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Green Bay Packers Reason for Pessimism: For the Packers, there are three key areas of concern. First, do they have a dominant running back to lead an effective running game? The Packers have options -- Alex Green, DuJuan Harris, James Starks, number two draft pick Eddie Lacy, and number four draft pick Jonathan Franklin. But are any of them going to be able to dominate and be the lead back the team can rely on consistently? Next, offensive line depth is a trouble spot. The absence of injured left tackle Bryan Bulaga is significant, especially because 4th Round rookie David Bakhtiari is the projected replacement. If Bakhtiari does not produce, who will protect Aaron Rodgers? And finally, the entire defense is a question mark. Colin Kaepernick ran for 181 yards against the Packers in a playoff game. With Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush and Matt Forte in the division, run defense has to be an issue. Then there is the matter of replacing the veteran leadership of Charles Woodson in the back four and an inconsistent kicking game. Reason for Optimism: The Packers have the best quarterback in football and Rodgers had 39 touchdowns against eight interceptions -- and hes tough, as is evidenced by the 51 sacks he took. Jordy Nelson should be okay and is one of many talented receivers, so there is no reason Green Bay cant put up big numbers if it has too. The Packers are 53-27 since Rodgers took over as the starter. To help the defence, Mike McCarthy sent his whole defensive staff to Texas A&M to explore the read option offense that the 49ers used so easily against the Packers. The organization will see if it was money well spent right away, as Green Bay plays San Francisco in Week 1. McCarthy has a career record of 74-28, which is very good for any head coach at any level. Whatever the problem is, he will find the answer. Reality: This Packers team could be three touchdowns behind in the 4th quarter and their passing offense will find a way to score four. The running game will improve. Green Bay addressed that need and a new good back will be found in that mix. Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit have all improved, but the NFC North is still the Packers to lose, and I dont think they will. Prediction: First in the NFC North. Chicago Bears Reason for Pessimism: This will be interesting. Marc Trestman is the new coach for the Bears and his number one priority is to make Jay Cutler into a top NFL quarterback. Trestman is not Lovie Smith in personality. I had the impression that players enjoyed playing for Lovie Smith (see Brian Urlacher), and playing for Trestman will be different. Not better or worse, just different, so the players will have to adjust to his style. Last years Bears team was 10-6, so the Bears need to be 11-5 to say the coaching move was the right one. In a division as good as the NFC North, 11-5 will be tough but it would also mean a playoff spot. It will be difficult to improve upon that won loss record without Urlacher at middle linebacker. I am glad the future Hall of Famer did not sign with another team and left the game as a career Bear. But that is a huge leadership void to be filled. Even with Urlacher gone, age is an issue in Chicago. Julius Peppers is going into his twelfth year. Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman are in year 11. Thats three key starters needing to have the energy of a young player for 16 games and stay healthy. Reason for Optimism: I think Cutler will have a great year for several reasons. First, it is his contract year. Every pro football player knows if there is a time to turn it on it is in your contract year. With the money given to Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo and Joe Flacco, Cutler knows that an opportunity of a life time is in front of him and it will never appear again. Also, Trestman is a very good teacher and play caller. The association will work intellectually because of the clarity Trestman will provide. Another reason is this will be the best offensive line the Bears will have had in a long time. Jermon Bushrod can athletically compete with any explosive defensive end in football. Former Jet Matt Slauson is underrated because Nick Mangold took a lot of the attention in New York. And Kyle Long will improve and contribute due to his physical skills and blood lines. The talent in Chicago is there, it just needs to be focused, disciplined and progressively improved. Reality: I think the Bears can win the division expect for one obstacle -- Aaron Rodgers. The Bears would need to beat the Packers twice to win the division and I just dont see that happening. Prediction: Second in the NFC North. Detroit Lions Reason for Pessimism: The Lions dropped from 10 wins and a playoff appearance to four wins and a re-building label in just one season. They probably overpaid on the extension of quarterback Matthew Stafford but that was a salary cap management move as much as anything else. Breaking NFL records usually is considered a unique and wonderful accomplishment, but last year Stafford broke the NFL record for pass attempts with 727. Thats an amazing number, but it suggests that there is no balance in the offense. Just pass, pass and more passing. The defensive line, formerly a strength, is now being re-built. The tackle position is good with Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, but the defensive ends are not proven. Number one pick Ziggy Ansah has exceptional potential, but he is very limited in terms of experience. In 2011, the Lions had perhaps the best defensive line in football, with assistance from the noise inside Ford Field when opponents were in third and long. Not anymore. Reason for Optimism: The Lions may have the single best football player on the planet in Calvin Johnson. When you have that talent at that position you can dictate to a defense every play. Then they added Reggie Bush through free agency. With a rejuvenated career and confidence, Bush will see seven man fronts because of Johnsons presence. Stafford might be the second-best thrower in football after Aaron Rodgers. He only connected for 20 touchdowns but threw for almost 5,000 yards. Red zone efficiency is a priority for the Lions offense in 2013. Reality: Are the 2013 Lions going to resemble the 2011 version that won 10 games or the 2011 squad that lost 12? About 50 per cent of last years losses were by three or four points and this year they should be able to win more of those close games, but it wont be good enough. Prediction: Third in the NFC North. Minnesota Vikings Reason for Pessimism: It is hard to believe that Adrian Peterson can top or duplicate what he accomplished last year. Peterson ran for more yards than 24 other NFL teams and finished nine yards short of Eric Dickersons single-season record. In the last 10 games, Peterson totaled almost 1,600 yards -- and all with a recently rebuilt knee. So Petersons greatness is established, but do the Vikings have a quarterback? In the month of November, Christian Ponder had four turnovers in three games and totaled just 443 yards passing. The Vikings lost three of those four games. With the second-worst passing offense, can the Vikings win 10 games in 2013 the way they did it last year -- all AP, all the time? The Vikings must also improve their pass defense after finishing 24th last year. They have to face Aaron Rogers, Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford twice a year each, so defending the pass is a must. This division is also a cornerbacks nightmare as James Jones, Brandon Marshall and Calvin Johnson all reside in the NFC North. Leslie Frazier did remarkable things, taking a three win team and turning them into a 10-6 winner, but Im just not sure he can do it again. Reason for Optimism: When you have Adrian Peterson on your team you can dictate to a defense. Any time that defense brings a defensive back close to the line of scrimmage you simply find the best 1-on-1 matchup and make it happen. If they dont bring anyone up to the line, you just run Peterson all day -- football at its simplistic best. No deep thinking. What was good about the Vikings last year is that they started fast and finished strong. They won four of their first five and five of their first seven. Then they finished by winning their last four. With two good offensive tackles in Phil Loadholt and Matt Kahlil, the Vikings may be the best power team in the entire league. Reality: The other three quarterbacks in the division have a higher skill set than Ponder. If he has a breakthrough year, the Vikings are a playoff team again but thats a big ask. Prediction: Fourth in the NFC North. Zack Greinke Jersey .com) - The Buffalo Bills will return to the friendly confines of Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday when they welcome the upstart Cleveland Browns to town. Curt Schilling Jersey . They actually finished with a better record in ‘07 than they did in ‘06 but only marginally, going from 61 victories to 66. http://www.diamondbacksteamshop.com/Diamondbacks-Ketel-Marte-Kids-Jersey/ . On the day the club activated Casey Janssen from the 15-day disabled list, his return from a strained oblique that cost him the first six weeks of the regular season, it announced Sergio Santos would be placed on the disabled list on Monday with discomfort in his right forearm. Custom Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys . Louis Cardinals continued their offensive tear with a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series. Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys . At this point, even he isnt sure when it is going to stop. The right-hander dropped his fourth straight decision in Los Angeles 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night, leaving his status very much in doubt as the Dodgers prepare for the stretch drive.Baltimore, MD (SportsNetwork.com) - Eddie Royals 1-yard touchdown catch with 38 seconds remaining lifted the San Diego Chargers over the Baltimore Ravens, 34-33, on Sunday. Philip Rivers completed 34-of-45 passes for 383 yards, three touchdowns and an interception for the Chargers (8-4), who outscored Baltimore by a 21-10 margin in the fourth quarter. Allen caught 11 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns for San Diego, which has won three in a row. Royal hauled in nine passes for 81 yards. Joe Flacco connected on 19-of-31 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns for the Ravens (7-5), who are tied with Pittsburgh and Cleveland for second place in the AFC North. Flacco also ran for a score. Justin Forsett carried the ball 24 times for 106 yards and reached the 1,000-yard rushing milestone for the first time in his career. It was his third consecutive game of more than 100 rushing yards. Final Score: Buffalo 26, Cleveland 10 Orchard Park, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Orton threw a touchdown pass, Dan Carpenter kicked four field goals in the fourth quarter and the Buffalo Bills beat the Cleveland Browns 26-10 on Sunday. Orton finished 17-of-31 for 190 yards with two interceptions. Fred Jackson had 70 yards on 21 carries for the Bills (7-5), who returned to Ralph Wilson Stadium after last Sundays scheduled home game was played a day later in Detroit after more than six feet of snow fell on the southern reaches of the Buffalo area. Cleveland rookie Johnny Manziel scored his first NFL rushing touchdown after replacing starter Brian Hoyer, who was benched in the fourth quarter following his second interception and fifth in the last two weeks. The Browns (7-5) remained tied for second in the crowded AFC North. Baltimore and Pittsburgh also lost Sunday, leaving all three teams 1 1/2 games behind Cincinnati. The Bengals won to improve to 8-3-1. Final Score: Houston 45, Tennessee 21 Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Fitzpatrick threw two of his career- high six touchdown passes to DeAndre Hopkins as the Houston Texans cruised past the Tennessee Titans, 45-21, in an AFC South blowout on Sunday. Fitzpatrick, back as Houstons starter because of the injury to Ryan Mallett, and Hopkins hooked up nine times and accounted for 238 of the quarterbacks 358 passing yards. J.J. Watt punctuated the rout with his third touchdown catch of the season and threw in two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for good measure. Arian Foster, who missed the previous two games with a groin injury, totaled 105 yards from scrimmage and caught a touchdown pass for the Texans (6-6), who still trail the division-leading Colts by two games with four to play. The Titans (2-10) dropped their sixth straight and saw starting quarterback Zach Mettenberger exit with a shoulder injury in the third quarter. Final Score: Indianapolis 49, Washington 27 Indianapolis, IN (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrew Luck threw for 370 yards with five touchdowns, leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 49-27 victory over the Washington Redskins on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was supposed to be a matchup of the top two picks in the 2012 NFL Draft, but only Luck, the No. 1 selection, played. And he played very well. Luck completed 19-of-27 throws, two of which went for scores of more than 70 yards. Coby Fleener hauled in TD passes of 30 and 73 yards, while Donte Moncrief had scoring receptions of 48 and 79 yards. Robert Griffin III, the second overall choice in 2012, was benched earlier this week by Redskins coach Jay Gruden after three straight losing efforts. Colt McCoy, the winning quarterback in Washingtons last two victories, threw for 392 yards with three touchdowns, but the Redskins defense could not stop Luck. The Colts (8-4) racked up 487 yards on just 49 plays, an average of 9.9 yards per play. Dan Herron added to the outburst with 88 yards on just eight carries, including a 49-yard touchdown run, as Indianapolis notched its second straight win. Washington (3-9) has lost four in a row since McCoy guided the team to an overtime win at Dallas on Oct. 27. The Redskins were productive with 425 yards of offense after mustering just 213 last week in a loss to San Francisco. Final Score: Jacksonville 25, NY Giants 24 Jacksonville, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Josh Scobee kicked a 43-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining to give the Jacksonville Jaguars a stunning 25-24 come-from-behind victory over the reeling New York Giants on Sunday at EverBank Field. The Jaguars (2-10) scored a pair of defensive touchdowns in the second half to rally from a 21-0 deficit, ending a four-game slide while sending the Giants (3-9) to their seventh straight loss. Blake Bortles helped the comeback, throwing for 194 yards with a touchdown. He also rushed for a team-high 68 yards on five carries, including a 20-yard run that set up Scobees go-ahead kick. Josh Brown kicked a 33-yard field goal to give the Giants a 24-22 lead with 3:26 remaining, ending a string of 22 straight Jacksonville points, but the Jaguars would not be denied. Final Score: Minnesota 31, Carolina 13 Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Adam Thielen and Everson Griffen scooped up blocked punts and returned them for scores as the Vikings defeated the Carolina Panthers 31-13 on Sunday afternoon. Thielens 30- yard return in the first quarter was the longest blocked punt return touchdown in Vikings history, but that mark was short-lived. Griffens 43- yard return in the second established the new record. Teddy Bridgewater was 15-of-21 for 138 yards with two touchdowns, while Greg Jennings caught five passes for 45 yards and a score for the Vikings (5-7), who have won three of their last five games. Cam Newton completed 18-of-35 passes for 194 yards with a touchdowwn and an interception for Carolina, which is 1-8-1 since beginning the season 2-0.dddddddddddd The Panthers, though, are still just 1 1/2 games behind New Orleans in the up-for-grabs NFC South. Final Score: New Orleans 35, Pittsburgh 32 Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Drew Brees threw five touchdown passes to five different receivers to stoke the New Orleans Saints 35-32 decision over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13 action. Brees finished with 257 yards on 19-of-27 attempts for the Saints (5-7), who put a three-game losing streak to rest. Mark Ingram racked up 122 yards on 23 carries, while Kenny Stills posted 162 yards and a score on five receptions. Marques Colston, Benjamin Watson, Nick Toon and Erik Lorig added a TD catch apiece. Ben Roethlisberger threw two late TD passes to Antonio Brown, ending up 32-of-58 for 435 yards with two interceptions for the Steelers (7-5), who had won four of their last five coming in. LeVeon Bell led his club with 159 yards on eight receptions and had 95 yards with a score on 21 attempts, while Brown ended up posting 97 yards on eight grabs. Pittsburgh remains in a three-way tie with Baltimore and Cleveland for second place in the AFC North. Final Score: St. Louis 52, Oakland 0 St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Tre Mason ran for two touchdowns and caught one more as the St. Louis Rams trounced the visiting Oakland Raiders 52-0 on Sunday. Shaun Hill completed 13-of-22 passes for 183 yards and threw two touchdowns during a dominant first half that saw the Rams (5-7) pile up 38 points. St. Louis scored touchdowns on its first five possessions and added a field goal on its sixth. Rookie Derek Carr finished 24-of-39 for 173 yards and threw interceptions on consecutive drives in the second quarter for Oakland (1-11), which snapped a 16-game losing streak with last Thursdays 24-20 home victory over Kansas City. Final Score: Cincinnati 14, Tampa Bay 13 Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Andy Dalton had one touchdown through the air and one on the ground and the Cincinnati Bengals held on for a 14-13 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Dalton also had three interceptions and went 19-for-27 for just 176 yards as the Bengals (8-3-1) went 3-0 during a three-game road swing to stay atop the AFC North. Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Baltimore all lost on Sunday to sit in a three-way tie in the division with marks of 7-5. Josh McCown went 15-for-29 for 190 yards with an interception, and Doug Martin had a rushing touchdown for the Buccaneers (2-10), who have dropped their past two games and fell to 0-6 at home this season. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27 Final Score: Detroit 34, Chicago 17 Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Joique Bell and Calvin Johnson each scored twice as the Detroit Lions grabbed a 34-17 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving. Matthew Stafford was 34-for-45 for 390 yards with two touchdown passes for the Lions (8-4), who bounced back from a pair of road losses to Arizona and New England. Bell totaled 91 yards on 23 carries while Johnson had 11 catches for 146 yards for Detroit, which had lost nine straight in its traditional Thanksgiving Day game, but has now won its past two thanks to this win and a victory over Green Bay last year. Jay Cutler was 31-for-48 for 280 yards with a pair of touchdown passes to Alshon Jeffery along with two interceptions for the Bears (5-7), who had won their previous two coming into the contest. Jeffery had nine catches for 71 yards. Final Score: Philadelphia 33, Dallas 10 Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Mark Sanchez threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as the Philadelphia Eagles seized sole possession of first place in the NFC East with a 33-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Sanchez had 217 yards on 20-of-29 passing, and LeSean McCoy posted 159 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries for the Eagles (9-3), who raced out to a 14-0 first- quarter lead and never looked back on their way to improving to 6-0 on Thanksgiving. The only thing preventing the score from being even more lopsided was Philadelphias inefficiency in the red zone. The Eagles scored a touchdown only once and settled for four Cody Parkey field goals in five trips, but it didnt come back to haunt them because of a strong defensive effort. The Eagles ended Tony Romos consecutive games streak with a touchdown pass at 38 and held league rushing leader DeMarco Murray to under 100 yards. Romo completed 18-of-29 passes for 199 yards and threw two interceptions as Dallas (8-4) dropped its third straight home game. Murray failed to reach the century mark for only the second time in 2014. He finished with a season-low 73 yards on 20 carries against the Eagles. The teams will meet again in Philadelphia on Dec. 14. Final Score: Seattle 19, San Francisco 3 San Francisco, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Richard Shermans two interceptions highlighted a dominant defensive effort, as the Seattle Seahawks routed the San Francisco 49ers, 19-3, in a highly anticipated NFC West Thanksgiving clash. The outspoken cornerback, whose key defensive stop against San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree in Januarys NFC Championship Game helped vault the Seahawks into the Super Bowl, picked off Colin Kaepernick twice as Seattle (8-4) limited the 49ers offense to just 164 total yards. Russell Wilson completed 15-of-22 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown pass to Robert Turbin, Marshawn Lynch ran for 104 yards on 20 carries and Steven Hauschka kicked four field goals for the Seahawks, who have won five of their last six games. The Seahawks now sit all alone for second place in the NFC West behind Arizona. Kaepernick threw for 121 yards on 16-of-29 passing as the 49ers (7-5) had their three-game win streak come to an end. ' ' '