Much of the focus in the NFC North this preseason is how the Bears’ offensive line could be in major trouble after allowing nine sacks in their preseason debut. But look around – the rest of the division isn’t much better.

Minnesota Vikings
Forget the Bears – the Vikings are the current owners of the worst offensive line in the division, if not the entire league. Once a major strength, Minnesota’s O-line has fallen on hard times over the last couple of seasons. It was major liability last season and somehow it got much worse. Things started off on a bad note when Bryant McKinnie gained so much unhealthy weight during the lockout that the Vikings actually decided to release him just days before camp. Now they have a left tackle in Charlie Johnson who has been manhandled thus far and would probably be better suited to play inside at guard. Speaking of guard, Steve Hutchinson is a shell of his former self and rookie Chris DeGeare will start on the right side because of Anthony Herrera’s injury issues. In the middle, John Sullivan lacks power and remains one of the least productive centers in the league. Good luck this year, Adrian Peterson.

Chicago Bears
Anyone who saw the Bills rack up nine sacks on the Bears last week is well aware of Chicago’s offensive line issues. The good news is that the Bears got Frank Omiyale out of the starting lineup. The bad news is that J’Marcus Webb will be counted on to protect Jay Cutler’s blindside after struggling as a rookie at right tackle last season. At the other tackle position, the Bears had to draft Gabe Carimi in the first round this year after moving Chris Williams (a 2008 first round selection) to left guard. If the team had better options, Williams would probably have been cut already. The most reliable member of Chicago’s O-line is Roberto Garza, but he’s now playing out of position at center after Olin Kreutz signed with the Saints. Mike Tice is a solid offensive line coach but he has his work cut out for him this season. The unit actually started to gel mid-way through the 2010 season but if Chicago’s first preseason game was any indication, it could be a long season for Cutler and Co. The Bears better hope Webb and Carimi develop fast.

Detroit Lions
GM Martin Mayhew deserves plenty of kudos for the way he has slowly rebuilt the Lions’ roster over the last few years. But it would have been more comforting to Detroit fans had he paid more attention to the O-line this offseason. The Lions return five starters from a year ago but they’re not in as good of shape as one would think. Left tackle Jeff Backus has a partially torn pectoral muscle and will likely miss plenty of practice time as he rehabs the injury. At the other tackle position, Gosder Cherilus is coming off microfracture surgery and while he is practicing, the Lions are taking it slow with the former first rounder. Inside, the Lions are actually in decent shape assuming Stephen Peterman’s foot has healed. Rob Sims was a huge pickup from the Seahawks last season and has solidified what has been a big problem area for the Lions over the years. At center, Dominic Railoa is aging and undersized, but the team could do worse. The biggest problem areas are at the tackle positions, which doesn’t bode well for quarterback Matthew Stafford’s health.

Green Bay Packers
This is the lone exception in the division. Once a major concern thanks in large part to injuries, the Packers’ O-line is now a top-5 unit. Losing Daryn Colledge (Cardinals) hurt, but GM Ted Thompson found a gem in Derek Sherrod, who fell into Green Bay’s laps at the bottom of the first round. Josh Sitton continues to be one of the most underrated right guards in the league and RT Bryan Bulaga looks like he could make major strides in his second year. Barring injuries to the starters, Aaron Rodgers won’t have to worry about eating turf like he did in 2009.

Here are five quick-hit observations from the Bears 40-14 rout over the Vikings on Monday Night Football.

1. Sweet home, Chicago.
With their victory, the Bears have clinched the NFC North and are now guaranteed to host at least one game in the playoffs. Regardless of whether you think they’re a dark horse or candidates to be one-and-done, it’s pretty impressive that the Bears one their division this year after everyone predicted the Packers (or the Vikings) to take home the North crown. Granted, Green Bay had a slew of injuries to deal with but Chicago was consistently the better team over the course of the season. The Bears are now the front-runners to clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC because they’ve already beaten the Eagles and thus hold the tiebreaker over Philly. That said, Chicago has two difficult tests remaining in the Jets (Week 16) and the Packers (Week 17 at Lambeau).

2. Devin Hester is the man.
As a football fan, I’m glad Devin Hester re-dedicated himself to the return game after trying to focus on his career as a receiver. He’s simply too dangerous a weapon for the Bears not to use on special teams and he proved once again tonight how he can turn a game on its head in the blink of an eye. After staying away from him for most of the night, the Vikings started to kick to Hester in the second half because clearly they wanted to suffer embarrassment (there’s no other realistic explanation). He thanked them by setting the NFL record for kick return touchdowns after returning a punt 64 yards for a score early in the third quarter. This came after he almost brought the second-half kickoff back for a touchdown as well (he was stopped inside the 10-yard-line). Much like he was in 2006 when the Bears went to the Super Bowl, Hester will be a vital piece for Chicago come playoff time.

3. Brett Favre really should call it a career.
I’ll admit, I was excited when I heard Favre was going to play on Monday night. As a football fan, I was glad that he would have one more MNF game to go out on and what a better opponent than the Bears? After he threw a touchdown pass to Percy Harvin on the first drive of the game and did his patented Brett Favre fist pump, my excitement grew because it looked like the Vikings were ready to play. But nothing went right for him after that. He wound up throwing an interception on a batted ball and then a Corey Wootton sack ended his night – if not his career. It was a sad reminder that the game has officially passed Brett by and that it’s probably best that he walk away for good. It’s a sad thing watching a legend go out, but Favre’s time is done. It’s not that he can’t play the game anymore, but his body can’t take any more of the abuse. It’s been one hell of a ride, but this has to be his swan song. This has to be the longest year of his career.

4. It’s frustrating to watch a team give up.
The Vikings have withered away to nothing. The team that took the field on Monday night had zero pride, zero urgency and zero desire to win. Their appearance in the NFC Championship Game last January feels like it was a decade ago. They need a head coach, a quarterback and a new stadium to boot. Their offensive line is pitiful (nice effort, Bryant McKinnie) and their defense has turned to mush (has somebody posted missing person signs yet for Jared Allen?), too. Once Favre went down you could see that the Vikings had checked out and everyone had succumbed to the fact that Joe Webb wasn’t going to be able to move the offense. Their effort was akin to the free win the Cowboys gave the Packers earlier in the year right before Wade Phillips was canned. The way the Vikings have deteriorated over the course of the year has been rather amazing to watch.

5. Jay Cutler can chuck the rock.
His decision-making isn’t always spot on but Jay Cutler can’t certainly throw the football. Granted, he was playing against 11 ghosts but the way he zipped the ball on a cold, nasty night in Minnesota was rather impressive to watch. He looked like he was having some fun out there too, which is kind of ironic given he opposed Brett Favre (the king of “man, does he have fun out there or what!”). Once again, Mike Martz stuck with the short-to-intermediate routs and Cutler only took chances down field when the coverage was right. Otherwise, he took what Minnesota’s pathetic defense gave him and he marched up and down the field the entire night. That version of Jay Cutler can beat anyone.

Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie has been dismissed from the NFC Pro Bowl squad after missing four of five practices and attending just one team meeting. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, McKinnie also missed the team photo.

McKinnie has been Tweetering (or is it Tweeting? Ah screw it…) all week about enjoying the Miami nightlife, so apparently he has partied his way out of Miami. Giants’ offensive lineman David Diehl will likely have to play the entire game now because the NFC only had three tackles on its roster.

If McKinnie wasn’t going to take the game seriously, then he should have forfeited his game check like some of the other NFL players who have bowed out of the Pro Bowl. There was no sense in him taking up a roster spot just so he could be an idiot for a week. He could have done that on his own time.

One would have thought that since this was his first Pro Bowl that he would have taken the honor seriously. But instead he embarrassed himself and the Vikings by being kicked off the team.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/01/30/mckinnie-kicked-off-nfc-pro-bowl-roster/feed/ 1 http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/09/15/is-it-time-for-these-0-2-teams-to-hit-the-panic-button/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/09/15/is-it-time-for-these-0-2-teams-to-hit-the-panic-button/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:41:37 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=5925 The Seahawks were supposed to be the favorites to win the NFC West again this year. The Browns were supposed to contend for a playoff berth in the AFC. The Vikings were the chic-pick in the NFC. The Jaguars and Chargers were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders. But all five of these teams have started the 2008 season 0-2. And all five teams have major issues. So is it time for these teams to the hit the panic button? Let’s take a closer look. Cleveland Browns What’s gone right: Not much. The only real bright spot offensively has been TE Kellen Winslow Jr., who has 12 receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. And DT Shaun Rogers, the team’s top offseason acquisition, has made an immediate impact with 10 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss. What’s gone wrong: Everything. The defense was brutal in Week 1 against Dallas, but bounced back in Week 2 against Pittsburgh (thanks in large part to bad weather conditions and Ben Roethlisberger’s bum shoulder). The offense that averaged over 25 points a game last year has managed just 16 points total in two games this year. Turnovers, penalties, poor quarterback play (Derek Anderson currently has a QB rating of 57.1), and bad coaching have buried this team so far. Time to hit the panic button? Yes. The Browns’ poor preseason play has carried over into the regular season and the schedule doesn’t get any easier with the Ravens, Giants, Jaguars, Broncos and Bills coming up over the next eight weeks. Outside of Rogers, the offseason acquisitions Cleveland made on defense have not paid off and the offense has been non-existent. Worse yet, the Browns aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year and Romeo Crennel is starting to look overmatched once again.]]> The Seahawks were supposed to be the favorites to win the NFC West again this year. The Browns were supposed to contend for a playoff berth in the AFC. Brad Childress’ (right) Vikings were the chic-pick in the NFC. The Jaguars and Chargers were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders.

But all five of these teams have started the 2008 season 0-2. And all five teams have major issues.

So is it time for these teams to the hit the panic button? Let’s take a closer look.

Cleveland Browns

What’s gone right: Not much. The only real bright spot offensively has been TE Kellen Winslow Jr., who has 12 receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. And DT Shaun Rogers, the team’s top offseason acquisition, has made an immediate impact with 10 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss.

What’s gone wrong: Everything. The defense was brutal in Week 1 against Dallas, but bounced back in Week 2 against Pittsburgh (thanks in large part to bad weather conditions and Ben Roethlisberger’s bum shoulder). The offense that averaged over 25 points a game last year has managed just 16 points total in two games this year. Turnovers, penalties, poor quarterback play (Derek Anderson currently has a QB rating of 57.1), and bad coaching have buried this team so far.

Time to hit the panic button? Yes. The Browns’ poor preseason play has carried over into the regular season and the schedule doesn’t get any easier with the Ravens, Giants, Jaguars, Broncos and Bills coming up over the next eight weeks. Outside of Rogers, the offseason acquisitions Cleveland made on defense have not paid off and the offense has been non-existent. Worse yet, the Browns aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year and Romeo Crennel is starting to look overmatched once again.

Jacksonville Jaguars

What’s gone right: Even though they did play the Titans (and their below average passing attack) in Week 1, the Jaguars defense has held opponents to less than 200 yards through the air in their first two games. The run defense hasn’t been that bad either, even though they’ve allowed an average of 106 yards per game.

What’s gone wrong: The two things that made the Jags successful last year, the running game and David Garrard’s (above) mistake-free play, have both gone against the team this year. Shockingly, Jacksonville has averaged just 65.5 yards on the ground in two games and Garrard has already thrown three interceptions, which matches is entire total from last season. The defense has also been bad in the clutch, giving up go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter in each of the Jags’ two losses.

Time to hit the panic button? No. Jacksonville is still a playoff contender, but they need to start executing. It doesn’t help that the offensive line is banged up, but Garrard must stop turning the ball over and the running game has to get out of its rut. The defense, which has been left on the field entirely too long, should be fine once the offense starts to pick up. But things don’t get any easier with the Colts and Steelers coming up in the next three weeks.

Minnesota Vikings

What’s gone right: Forget about RB Adrian Peterson having a sophomore slump; the second year back has already rushed for 263 yards and a 5.5 YPC average. What’s more impressive is that he’s been effective despite not having LT Bryant McKinnie (suspension) opening holes for him on the offensive line.

What’s gone wrong: A couple things. One, Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t done enough in the passing game. He hasn’t been bad by any means, but he needs to make more big plays, especially with defenses loading up to stop Peterson and the running game. Secondly, the team gave up a first round pick to acquire DE Jared Allen in the offseason and even though he registered his first sack of the season last week, his presence hasn’t helped the secondary like the Vikes thought it would. Minnesota’s defensive backfield, which ranked dead last in the league in 2007, continues to give up big plays.

Time to hit the panic button? No. The Vikings’ offensive line will get a boost when McKinnie returns in a couple of weeks and with Peterson running like a man possessed, Jackson simply needs to make more plays in the passing game for the offense to start clicking. One would think that Allen would eventually get going, which should only help the secondary. But these things need to start happening now because the schedule doesn’t get any lighter over the next three weeks with the Panthers, Titans and Saints coming up.

San Diego Chargers

What’s gone right: Philip Rivers has been absolutely fantastic in the passing game, completing over 60% of his passes for 594 yards, six touchdowns and a QB rating of 122.5. WR Chris Chambers has also resurrected his career in the early going, hauling in five catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns.

What’s gone wrong: LaDainian Tomlinson (right) has been limited due to a foot injury and the loss of LB Shawne Merriman (knee/ out of the season) has really hampered the Chargers’ defensive pass rush. Speaking of the defense, the unit has been shredded for big plays in the second halves of each of San Diego’s two losses. They gave up 31 first half points to the Broncos on Sunday and 486 total yards. The secondary has been absolutely torched and currently ranks dead last against the pass in the AFC.

Time to hit the panic button? No. Had the defense batted a Jake Delhomme touchdown pass down in the end zone in Week 1 and Jay Cutler’s non-fumble call go there way last week, San Diego would be 2-0. It’s only a matter of time before LT is healthy again and with Rivers playing as well as he is, the offense is going to be dangerous all season. Plus, even if Tomlinson misses time, Darren Sproles has proven he can keep the running game afloat with his game-breaking speed. But for the Chargers to turn things around, the defense has to prove it can generate a push rush without Merriman and the secondary has to stop giving up big plays. Brett Favre and the Jets will be a challenge next week but after that, the Chargers face the Raiders and Dolphins, so they could easily be 3-2 when the Patriots come to down on Sunday night in Week 6.

Seattle Seahawks

What’s gone right: Outside of Julius Jones rushing for over 100 yards against the 49ers last Sunday, not much. The run defense actually hasn’t been that bad either, allowing less than 100 yards per game, but teams are still finding ways to put the ball in the end zone while averaging over 30 points a game.

What’s gone wrong: Anything and everything. Aside from having practice squad players line up at receiver because the team has been ransacked by injuries, the Seahawks’ defense and special teams have been brutal, and Matt Hasselbeck (48.6 QB rating) is off to an atrocious start.

Time to hit the panic button? Yes. The passing game should get a boost when Bobby Engram and Deion Branch return in a few weeks, but with how bad the defense is playing the Seahawks could be starring at 1-5 or 0-6 by the time that happens. Had they held on to a two-touchdown lead at home against the 49ers last Sunday, things probably wouldn’t have seemed that bad. But with division rival Arizona off to a hot start, the Hawks’ reign in the NFC West seems to be coming to an end.

McKinnie was suspended without pay after his offseason arrest in Miami. McKinnie faces four charges, including felony battery, after an incident with a nightclub employee.

McKinnie’s suspension begins Saturday. He is eligible to return to the Vikings’ active roster on Sept. 29 after the team’s Sept. 28 game against Tennessee.

In more news that will bust Viking fans’ balls, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is reportedly walking around with a limp, too.

With McKinnie out for four games, Jackson (if he can even play) might feel major pressure come from his blind side. Minnesota will face defensive ends Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (Packers), Dwight Freeney (Colts), Julius Peppers (Panthers) and Kyle Vanden Bosch (Titans) during McKinnie’s suspension.

The sound you hear is people breaking their ankles jumping off the Vikings’ bandwagon.