NFC North: Teams Improved Both Sides of the Ball

By Wanda Wiedman // @Wandaw63

There is one thing we must all keep in mind; not all college prospects translate to an NFL player. We also must keep in mind that not all scouts and NFL experts get it right either.

So let’s see how well the NFC North did.

Chicago Bears: Iowa State, RB David Montgomery; Georgia, WR Riley Ridley; Kansas State, CB Duke Shelley; Florida Atlantic, RB Kerrith Whyte; Valdosta State, CB Stephen Denmark.

The Bears won the NFC North last season with a 12-4 record. Without any picks in the first two rounds, the Bears had to take the best player available while filling team needs. With that being said, the Bears chose a running back to replace Jordan Howard, whom they traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Montgomery fits what Nagy wants to do with a three-down back. Fans did not expect the Bears to pick a wide receiver with their next pick but Ridley was still on the board, and with these two new additions they give quarterback Mitchell Trubisky more firepower.

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Checking in on the NFC North quarterbacks

By Sonja Greenfield //@Mom23RN

It’s been a pretty eventful offseason for the NFC North teams. Free agency has brought some good players into the mix, as my fellow reporter Wanda Wiedman has mentioned. New coaches and coordinators have been hired, and the teams are looking to solidify themselves with a successful draft.

But one thing that stayed consistent in the division where all of the coaches names start with M, are the quarterbacks. Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins, and Mitchell Trubisky have the honor of quarterbacking in the Black and Blue division.

Today I ask the question, What will 2019 look like for these quarterbacks?

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NFC North looking to fight for the top

By Wanda Wiedman // @WandaW63

The 2018 season was presumed to be a lock with the Green Bay Packers on top of the NFC North and the Chicago Bears in last place, according to most sports affiliates. But no one expected the opposite. Granted the Packers fell into third place in the division, finishing with a 6-9-1 record. However, no one expected the Bears to win the division with a 12-4 record led by a wicked defense and the Coach of the Year in Matt Nagy.

The Bears are fighting to keep that division title but their rivals are nipping at their heels, or so it seems on paper. Running backs, corners, safeties, defensive players and wide receivers are the focus of each team. Here is what the NFC North teams have done so far in free agency to fix some holes:

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Bears not backing down in last regular season game

By Wanda Wiedman // @WandaW63

It’s been a long time since the Chicago Bears were NFC North division champs.

But this is an unfamiliar feeling as of late for the Bears and their fans, that is, playing a last season game with grit.

Sure, they could sit their starters and stay comfortably in the 3rd seed, but why do that when there are several factors at stake?

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Once again the team no one wants to face, Seattle is one win from the playoffs

By Dayna O’Gorman // @DaynaOG

Vikings 7 – Seahawks 21

Let’s be honest, it wasn’t a pretty win… but it was my favorite kind of win. It was a win that could have easily gotten away from Seattle. But it didn’t, and now the Seahawks are one win away from clinching a playoff berth. In a year where they weren’t expected to win more than four or five games, they are the team no one wants to face.

Lisa Johnson and I argue about this all the time on the OTFB podcast. Defense or offense, which is more important? But it’s not just a shtick we do for the show. She truly believes offense wins games, I say, quite adamantly, the defense is most important.

What last night’s Monday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings showed was that what truly wins games is a balance. What makes the Seahawks so dangerous right now is that balance, and it’s alive and well in Seattle.

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Week 9 Detroit Lions pride report

By Sonja Greenfield // @Mom23RN

Minnesota Vikings 24 – Detroit Lions 9

Thankfully, that game is over. I mean when former Lions running back Reggie Bush tweets this, you know it’s bad.

Come on @Lions SMH 🤦🏾‍♂️

— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) November 4, 2018

A career-long run for running back Dalvin Cook and a franchise record 10 sacks for the defense, it was a long, long day. Not too much went right for the Lions today. The offensive line was terrible and none of the wide receivers could get separation. Well, WR Marvin Jones, Jr. was able to get some, but not much.

The Lions couldn’t score a touchdown, and a costly miscue between quarterback Matthew Stafford, and rookie RB Kerryon Johnson helped the Minnesota Vikings defense come in and just feast.

They held the Lions to 209 total yards, WR Kenny Golladay only had 46 yards on 3 catches. And the run game just wasn’t able to get going at all. It was one of the uglier games in recent Lions history.

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Packers vs Vikings: Win, Lose or DRAW

Lucy Rendler-Kaplan
Official Reporter Green Bay Packers

By Lucy Rendler-Kaplan // @LUCYrk78

Green Bay Packers 29 – 29 Minnesota Vikings

Sunday’s Minnesota Vikings vs Green Bay Packers game sure lived up to the hype! It was certainly an exciting game, but exciting can mean good and bad. There were a few bits of excitement I could have lived without Sunday.

I might be in the minority here, but I’m okay with the tie. Coming into the game, I knew Minnesota had an overall better team, and I wasn’t sure how effective Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be playing with that huge brace on his sprained knee.

Once again, Rodgers proved that as long as his arms are fine, he can play on one leg. He was surprisingly mobile and was able to move when he needed to. I hate to say that we lost this game to the refs and a few questionable calls, but I largely feel like we did. That being said, the defense needs to figure out how Vikings QB Kirk Cousins was able to lead such a comeback, and what we can be done to prevent that the next time we play the Vikings. Continue reading “Packers vs Vikings: Win, Lose or DRAW” →

Our Turf Football 2018 NFL Mock Draft 16-32

By Wanda Wiedman//@WandaW63

Earlier we had listed the first 15 draft picks with a trade. Let’s see what happens with the rest of the teams and who will get drafted from 16-32. So here is the final attempt in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.

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NFC North / NFC South – Roster Updates

Meaningful player additions, releases, and re-signings – Last update: April 19, 2018

Chicago Bears

Signed: CB Kyle Fuller (matched offer sheet from GB), OL Bradley Sowell, WR Josh Bellamy, WR Cameron Meredith, CB Bryce Callahan, WR Allen Robinson, TE Trey Burton, K Cody Parkey, WR Taylor Gabriel, CB Prince Amukamara, LB Sam Acho, QB Chase Daniel, DE Aaron Lynch, P Pat O’Donnell, QB Tyler Bray, LB John Timu, CB Sherrick McManis, CB Marcus Cooper, LS Patrick Scales, RT Earl Watford, RB Benny Cunningham, DE John Jenkins, WR Bennie Fowler

Released: G Josh Sitton, LB Jerrell Freeman, LB Pernell McPhee, S Quintin Demps, LB Willie Young, QB Mike Glennon, WR Markus Wheaton, DB Marcus Cooper, WR Josh Bellamy, CB Bryce Callahan

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Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018

By Sonja Greenfield // @Mom23RN

The votes are in.

The newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are Randy Moss, Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Brian Dawkins, Terrell Owens, Jerry Kramer, Robert Brazile and Bobby Beathard.

BREAKING: The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018 – Welcome to Canton! #PFHOF18 pic.twitter.com/kKA3WsRdmx

— Pro Football HOF (@ProFootballHOF) February 4, 2018

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Category: Minnesota Vikings