Kings of the North

With QB Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings meeting with coach Brad Childress today, you know we are that much closer to seeing #4 play another year. The question is when Brett does come back, will it be enough to crown the Vikings as the kings of the north? Or will Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers rise to the top.

With training camp just days away lets take a look at what both teams will bring to the table in what is arguably the greatest
rivalry in all of sports.

Green Bay is returning this season with almost the exact same players as last year. They lost OLB/DE Aaron Kampman to Jacksonville, who really didn't fit in with the new 3-4 defense. They also lost DE Johnny Jolly to the popular purple drank. Jolly will most likely be the more missed of the two after leading all line men with 75 tackles and setting a franchise record of 11 batted balls last season. Green Bay added DE Mike Neal in the 2nd round and DE CJ Wilson in the 7th, this will help a lot with this loss. Packers were ranked number 2 in defense last year and neither the loss of Kampman or Jolly should hurt the team too badly.

The biggest concern for the Packers is in the backfield. With defensive player of the year Charles Woodson, and pro bowlers Al Harris and Nick Collins in the back field you wouldn't think that could be the case. The concern is when the packers enter the nickle or dime... Al Harris is coming off of a major knee surgery and it is still questionable if he will be ready to start the season. That leaves CBs Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood to fill in on passing downs. Both players are also coming off of injury and have yet to prove themselves on the field, those will be the two key names that make or break the Packers season. The secondary did get a nice boost with third round pick, Morgan Burnett who should add some nice depth to Safety.

Green Bay without question has one of the most high powered offenses in the league. Led by Pro Bowl Quarterback Aaron Rodgers they only hope to get better this coming season. Last year Rodgers threw for 4,434 yards accompanied by 30 touchdowns to only 7 interceptions. With weapons like veteran WR's Donald Driver and Greg Jennings and the up and coming superstar TE Jermichael Finley things can only get better for #12. Last year the Pack gave up a plethora of sacks in the first eight games of the season, 37 to be exact. However midway threw the season Green Bay started to work things out giving up only 13. Spending their number one pick on OT Brian Bulaga and their 5th pick on OL Marshall Newhouse, the Packers are on the right path to keeping Rodgers up right and ready to take over as the champs of the NFC North!

Now it is no surprise how much I hate the Vikings so I will hand it over to my partner for his take on the Queens.

Austin Auch
GO PACK GO