NFL preview 2018: NFC North outlook

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

COACH: Mike Zimmer, 5th season (39-25, .609)

LAST SEASON: 13-3, 1st place

PLAYOFFS: beat New Orleans, 29-24, in divisional; lost to Philadelphia, 38-7, in NFC Championship.

OUTLOOK: Coach Mike Zimmer did a terrific job of winning the division and getting to the NFC Championship Game with Case Keenum as his quarterback. Now that the Vikings have Kirk Cousins, they’re thinking even bigger. And why not? Minnesota has one of the league’s top defenses, and with Cousins now running the offense and with running back Dalvin Cook returning from a knee injury, there is legitimate hope of a Super Bowl run for the first time since the days of the Purple People Eaters.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

COACH: Mike McCarthy, 13th season (121-70-1, .633)

LAST SEASON: 7-9, 3rd place

OUTLOOK: Aaron Rodgers is still going strong at age 34, which means the Packers will always have a chance if he’s in the lineup. Rodgers might be the best player in football, and he’s at the peak of his physical ability and mental acuity. The presence of tight end Jimmy Graham is a huge plus for Rodgers, who hasn’t always had a playmaking tight end. Davante Adams is emerging as an elite receiver. Defense has always been the big question mark in the Rodgers era, and the Packers hope new coordinator Mike Pettine, who replaced Dom Capers after last season, can orchestrate a more reliable group. This is clearly a playoff team, but the Vikings are the class of the division.

CHICAGO BEARS

COACH: Matt Nagy, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 5-11, 4th place

OUTLOOK: GM Ryan Pace took a huge swing to get Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack, surrendering first-round picks in 2019 and 2020 to get the coveted pass rusher. He joins a defense that will rely heavily on the front seven, which also includes first-round linebackers Roquan Smith (2018) and Leonard Floyd (2016). The Bears believe second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky will benefit from getting plenty of playing time as a rookie. He struggled through most of the season, but with new coach Matt Nagy, regarded as a quarterback whisperer, there’s a chance Trubisky elevates his game considerably.

DETROIT LIONS

COACH: Matt Patricia, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 9-7, 2nd place

OUTLOOK: Patricia takes over as head coach after an impressive apprenticeship under Bill Belichick in New England. He inherits a team that has dealt with the same issues for years: lack of a running game and unreliable defense. Matthew Stafford has a big-time arm and will throw for a ton of yards, but unless Patricia can give his quarterback a more trustworthy running game, it will be more of the same this year. Patricia’s presence alone will help the defense, since he’s one of the brightest strategists in the game.

By Bob Glauber

Special to NewsdayBobGlauber

Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”