# Season Long NFC North Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 1, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514 "2009-09-01T17:54:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/341 "2009-10-26T19:16:37Z")
Can’t argue with any of that. I’m not saying they _won’t_ make it to the NFCCG, just that they don’t have better than a 50/50 shot to do so. That schedule is awfully hard not to like, though, especially with the Ravens and Steelers out of the way. Dare I say the Bengals might be resting starters by Week 15 with the division locked up? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/342 "2009-10-26T19:29:29Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Before anybody starts writing the Vikings off already, it should be pointed out that after they go to Lambeau next week, they have a pretty [soft schedule](http://www.nfl.com/teams/schedule?team=min) the rest of the way. After the Packers next week, they have a bye, then three home games in a row against Detroit, Seattle and Chicago. It doesn’t get much tougher later on – Cards, Bengals, Panthers, Bears again. The only tough game left on the schedule is when they host the Giants on the last week of the regular season. Barring significant injuries, I don’t see the Vikings finishing any worse than 12-4. 13-3 or 14-2 are not unrealistic. Hell, even 15-1 is not out of the question. The Vikings should finish well enough to get a first round bye and give Favre at least one playoff game in the Dome. Their chances of getting at least to the NFCCG are still pretty solid. I think the Division is almost a given if they win at Lambeau next week (it’s a whole new race if they don’t). > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Can’t argue with any of that. I’m not saying they _won’t_ make it to the NFCCG, just that they don’t have better than a 50/50 shot to do so. That schedule is awfully hard not to like, though, especially with the Ravens and Steelers out of the way. > > Dare I say the Bengals might be resting starters by Week 15 with the division locked up? 😉 You wanna talk easy schedules? Look at the Cards the rest of the way. 8 Nov 01 CAR @ ARI 9 Nov 08 ARI @ CHI 10 Nov 15 SEA @ ARI 11 Nov 22 ARI @ STL 12 Nov 29 ARI @ TEN 13 Dec 06 MIN @ ARI 14 Dec 14 ARI @ SF 15 Dec 20 ARI @ DET 16 Dec 27 STL @ ARI 17 Jan 03 GB @ ARI They get the Packers and Vikes at home. They have a couple potentially tough divisional games with Seattle and San Fran left, but I think they have better odds of sweeping those games than the Vikes do of handling GB and Chicago twice. As for the rest: Carolina, St Louis twice, Tennessee and Detroit for a combined total of 3 wins. That Bears game in Soldier Field might be cold but with the way the Bears played this week even I’m not feeling great about it, aside from Tennessee there isn’t another game where the elements will play a role. They lose maybe 3 games for the rest of the season at worst, assuming a split with the SF and SEA and losing 2 or 3 versus the NFC North. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/343 "2009-10-26T19:29:53Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > **It doesn’t get much tougher later on** – Cards, Bengals, Panthers, Bears again. The **only tough game left on the schedule is when they host the Giants on the last week of the regular season** ORLY? The Bears thought so too! The Bengals are only going to get better as the season progresses. Favre has shown the tendency to _regress_ as the season wears on, last season being a glaring example of that. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/344 "2009-10-26T19:34:17Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > ORLY? > > The Bears thought so too! > > The Bengals are only going to get better as the season progresses. Favre has shown the tendency to _regress_ as the season wears on, last season being a glaring example of that. Incidentally I find it patently absurd that the Giants coming to Minny qualifies as a “tough game” but traveling to face the Cardinals, a team that just went into the Meadowlands and beat the same Giants in Primetime, doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/345 "2009-10-26T19:40:40Z")
That’s because the Cardinals have yet to show up for games on a consistent basis, while the Giants do show up. It does seem like the Cardinals are going to explode through the SB hangover, though. ---
**Author:** ![UncleNito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7cd45c/32.png) [@UncleNito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleNito)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/346 "2009-10-26T19:44:17Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Before anybody starts writing the Vikings off already, it should be pointed out that after they go to Lambeau next week, they have a pretty [soft schedule](http://www.nfl.com/teams/schedule?team=min) the rest of the way. After the Packers next week, they have a bye, then three home games in a row against Detroit, Seattle and Chicago. It doesn’t get much tougher later on – Cards, Bengals, Panthers, Bears again. The only tough game left on the schedule is when they host the Giants on the last week of the regular season. Barring significant injuries, I don’t see the Vikings finishing any worse than 12-4. 13-3 or 14-2 are not unrealistic. Hell, even 15-1 is not out of the question. The Vikings should finish well enough to get a first round bye and give Favre at least one playoff game in the Dome. Their chances of getting at least to the NFCCG are still pretty solid. I think the Division is almost a given if they win at Lambeau next week (it’s a whole new race if they don’t). I think it remains to be seen whether the Bears are an easy W or not, or whether the Bengals are a softer opponent than the Ravens. Maybe, maybe not. Too soon to say. The Packers get the Bucs instead of the Panthers, and the Cowpokes instead of the Giants. I don’t think there’s as big a difference between the remaining schedules than you make it out to be. I will go on the record now, however, and say that 15-1 is out of the question for Minnesota. Early line is GB by 3. Nationally televised Fox game. The season starts Sunday! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/347 "2009-10-26T22:13:12Z")
I think it will be interesting to see if Favre’s body can handle the second half of the season. And not only that, his mind and his sharpness. Last year was a colossal collapse by the Jets, whom by every right looked to be a playoff team after eight games last year. Favre bears a lot of responsibility for their meltdown. I wonder if history will repeat itself. Perhaps they should look to try to insert Tarvaris into the lineup at random intervals to spell the old man and maybe run a little wildcat with Jackson and AP. Interesting times. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/348 "2009-10-27T12:58:13Z")
A lot of Jets fans and Favre-haters seem to be willfully ignoring Favre’s injury last year that contributed to his (and the Jets’) poor finish. Look - I even have a cite: > **[NFL National Football League News, Video, Rumors, Scores, Stats, Standings -...](https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/)** > > Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/349 "2009-10-27T13:09:58Z")
He’s playing with the same injury now. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/350 "2009-10-27T14:15:14Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > He’s playing with the same injury now. Check your facts, man. He had surgery in May to address it. > **[NBC Sports - news, scores, stats, rumors, videos, and more](https://www.nbcsports.com/)** > > Stay up-to-date with the latest sports news and scores from NBC Sports. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/351 "2009-10-28T05:23:19Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Incidentally I find it patently absurd that the Giants coming to Minny qualifies as a “tough game” but traveling to face the Cardinals, a team that just went into the Meadowlands and beat the same Giants in Primetime, doesn’t. Ha! Speaking as a Giants fan, I don’t see the Giants game as a tough one for Minny simply because the Vikings have consistently pushed the Giants shit in during the Eli/Coughlin era. I’m personally hoping that the Giants/Vikings game ends up not mattering for at least one of them. If it ends up being a big playoff seeding game, I just might shit my pants. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/352 "2009-10-28T06:01:29Z")
Adrian Peterson did once have a 243 yard game against the Giants. That was in his rookie year, though, and it was before teams were scheming 9 in the box against him. Arizona I have a hard time buying into all the way because of their inconsistency. Of course, I never really bought all the way into them last year either and they made it to the Superbowl, so that shows what I know. After sunday, I do concede that I’m probably underrating the Bengals. I don’t think that any team is going to see them as an easy beat from here on out. The Bears probably should scare me a little, but they don’t. I admit that I’m not feeling tremendously confident about the Packers game on sunday. I feel like that one could go either way, and it remains to be seen how Favre will perform as the enemy at Lambeau. He probably doesn’t know himself. I know it can be feast or famine with him. He could could have one of his Jedi games (like when his dad died, or like his first fgame against the Pack this year), or he could have one of those patented Brett Favre, five interception meltdowns. The one thing that encourages me is that he’s been a lot more willing to just take the sack this year and not try to thread the needle. I think he’s consciously trying not to make thsoe wreckless mistakes he’s so infamous for. This is going to be one hell of an interesting game, no matter what, maybe the most interesting game of the season. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/353 "2009-10-28T14:02:31Z")
> [@unwashed\_brain](#): > > Check your facts, man. He had surgery in May to address it. > [NBC Sports - news, scores, stats, rumors, videos, and more](http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/33200133/ns/sports-nfl/) I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/354 "2009-10-28T16:42:01Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Adrian Peterson did once have a 243 yard game against the Giants. That was in his rookie year, though, and it was before teams were scheming 9 in the box against him. > > Arizona I have a hard time buying into all the way because of their inconsistency. Of course, I never really bought all the way into them last year either and they made it to the Superbowl, so that shows what I know. > > After sunday, I do concede that I’m probably underrating the Bengals. I don’t think that any team is going to see them as an easy beat from here on out. > > The Bears probably should scare me a little, but they don’t. > > I admit that I’m not feeling tremendously confident about the Packers game on sunday. I feel like that one could go either way, and it remains to be seen how Favre will perform as the enemy at Lambeau. He probably doesn’t know himself. I know it can be feast or famine with him. He could could have one of his Jedi games (like when his dad died, or like his first fgame against the Pack this year), or he could have one of those patented Brett Favre, five interception meltdowns. The one thing that encourages me is that he’s been a lot more willing to just take the sack this year and not try to thread the needle. I think he’s consciously trying not to make thsoe wreckless mistakes he’s so infamous for. > > This is going to be one hell of an interesting game, no matter what, maybe the most interesting game of the season. Favre for the most part this season has been under good control. Not sure if that is the result of the coaching, or just his determination to prove people wrong. The Pittsburgh game showed a couple flashes of the old Favre impatience. I’m seriously hoping that he doesn’t have the “A” game Sunday. He sure did up in Minnesota a couple weeks ago, and if he does have it at Lambeau, gonna really shut some cheese-headed peeps up. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/355 "2009-10-28T18:22:51Z")
> [@unwashed\_brain](#): > > A lot of Jets fans and Favre-haters seem to be willfully ignoring Favre’s injury last year that contributed to his (and the Jets’) poor finish. Look - I even have a cite: > [NFL News, Video, Rumors, Scores, Stats, Standings - Yahoo Sports](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/Jets-GM-lied-about-Favre-injury?urn=nfl,188863) Did he have that injury at the end of 2007 too? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/356 "2009-10-28T18:37:00Z")
Didn’t he have one of his best statistical years and go the the NFC Championship game that year? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/357 "2009-10-28T19:10:45Z")
Yes. He then threw two awful interceptions including a Favre end-of-season classic in overtime to set up the Giants’ winning field goal. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/358 "2009-10-28T19:50:18Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Favre for the most part this season has been under good control. Not sure if that is the result of the coaching, or just his determination to prove people wrong. [/quote] I’ve always thought it was a shame that Favre didn’t have the patience throughout his career. You put Joe Montana’s head in that strong armed body and the sky would be the limit for him. Back in 95-97, when he was playing so damn well and his TD to INT ratio was very good, I thought he’d be a world beater, the best quarterback ever. But he got his ring, White retired, and Holmgren left, and he became the reckless gunslinger who would cost the Packer’s games (as well as win them). Favre has always been better when he has something to prove which gets him to focus his meathead on the game of football. Early last season with the JETS, and so far this season, he’s been a quality quarterback, playing within a system and not making idiotic throws. We will see if he can keep it up. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/359 "2009-10-29T00:29:27Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Didn’t he have one of his best statistical years and go the the NFC Championship game that year? Yes, he played really well. Until it got cold. Ryan Grant carried the team over Seattle, The only other real cold games he had to play late in the season were in Chicago and against the Giants, both of which he did relatively poorly in. My theory is it is the cold, in which case Minnesota doesn’t have a whole lot to worry about, unless they lose homefield advantage to a place with an outdoor cold stadium. However, it could be a stamina/endurance thing, in which case Minnesota might need to worry. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514/360 "2009-10-29T02:44:36Z")
And part of the Bears nightmare at LG [is over](http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/news/story?id=4602540). This should not have taken this long and I suspect it will pay dividends almost immediately. There are still a ton of issues on the line, and it remains to be seen if another move needs to be made, but at least this should prevent the jailbreak at that position every 8 snaps or so. I hope that Beekman can help bring us a sliver closer to the running game we managed last season. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/season-long-nfc-north-discussion-thread/508514.md?page=19)