NFC North breakdown: Danger ahead

By foxsports
Published

Posted: December 7, 2010, 8:50 p.m. CT

By Mark Concannon
FOXSportsWisconsin.com




Nearly one third of the Packers active roster showed up at the Bradley Center Monday night. And for those 16 Green Bay players, a trip to Milwaukee to watch Lebron and D-Wade fly through the air was far more therapeutic than sitting at home witnessing a horror show put on by a future opponent, the Patriots, who demolished the 9-2 Jets by six touchdowns in what was billed as the showdown of the season in the AFC.

In the weeks ahead, the Patriots will have a lot to say about who wins the NFC North. Both Green Bay, who trails division-leading Chicago by a game, and the Bears face the Patriots over the next two Sundays. The Pats play at Soldier Field this weekend, then host the Packers in the Sunday night game on Dec. 19.

The Bears are understandably happy about where things stand these days.

"We're in first place and we feel good about that," said Chicago head coach Lovie Smith. "To win five games in a row is tough to do."

Winning six straight will be even tougher. The Bears haven't been invincible at home, where they have been beaten by also-rans Seattle and Washington this season. And the Patriots, riding a four-game win streak of their own, bounced back from an embarrassing 20-point loss at Cleveland on Nov. 7 to ring up 39 points the following week at Pittsburgh against a Steeler team that leads the AFC in fewest points allowed.

In recent years, Chicago has relied on creating turnovers to win its biggest games. The Bears have recovered 10 fumbles and intercepted 14 passes in 2010.

Meanwhile, thanks to quarterback Tom Brady having another MVP-quality season, the Patriots haven't turned the ball over in four consecutive games. They've committed nine turnovers all year and have a shot at breaking the NFL record of 13 for an entire season. But the Chicago defense is No. 2 in the conference in fewest points allowed (trailing the Packers by 10) and has begun to establish an identity consistent with its better teams of the last three decades.

"We think we're pretty good," said linebacker Brian Urlacher. "We're getting better every week, which is what you want to do this late in the season, and we've done that."

The Bears were fortunate to win at Detroit last Sunday. Jay Cutler, who completed 21 of 26 passes with no interceptions, put Chicago ahead for good with a TD toss midway through the fourth quarter.

"Games like that you need your special players to be special," Smith said. "And he (Cutler) was."

Chicago's two victories over the Lions came by a total of nine points, and the Packers' players are well aware that beating Detroit is not a sure thing anymore, after coughing and wheezing to a 28-26 victory at Lambeau Field in September. The Lions are 2-10, but six of their losses have been by a total of 19 points. A couple of touchdowns here or there could have set the tone for a much different campaign in the Motor City.

"It wasn't a pushover when they came in here," said Packers offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga of the Lions. "I think everybody sees the talent on that football team. They're a good team."

But the Packers are favored by a touchdown, and after recent trips to the Metrodome and Georgia Dome, they'll play at an indoor venue that won't be nearly as hostile. The Lions rank 29th out of 32 NFL teams in attendance, attracting roughly 55,000 fans per game at Ford Field. Chances are many of those fans will be wearing green and gold on Sunday.

To improve its postseason chances, Green Bay needs to complete the difficult task of dispatching the Lions, because the job at hand the following week is quickly bordering on the impossible. With their thrashing of the Jets last night, the Patriots have now won 26 straight regular season home games. The Packers are performing well, winning 5 of their last 6 games, but with the way the Pats are playing these days, a Green Bay victory at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 19 might amount to a Christmas miracle.

After the Packers visit Detroit, they're off to New England, then close the season with home dates against the Giants and Chicago. After Detroit, the stops along Green Bay's road to the playoffs are now conspicuously posted: Belichick and Brady, the Big Apple and the Bears.