, he has a trio of small forwards masquerading as football players. Rookie WR Titus Young is the deep threat. If lightning-fast RB Jahvid Best can stay healthy — a big if — this could be one scary offense.
DEs Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril, and DTs Corey Williams and No. 1 pick Nick Fairley form the rest of a frightening front line that could be nicknamed Suhnami, but actually will be the Silver Crush. The new MLB is Stephen Tulloch, who was in Tennessee when Schwartz was Jeff Fisher¹s defensive coordinator. The cornerbacks are Chris Houston and Eric Wright, but if the Silver Crush is everything defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham expects it to be, then they can be Mitch Albom and Lawrence Frank, for all it matters.
Stefan Logan, all 5-foot-6 of him, averaged 12.1 yards on 30 punt returns and 26.3 yards on 55 kickoffs in 2010.
The city has been waiting since 2000 for a winning team. The wait is over.
Drew’s Fantasy Tracker: Breakout year for Stafford. Johnson will lead all fantasy WRs. Don’t rush to get Best. Pettigrew good grab late.
3. CHICAGO BEARS
Coach: Lovie Smith
2011 projection: 7-9
2010 record: 11-5
Over/under wins: 8 1/2
Odds to win Super Bowl: 25-1
Serby Says: Kristin Cavallari broke her engagement to Jay Cutler for neither of the following reasons: She was appalled that he stood by idly with that sprained MCL in the second half of the NFC Championship Game; she feared that she would become a widow given the state of the offensive line. Be that as it may, if Cutler is sacked fiftysomething times again this season, he may be breaking up with offensive coordinator Mike Martz.
Respected offensive line coach Mike Tice will need to work magic. Veteran center Olin Kreutz is gone to New Orleans, replaced by Roberto Garza or Chris Spencer. No. 1 pick Gabe Carimi is the right tackle. J’Marcus Webb, the RT last year, is now the LT. Get the picture?
With ex-Cowboys bust Roy Williams imported as a Martz reclamation project and out-of-shape No. 1 wide receiver, Cutler’s best course of action would seem to be getting the ball somehow, someway into RB Matt Forte’s hands, and quickly.
Lovie Smith¹s Cover 2 once again will be called upon to carry the day, led by The-Over-30-Gang of DE Julius Peppers, MLB Brian Urlacher and OLB Lance Briggs. No one worries about RCB Charles Tillman, but everyone should worry whether Major Wright can replace Danieal Manning (Texans) at free safety.
Placekicker Robbie Gould is pressure-proof, but the new kickoff rules are anathema to Devin Hester, the NFL record-holder with 14 return touchdowns.
It won’t help that there is a sense of disenchantment with the front office by more than a few prominent veterans.
Drew’s Fantasy Tracker: We fear Forte will be hurt by addition of Marion Barber. As much as we dislike Cutler, he’s a solid pick in bottom third of draft. Williams, Hester and Johnny Knox don’t excite us.
4. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Coach: Leslie Frazier
2011 projection: 5-11
2010 record: 6-10
Over/under wins: 6 1/2
Odds to win Super Bowl: 35-1
Serby Says: There’s nowhere to go but up personally for Donovan McNabb, even if he just wheels around and hands off to Adrian Peterson. But he’s little more these days than a bridge to No. 1 draft Christian Ponder. At least he’ll like Tony Dungyesque head coach Leslie Frazier better than Mike Shanahan.
All Day will be staring into eight-man boxes all day and taking a pounding, because the offensive line is a sieve. With LT Charlie Johnson protecting his blind side with Bryant McKinnie released and picked up by the Ravens, McNabb could have flashbacks to the night Osi Umenyiora sacked him six times and the Giants got him 12 times in all. When he isn’t handing off to Peterson, he should look as often as he can for WR Percy Harvin, who gives defenders migraines in the open field. Because it isn’t worth his time and effort looking for Bernard Berrian or Michael Jenkins. Or for Sidney Rice, who’s in Seattle now.
NT Pat Williams and DE Ray Edwards are gone, and so are the days when the front four was feared as Purple People Eaters. DT Remi Ayodele and his 2 1/2 career sacks will be lining up alongside the other half of the Williams Wall, Kevin Williams, and hope that DE Jared Allen can bring the heat. With suspect safeties, CBs Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin (two ACL injuries) will bear the burden of staring down the likes of gunslingers Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford.
Able PK Ryan Longwell and P Chris Kluwe will be busy.
Drew’s Fantasy Tracker: Peterson is Jim Morrison. The rest are The Doors. Harvin has some upside. McNabb not so much.