START 'EM / SIT 'EM WEEK 8

Week 8 Fantasy Analysis

Quarterbacks - START 'EM

1. Matthew Stafford DET - Facing the NFC's worst pass defense, arm is healthy, and they have had two weeks to prepare for this game, I smell a HUGE day out of Stafford.
2. Jon Kitna DAL - Great chance for Kitna to make use of the play action pass as the Jaguars defense ranks 3rd worst in the NFL.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF - Coming off a huge week against Baltimore, look for Fitzy to continue the success against a week secondary in Kansas City. Chances are this game is a high scoring affair, so look for Fitzy to have a big day with Evans and Johnson.

SIT 'EM
1. Vince Young TEN- Young is going against the NFL's best pass defense and I believe this is a let down game for the Titans.
2. Matt Hasselbeck SEA- Seahawks will have to run the ball in Oakland as the Raiders secondary has shut down quarterbacks this season (other than that Rivers guy).

RUNNING BACKS - START 'EM

1. Beanie Wells ARI - Wells will see more carries as Hightower has a case of the fumbles. Wells should have plenty of success against a very poor run defense in Tampa Bay.
2. Ryan Torain WAS - Washington will HAVE to run the ball to keep this game close. Detroit has fresh legs and explosive wide receivers going up against a bad pass defense. Torain is a critical part of the Redskins game plan this week.
3. Jonathan Stewart CAR - Looks like D Will is out this week, which means Stewart will be the guy against St. Louis. In Stewart's career he has played in 13 games where he has had 15 or more rushing attempts, and in those games he has 15 total touchdowns. Expect a big day out of J Stew.

SIT 'EM
1. Chris Ivory/Ladell Betts NO - Saints ground game has no chance against the Steelers run defense.
2. Ryan Matthews SD - Matthews cannot block for Phillip Rivers, and now his touches are being limited, expect a minimally productive day out of Matthews as he will share touches with Sproles, and Tolbert at the goal line.

WIDE RECEIVERS - START 'EM

1. Blair White IND- Houston is the NFL's worst pass defense, and with Collie out and Houston focusing on Wayne and Garcon, White could be very productive.
2. Dez Bryant DAL - Jacksonville's defense is bad overall, Kitna will target Bryant frequently during this game and expect big things from the young rookie.

SIT 'EM
1. Kenny Britt TEN - Last week was a big time game for Britt, not happening this week against a Chargers secondary that held Tom Brady to 159 yards passing last week.
2. Mike Williams SEA - Williams has been a go-to target for Hasselbeck, but he is overmatched this week against the Raiders stout secondary.

Danny's Week 8 Selections

Denver +1.5 @ San Francisco *(game played in London) - DENVER 27 - 49ers 20

Jacksonville @ Dallas -6.5 - DALLAS 31 - Jacksonville 20

Washington @ Detroit -3 - DETROIT 34 - Washington 24

Carolina +3 @ St. Louis - CAROLINA 20 - St. Louis 17

Miami @ Cincinnati -1 - CINCINNATI 24 - Miami 16

Buffalo +7.5 @ Kansas City - KANSAS CITY 30 - Buffalo 27

Tennessee @ San Diego -3.5 - SAN DIEGO 27 - Tennessee 20

Tampa Bay @ Arizona -3 - ARIZONA 20 - Tampa 9

Seattle @ Oakland -3 - OAKLAND 24 - Seattle 10

Minnesota @ New England (off) - NEW ENGLAND 31 - Minnesota 24

Pittsburgh (pick) @ New Orleans - PITTSBURGH 26 - New Orleans 20

Houston +5.5 @ Indianapolis - Houston 27 - Indianapolis 24

Danny's Week 7 Selections

Pittsburgh -3 @ Miami - Steelers 26 - Dolphins 20

Cincinnati +3.5 @ Atlanta - Bengals 20 - Falcons 17

Jacksonville @ Kansas City -9 - Chiefs 27 - Jaguars 7

Philadelphia +3 @ Tennessee - Eagles 24 - Titans 20

Washington @ Chicago -3 - Bears 27 - Redskins 17

Cleveland @ New Orleans -14 - Saints 31 - Browns 13

Buffalo +14 @ Baltimore - Ravens 27 - Bills 17

San Francisco -3 @ Carolina - 49ers 24 - Panthers 20

St. Louis @ Tampa Bay -3 - Buccaneers 27 - Rams 16

Arizona @ Seattle -6.5 - Seahawks 30 - Cardinals 17

New England @ San Diego -3 - Chargers 31 - Patriots 24

Oakland @ Denver -8 - Broncos 24 - Raiders 12

Minnesota +3 @ Green Bay - Vikings 24 - Packers 23

New York Giants @ Dallas -3.5 - Cowboys 34 - Giants 27

Week 5 Selections

Denver @ Baltimore (-7) - Flacco impressed last week, Broncos coming back to the East Coast for a second straight road game, Ravens 24 - Broncos 13.

Jacksonville @ Buffalo (+1.5) - Huge victory against Peyton and the Colts last week, let down for the Jags here. Bills 31 - Jaguars 24

Kansas City @ Indianapolis (-7) - Peyton wins in Indy, Chiefs had two weeks to prepare, but the trick plays won't work in Indy. Colts 30 - Chiefs 20

Atlanta (-3) @ Cleveland - Browns aren't winning two in a row. If the Falcons are an elite team they will take care of business. Falcons 27 - Browns 16

St. Louis @ Detroit (-3) - Rams are getting three points here after winning two in a row? Vegas is letting you know that the Lions are a big favorite. Calvin Johnson goes off this week and Bradford comes back to reality. Lions 30 - Rams 20

Tampa Bay @ Cincinnati (-7) - Bengals are in must-win mode after a pathetic loss at Cleveland last week. The Bucs are feisty, but inferior, and Cincy should pound the football with Cedric Benson all game long. Bengals 20 - Buccaneers 9

Chicago @ Carolina (-1.5) - Steve Smith is out for the Panthers, but Jay Cutler is out for the Bears. The Bears offensive line was destroyed by the Giants last week and I do not like a team going on the road for the second straight week. Panthers 13 - 10.

Green Bays (-3) @ Washington - Rodgers and McNabb should have big games statistically, but Clay Matthews should dominate the Redskin putrid offensive line. Packers 34 - Redskins 27

New York Giants (+3) @ Houston - The Texans get Brian Cushing back, the Giants defensive line appears to be back in action after a ferocious performance last week against Chicago. Eli will dominate the NFL's worst passing defense and I like an upset in this game. High scoring game, road team wins. Giants 31 - Texans 27

New Orleans (-7) @ Arizona - Cardinals are going with Max Hall this week, and the Saints defense will be licking their chops. Blow out potential in this one as the Saints will be blitzing and disguising coverage all game. Drew Brees will silence the haters in this one as he will be on fire. Saints 44 - Cardinals 17

San Diego (-6.5) @ Oakland - Oakland has played competitive football all season and things won't change this week. Gradkowski has been playing well enough to get W's for this team, but they continue to fall just short. I think this game is close but Phillip Rivers, A TOP 5 NFL QUARTERBACK, gets it done in the end. Chargers 30 - Raiders 20.

Tennessee (+7) @ Dallas - Hook 'em Horns, Vince Young will be playing in front of an entire hoopla of fans, but Dallas will look sharp coming off a bye week. I have to think Wade Phillips and the Boys righted the ship and they get down to business this week against a Titans team that plays out all 60 minutes of every game. Dallas 24 - Titans 20

Philadelphia (+3.5) @ San Francisco - 49ers nation will have to wait another week for a win. Kevin Kolb will show his poise and will perform Sunday night against the 49ers. Gore has a big opportunity for a very productive game, but as much as the 49ers need this win, the Eagles desperately need it as well or else Reid & Co. will look like flabbergasted idiots for trading McNabb to allow Kevin Kolb to under perform. Eagles get it done. Eagles 20 - 49ers 17.

Minnesota @ New York Jets (-4) - This game has all the spotlight on the arrival of Randy Moss and how he and Brett Farve are able to connect, but lost in the spotlight is the excellent start to the season that Mark Sanchez is having. 0 interceptions through four weeks, and he and Braylon Edwards have been connecting for big yard plays on a weekly basis. This game also features the new vs the old; Adrian Peterson vs LT. Great matchups, prime time television, and the entire nation to enjoy the NFL on Monday night. Jets 16 - Vikings 10

START 'EM / SIT 'EM Week 2

Here's a look at some week 2 matchups in fantasy football:

START 'EM

Quarterbacks: If you are in a two quarterback league consider some of these options for potential starts.

-Matt Hasselbeck SEA - Pete Carroll fired up the Seahawks last week, but Matt Hasselbeck was poised and protected behind the line of scrimmage and that made the difference. Look for Hasselbeck to have decent numbers against a Broncos secondary that allowed David Garrard to pass for three touchdowns last week.

-Josh Freeman TAMPA - Freeman had good numbers last week, and taking on the Carolina Panthers in Week 2, Freeman will be forced to throw the ball as the Panthers will try to shut down Cadillac Williams early. Freeman is consistent, and expect decent numbers out of the 2nd year pro.

SIT 'EM Quarterbacks

-Vince Young TENN - VY takes on the best defense in the league in Pittsburgh this week. Chris Johnson will get 25-30 touches, the Steelers will force the running game and try to dominate the time of possession battle. 17 points max out of the Titans offense, I do not like Young in this matchup.


START 'EM
RUNNING BACKS

-Jonathan Stewart CAR - The Panthers will struggle throwing the ball this week because QB Matt Moore is coming off a rough week against the Giants where he ended up with a concussion. Williams will get 20 carries, Stewart will get 15, one of them will bust a big run for a td, I think it'll be Stewart.

-Jerome Harrison CLE - The Browns may have to start Senaca Wallace if Jake Delhomme is unable to go with his ankle injury. That being said, with Wallace of Delhomme, Harrison should receive a large amount of touches against a very vulnerable road run defense in Kansas City. I am expecting a big day out of Jerome.

SIT 'EM

-Ricky Williams MIA - Williams received more carries than Ronnie Brown last week, however, that will not be the case this week. The Dolphins won't stray away from the run game even though they are facing one of the most stout run defenses in the NFL, but Williams will see a lot of pine this week due to Brown being the better matchup against the Vikings D, and the Dolphins will be throwing the ball a little more often than we are accustomed to seeing them do so.


START 'EM
WIDE RECEIVERS

-Mike Wallace PITT - This is a big reach, but Dennis Dixon took a shot down field with Wallace last week and they connected. I expect a lot of play-action looks from the Steelers this week to prevent the Titans from stacking the box every down.

-Dez Bryant DAL - Bryant has some serious potential in this league, and Tony Romo quickly developed some trust with the rookie early into the Sunday night matchup against the Redskins. Bryant has strong hands, and WANTS the ball every play. Gotta like this kid.

SIT 'EM
-Randy Moss NEW- Moss will get shutdown by Revis, end of story. Maybe a catch or two, maybe a target in the end zone, but Welker and Tate will have the big games.

UPDATES

T.J. Houshmanzadeh signs a 1 year deal with the Baltimore Ravens worth $855,000 (to go along with the $6.15 million that Seattle has to pay him) and now solidifies the fact that the Ravens front office thinks this is the year with Flacco, and they are not passing up any opportunity to make the team better. T.J. makes this offense that much better. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee can take over a game running the ball. Boldin, Stallworth, Houshmanzadeh, Mason, and Heap now make the Ravens receiving corps one of, if not the, best in the NFL.

AFC EAST

Here's a look at one of the best divisions in the NFL:

NEW YORK JETS:

Many assume the Jets’ fate hinges upon the contract negotiations of Darrelle Revis. There is no question that they are a better team with Revis than without, but they’ve got capable corners in Cromartie and Dwight Lowery and rookie Kyle Wilson. Of course, if they have Revis and Cromartie taking out teams receivers, they’re defense will be even better than last season. The front seven feature Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, David Harris and beast Kris Jenkins. This defense alone would take the team to the playoffs. The Jets need Mark Sanchez to avoid the sophomore slump in order to have a chance at the Super Bowl. Sanchez threw 20 interceptions last season, but his post season success and demeanor really opened the eyes to the football nation. The Jets brought Santonio Holmes to compliment Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller. They also added LaDanian to compliment Shonn Greene. On paper this team has it all: a great defense, a fast and powerful offense, but rarely do teams make a Super Bowl run without a Pro Bowl caliber QB. A shaky preseason performance so far out of the first-teamers also has me wondering about this Jets offense. There will come a time when Sanchez will have to lead this team from behind during the season, and how he performs in that/those situations will directly reflect how this team does at the end of the season. His development and consistency will be the key to the Jets’ season and if they have that, and a richer Revis, look out.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS:

The Patriots need a healthy Wes Welker, Tom Brady, and some sort of a running game to take the division back from the Jets. Randy Moss is not the Randy Moss of our forefathers, but he still demands respect and often a safety over the top. The team happened upon WR Julian Edleman (Wes Welker lite) last season. Look for Edleman to increase his workload and have a 50+ reception season. I find it hard to believe Fred Taylor will become a consistent factor in the running game or that Laurence Maroney will ever pan out. The Patriots drama with OG Logan Mankins could drag on well into the season. They have taken a stand in past years and their stubbornness has hurt them. They let Asante Samual slip away at a time their secondary was porous and Deion Branch could not get a new contract when he was the only legitimate WR threat. Tom Brady had major knee surgery just a short time ago, but that leg looks much sturdier so far in preseason and I am anticipating very good numbers from Mr. Brady. Pay Mankins and move on. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots have reconstructed their linebacker corps through the draft. Third year Jerod Mayo and rookie LB Brandon Spikes give the Pats visions of Vrabel and Bruschi. CB’s Leigh Bodden, Darius Butler and rookie Devin McCourty give the Pats 3 talented coverage guys. Along with S Brandon Merriweather, the Patriots secondary is among the leagues most talented. The defense lacks a pass rush threat, but the secondary should generate a few coverage sacks to make up the difference. The lack of a running game will be their Achilles heel.

BUFFALO BILLS:

Buffalo may be the worst team in the NFL in 2010. QB Trent Edwards appeared to have regressed last season. In limited action, Edwards’ pass completion percentage and rating dropped significantly. He was given T.O. in 2009, and for all of his issues, normally improves his QB’s stats in year 1. If Edwards struggles or takes too many hits behind a poor offensive line, the Bills would once again turn to Ryan Fitzpatrick. My condolences to WR Lee Evans who will likely see double teams since the Bills lack another receiving threat. Rookie running back C.J. Spiller joins Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. Jackson and Spiller will play a role in the passing game. However, neither will give this team enough of a punch to keep up with the rest of a very competitive division. On defense Aaron Schobel retired leaving a big hole for Buffalo. Their front seven is unimpressive at best and hapless at worst. Many knew Marcus Stroud’s name from Jacksonville and forget it last season while he floundered in Buffalo. Division rivals New York and Miami are salivating at the chance to run on this team. In the secondary, the Bills actually have some ability CB’s Terrence McGee, Drayton Florence, and my man Leodis McKelvin are a talented group. FS Jairus Byrd hauled in 9 interceptions last year. The secondary is one of the few bright spots for the Bills this season.

MIAMI DOLPHINS:

The Bill Parcells & Tony Sparano regime made Dolphins fans forget all about that 1-15 atrocity in 2007. Since then, the Dolphins have strung together a handful of respectable seasons. Chad Pennington lost his starting job to Chad Henne. Pennington provides insurance as a back up, but Henne has much more physical talent. ‘Fins fans hope Henne continues his promising progression into a solid and trusted starting QB. He’s been given the right tools to thrive. First, the Dolphins have a young and strong offensive line led by LT Jake Long. Second, they have a power running game. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have a few miles on their legs, but still are as strong a running back tandem as the league has. The Dolphins said goodbye to Ted Gin Jr. in the offseason and traded for a true number one receiver in Brandon Marshall. Miami desperately needed someone like Marshall to keep pace with the rest of the division. The ‘fins hired Mike Nolan to rejuvenate the defense. Nolan had a great 2009 with the Broncos and Miami hopes he can replicate that success. The only big name on this defense is recently acquired LB Karlos Dansby. Nolan will try to gain respect for this no name front seven by creating pressure on opposing QB’s. Miami has some young, but raw talent in the secondary with CB’s Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, but has big questions at the Safety position. Gabril Wilson was cut and no one is scared of recent late round draft picks Rashad Jones and Chris Clemons. The Dolphins have their work cut out for them. It is going to be very difficult to make it out of the division considering the talent that the Jets and Pats have.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI BENGALS: (10-6 2009)

The Bengals come into 2010 as the defending division champions. The biggest names on the team would lead one to think this is a passing oriented, high scoring squad. Nope. The Bengals won in 2009 through a solid running game with minimal turnovers and a very good defense. They brought in an aging Terrell Owens to compliment Chad Ochocinco. TO’s production fell dramatically with the Bills. However, you must keep in mind that Carson Palmer is a significant upgrade over Trent Edwards, and Owens fits in very well with this offense. The Bengals drafted TE Jermaine Gresham to aid the passing attack, and what big expectations there are for Gresham who has had a stellar pre-season. Cedric Benson reinvigorated his career but racked up an awful lot of carries. Benson was the workhorse, and he faded towards the end of the season, so look for Bernard Scott to play a bigger role in the running game to help keep Benson fresh. Look for an improved Cincy Offense. However, that isn’t saying much, last season, the offense did not rank in the top 10 of any offensive category. They will need it to keep up with the likes of New England, Indy, Baltimore and New Orleans on the schedule. Defensively this team preformed well in 2009. The addition of Adam Pac-Man Jones was met with little media attention. Perhaps everyone expects so little of Jones, or maybe everyone expected the Bengals to make this move. Jones knows he’s playing his last card. If he messes this up, he’ll never get another shot. He played fairly well for Dallas and led the team in passes defensed during his short tenure. He’s not a top flight CB but the Bengals will ask him to be a Nickle CB. Jones has the ability to cover and make plays in the return game. Leon Hall and Jonathon Joseph became one of the best CB duos in the league last year. Roy Williams went down last season and it was probably the best for Cincy. Williams is terrible in coverage. With their schedule, the Bengals will need their Safety to assume coverage duties often. Rey Maualuga is an emerging star and didn’t let the Cincy faithful down when he was arrested in the offseason. Mike Zimmer’s defense is paramount to another division title.

BALTIMORE RAVENS: (9-7 2009)

The Ravens enter 2010 with higher offensive expectations than the young franchise (the Baltimore version) has ever had. Joe Flacco set single season franchise records for completion percentage (63.1) and QB rating (88.9) last season. The Ravens’ brass gave him a big new toy to play with. The team traded a pair of draft picks for Anquan Boldin to start alongside the everlasting Derrick Mason and Dante Stallworth. Stallworth missed the 2009 season after killing a man with his car. Stallworth gives the Ravens a viable deep threat to compliment possession receivers Mason and Boldin. The Ravens also have a trio of running backs, all capable of putting up big numbers. The tandem of Ray Rice, Willis McGahee will keep defenses honest and fullback Le’Ron McClain provides added depth in the backfield. This offense will keep itself in the conversation. No longer will Ray Lewis and company hog the spotlight. However, Baltimore’s stout front seven deserves the fanfare. Haloti Ngata, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs will do their part. The big question for the Ravens entering the season is whether they can overcome the loss of Ed Reed. Reed is on the physically unable to perform list. He will not be able to play the first 6 weeks of the season. If the Ravens secondary answers the bell, this team has a chance at the championship.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: (9-7 2009)

The Steelers hope to bounce back from a, by their lofty standards, disappointing 2009 campaign. Offensively, the team has a number of questions. They will likely start the season with Byron Leftwich in place of Ben Roethlisberger, who spent the offseason harassing coeds in Georgia. The team let Willie Parker and Santonio Holmes go and did not do much to replace them. The team hopes Mike Wallace can continue his development and become the weapon Holmes was and that Hines Ward somehow got younger during the offseason. The Steelers also signed WR Antwaan Randle-El for his second tour of duty with the team and you can’t forget about TE Heath Miller. Miller has become one of the most reliable TEs in the game. Believe it or not, the Steelers are a passing oriented team. Rashard Mendenhall has his moments but has yet to emerge as an every down threat. Losing OT Willie Colon was a big setback for this team. They signed former Cowboy Flozell Adams as a replacement but Adams is a penalty machine and his ability has slipped with his age. Mike Tomlin is a defensive coach and a very good one. The Steelers will once again have a top tier defense. James Harrison and Lamar Woodley anchor the front seven. Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor make up for the inconsistencies of CB Willie Gay. If Troy Polamalu stays healthy, the Steelers will press for a playoff birth. If he goes down again, so does Pittsburgh.

CLEVELAND BROWNS: (5-11 2009)

No one expects much from the Browns in 2010. Sunrise, Sunset. Mike Homlgren cleaned house in the offseason. Eric Mangini out together a string of solid games to close out 2009 and thereby earned himself a reprieve. If the team looks hapless in the early part of 2010, Mangini could find himself among the unemployed. It does not help the Browns that they play in the second most competitive division in football. Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy replace Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn at QB. McCoy will not likely see much, if any, action this season and the Browns want it that way. Browns fans do not deserve the 2009 incarnation of Delhomme. They have to hope he can recapture some of his old magic to keep the team respectable. Running back Jerome Harrison had his moments last season and the word is out that he can run. Lets see how a new season as "the man" will provide a boost or setback for this Browns team. Wide receivers Mohammad Massaquoi and Chansi Stuckey will put up better numbers if Delhomme performs. Wildcard Josh Cribbs is the most exciting player on this team. The Browns would be wise to find more and more ways to get him the ball other than on returns. Defensively the team looks to 1^st round pick CB Joe Haden to provide some stability. The Browns rid themselves of leading sack man and Kamerion Wimbley in the offseason and return a group that preformed miserably last season. Holmgren has his work cut out for him. The defense will match up against a number of high-powered offenses and though improved, the Browns offense will struggle to keep pace. Sorry Cleveland.

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA VIKINGS: (12-4 2009)

Brett Farve, Brett Farve, Brett Farve. The Vikings go the way Farve goes and the season forecast will be tough for Minnesota to win big. Starting the season off against the defending champion Saints, and then against the Miami Dolphins in week 2. A break against the revamped Detroit Lions should be a win, but after a Week 4 bye week the Vikings go on a tough eight week stretch. Farve will take his boys to the Jets, Packers, Patriots, Bears, and Redskins. And they will also host Dallas, Arizona, and Green Bay. Mix the Giants and the Eagles in the final four weeks of the season, and the Vikings have an extremely challenging schedule. With Farve getting his legs under him, Adrian Peterson running left and right, and Jared Allen anchoring the defense the Vikings have a tough road ahead of them. How the Vikings are able to handle the games without, recently surgically repaired, wide receiver Sydney Rice will play a pivot role as well as to how this season will go for the Vikings. As good as this team is on paper, they will have to be even better on the field to be a contender when the end of the season approaches. A few losses in a row could spark the inevitable controversy that exists between Farve and head coach Brad Childress. The "rift" that Farve and Childress share is apparent, but wins will keep it quiet and losses will only make it more visible for the fans and media to see. Can Farve's old legs bring it for one more season? We all know it is extremely possible. But this team will have to play sixty minutes as hard as they can for all sixteen games of the season.

DETROIT LIONS: (2-14 2009)

Ndamukong Suh was a huge draft pick for the Lions and his high-motor intensity on the field will clearly make a much needed difference for what looks to be a rejuvenated Detroit Lions football team. Suh, veteran cornerback Dre Bly, and newly acquired right end Kyle Vanden Bosch will bring new life to the Lions defense. On the offensive side of the ball, Matthew Stafford seems poised to have a very solid sophmore season. With Calvin Johnson split to the right, Stafford has a Pro Bowl option to throw to, but with Kevin Smith running the ball hard and rookie running back Jahvid Best providing a home-run-hitter effect anytime he touches the ball, this offense is getting closer to becoming stable and consistent. Stafford has what it takes to be a solid NFL quarterback. Calvin Johnson is an absolute beast, and if the Lions keep themselves in games in the fourth quarter, there will be new hope in the locker room and in the stadium seating. The future is bright for the Lions.

CHICAGO BEARS: (7-9 2009)

The Bears acquired defensive end Julius Peppers and return line backer and captain Brian Urlacher to rejuvenate what used to be a stout and ferocious defense. But, nothing was done to help quarterback Jay Cutler in his second year with the team. Cutler, who had a dreadful 2009 season, needed a true option to throw to at the receiver position. Instead, Cutler will still look to Hester, Knox, Aromashodu, and tight end Greg Olson. Cutler needs help, Matt Forte took a step back last season and needs to get back to form from 2008 in order to keep this team from becoming one dimensional and being able to stay in games deep into the fourth quarter. The Bears are in a tough situation this season, head coach Lovie Smith will be on the hot seat if they are not winning, and Jay Cutler will be high criticized if he has a repeat season. A brutal final four weeks (NEW, @MINN, JETS, @GB), will put this Chicago Bears team to a real test.

GREEN BAY PACKERS: (11-5 2009)

The Packers are coming off a terrific season where they made the playoff's, finished 3rd in the NFC in least amount of points aloud, and Aaron Rodgers had an absolutely stellar season behind center. Aaron Rodgers has emerged from the middle of the pack of quarterbacks in the NFL, to top of the class and a big season this year with a few playoff wins will put Rodgers in the elite class with Brady, Manning, and Brees. He is that good. With all of the weapons that Rodgers has on offense, an offensive line that got better towards the end of the season last year, it will be the transition that the defense continues to take to the 3-4 defense that will make or break the Green Bay Packers season. Led by all-pro corner back Charles Woodson, the Packers defense must fine tune themselves so that their pass rush gets to the opposing quarterback and the secondary breaks up plays. The defense did lose veteran defensive end Aaron Kampman to free agency, but the team is hoping that second round DT Mike Neal will bolster the line and give it more depth. Overall, this Packers defense is very formidable and with a schedule that includes games against the AFC East and the NFC East, they will be tested early and often.