09-05-2021 Ravens Preview - Flipbook - Page 45
NFL2021
NFC North
GREEN BAY
PACKERS (14-4)
Projected 2021 win
total: 11
LAST YEAR: QB Aaron Rodgers delivered
his third MVP season as the Packers
breezed to the NFC North title and beat
the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional
playoffs before falling 31-26 at home
to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their
second straight NFC championship
game loss. Four of the Packers’ last
seven seasons have ended in the NFC
championship game. WR Davante
Adams, LT David Bakhtiari and C
Corey Linsley joined Rodgers as All-Pro
selections. The Packers scored a leaguehigh 31.5 points per game.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: Defensive
coordinator Joe Barry, QB Kurt Benkert,
QB Blake Bortles, LB De’Vondre Campbell,
C Josh Myers, CB Eric Stokes, WR Amari
Rodgers
IMPORTANT LOSSES: Linsley, DL
Montravius Adams, QB Tim Boyle,
LB Christian Kirksey, special teams
coordinator Shawn Mennenga, defensive
coordinator Mike Pettine, OT Rick Wagner,
RB Jamaal Williams
NOTES: While the Rodgers drama ate
up most of the summer, the Packers
also needed to use camp to get used to
Barry’s defensive scheme and figure out
arranging their offensive line now that
Linsley has left for the Chargers.
EXPECTATIONS: With the reigning MVP
running the offense, they’re primed to
make a Super Bowl run. The Packers
didn’t allow Pro Bowl RB Aaron Jones to
leave via free agency during the offseason
and signed Bakhtiari and DT Kenny
Clark to extensions last year, moves that
indicate they realize their time to contend
is now. Everything would have changed
dramatically if Rodgers wasn’t in uniform.
Love didn’t play a down last season and
never even got a chance to participate in
preseason games due to the pandemic,
so nobody really knows what to expect
from him.
MINNESOTA
VIKINGS (7-9)
Projected 2021 win
total: 8.5
LAST YEAR: After a badly deteriorated
defense and a rash of turnovers by QB Kirk
Cousins left the Vikings at 1-5 entering
their bye week, the brilliance of rookie WR
Justin Jefferson and workhorse RB Dalvin
Cook helped them finish on a better note.
Cousins recovered from the rough start to
post a career-high 35 touchdown passes
and help the offense finish fourth in the
NFL in yards and 11th in points, despite
inconsistent protection. Still, the Vikings
missed the playoffs for a fourth time in
seven seasons under Mike Zimmer, putting
the head coach in prove-it mode.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: DT Dalvin
Tomlinson, CB Patrick Peterson, DT
Sheldon Richardson, CB Mackensie
Alexander, CB Bashaud Breeland, S Xavier
Woods, DE Stephen Weatherly, K Greg
Joseph, CB Tye Smith, LB Nick Vigil, LT
Christian Darrisaw, RG Wyatt Davis, QB
Kellen Mond.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: LT Riley Reiff, TE
Kyle Rudolph, S Anthony Harris, LB Eric
Wilson, K Dan Bailey, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo,
DT Shamar Stephen, DT Jaleel Johnson,
LB Todd Davis, LB Hardy Nickerson, CB
Mike Hughes, CB Chris Jones, RB Mike
Boone, offensive coordinator Gary
Kubiak.
NOTES: Bringing rookies Darrisaw and
Davis up to NFL speed will be high on the
to-do list, as new offensive coordinator
Klint Kubiak puts his stamp on the
scheme after succeeding his now-retired
father. Most of the work to be done is on
defense, with an influx of experience from
the offseason shopping spree led by the
eight-time Pro Bowl pick Peterson likely
to help the cause.
EXPECTATIONS: The odd-numbered
years under Zimmer have been the best
ones, and the pieces are in place for a
rebound. This will be a crucial season
for him and GM Rick Spielman, not
to mention Cousins, who now has a
successor-in-waiting with Mond being
drafted in the third round. Winning a
playoff game or two will be paramount to
their future in purple.
CHICAGO BEARS
(8-9)
Projected 2021 win
total: 7.5
LAST YEAR: The Bears made the
playoffs for a second time in coach Matt
Nagy’s three seasons despite going 8-8
for a second year in a row. QB Mitchell
Trubisky got benched in Week 3 in favor of
veteran Nick Foles before returning to the
lineup in late November. The Bears lost six
straight in their worst skid since 2002 and
eight of their final 11 outings, counting the
playoff defeat.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: QB Justin
Fields, QB Andy Dalton, OT Teven
Jenkins, WR Marquise Goodwin, RB
Damien Williams, OL Elijah Wilkinson,
CB Desmond Trufant, DT Mike Pennel,
defensive coordinator Sean Desai.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: QB Mitchell
Trubisky, CB Kyle Fuller, LT Charles
Leno Jr., RT Bobby Massie, defensive
coordinator Chuck Pagano.
NOTES: All eyes will be on the
quarterbacks. The Bears have been
consistent in saying Dalton is their starter
since they signed the three-time Pro
Bowler to a one-year, $10 million contract
in March. That hasn’t changed since they
traded up nine spots with the Giants to
draft Fields with the No. 11 pick. Even if
Dalton starts Week 1, how long he will
stay in that spot? Chicago appears to be
trying to follow the Kansas City blueprint
in which Patrick Mahomes essentially
redshirted for his 2017 rookie season
behind Alex Smith. But Dalton doesn’t
have a track record of success with his
current team that Smith did in Kansas
City.
EXPECTATIONS: The Bears looked
like they might be propping open a
championship window when they won
the NFC North at 12-4 in Nagy’s first
season. Two disappointing years later,
the heat is on GM Ryan Pace and Nagy.
Chairman George McCaskey opted to
stick with them, citing the team’s culture
and how“they’ve handled adversity the
last two seasons.” Fields’ arrival gave fans
a huge jolt of excitement and belief that
the Bears might have the franchise QB
they’ve lacked for decades.
45
With Rodgers back after
an offseason of drama,
the Packers are again
runaway faves to win the
division — but don’t sleep
on Vikings or Bears.
DETROIT LIONS
(5-11)
Projected 2021 win
total: 5
LAST YEAR: GM Bob Quinn and coach
Matt Patricia were fired 11 games into the
season, which ended with double digits in
losses for the third straight year. Detroit’s
defense gave up 519 points and 6,716
yards to break the team records set by its
2008 winless team and to rank among
the worst in NFL history. The offense
simply couldn’t keep up with the porous
defense in QB Matthew Stafford’s final
year with the team, especially because
standout WR Kenny Golladay was limited
to five games due to injuries.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: GM Brad
Holmes, coach Dan Campbell, QB Jared
Goff, RB Jamaal Williams, WRs Tyrell
Williams, Geronimo Allison and Breshad
Perriman, TE Darren Fells, OT Penei
Sewell (No. 7 overall draft pick), DT Levi
Onwuzurike (No. 41 overall draft pick), DT
Michael Brockers, CB Quinton Dunbar, K
Randy Bullock, returner Kalif Raymond.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: Stafford, RBs
Kerryon Johnson and Adrian Peterson,
WRs Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny
Amendola, TE Jesse James, DT Danny
Shelton, CBs Desmond Trufant and Justin
Coleman, S Duron Harmon, K Matt Prater,
returner Jamal Agnew.
NOTES: The Lions’ new leaders in the
front office, on the sideline and field
are aiming to begin turning around a
long-suffering franchise. Holmes, a
former Los Angeles Rams executive, was
given his first shot to be a GM. Ex-New
Orleans Saints assistant head coach Dan
Campbell earned a second chance to
lead an NFL team.
EXPECTATIONS: While the retooled
franchise has infused enthusiasm in
players, a defense that doesn’t appear to
be dramatically improved will likely lead
to a fourth straight season with 10-plus
losses. The offense may have a chance
to control the clock with a running game
that features a solid offense line that can
open holes for second-year pro D’Andre
Swift and Jamaal Williams.
— Associated Press