But who is the best NFL betting pick?
NOTE: Because of the uncertainty regarding Brett Favre, most major sportsbook odds for NFC North have been taken down.
CHICAGO BEARS
For the second straight offseason, the Bears made big waves, but this time they came on the coaching side. In Mike Martz, Chicago believes it has an offensive co-ordinator who will get the most out of Jay Cutler.
It's true that Martz's ridiculously pass-happy schemes and one-back sets should help Cutler post some huge numbers. At the same time, it puts major pressure on a weak offensive line to protect a quarterback prone to mental errors. Cutler threw 27 touchdown passes last year but also threw 26 interceptions.
In theory, Chicago's defense should bounce back after it struggled against the run in 2010. Brian Urlacher played just one game before missing the rest of 2009 due to injury. His return should make a difference.
DETROIT LIONS
Watch out and we don't mean just watching the best sports betting videos. The Detroit Tigers won't win the NFC North in 2010 but they may be relevant for the first time since the Barry Sanders era. As we've seen with Tampa Bay in Baseball or Chicago in hockey, stocking up on high draft picks over the years eventually pays dividends.
The Lions already had some exciting pieces to build around in Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Now they have a future defensive leader in Ndamukong Suh and a dynamic playmaking running back in Jahvid Best joining the mix. The Lions will still lose a pile of games in 2010 but they should at least be well worth watching.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Every extra day that Favre delays his decision moves the Packers closer to the NFC North title. They emerged as an elite team on both sides of the ball in 2009. Aaron Rodgers could well be the NFL's top quarterback given his accuracy and scrambling ability. NFL futures bettors should consider him a solid MVP pick.
Rodgers should have another banner season with weapons like Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley...if he can stay healthy. He holds onto the ball too long and took far too many sacks last season. Green Bay's O-line has to be better.
The Packer defense ranked second overall last season and is loaded with playmakers. However, its pass defense could regress with Charles Woodson and Al Harris both well into their 30s.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Vikings are as talent-rich as any NFL team. Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, Jared Allen, the Williams Wall – these guys have game breakers all over the field on offense and defense.
But it's no exaggeration to say that their hopes for 2010 lie with Favre. Tarvaris Jackson is an underrated backup but he hasn't had his shot to establish chemistry with the receiving corps. Should Favre not return, the Vikes could be slow out of the gate – and they can't afford that in this competitive division.
The Vikes will still be competitive no matter what given how well they run the ball and stop the run, but it's tough to tell just how deep they'll go in the playoffs just yet.
ScoresOddsPicks.com pick: I was already leaning toward Green Bay before Favre's situation got cloudy. The Pack are set up to score a ton of points and do a solid job limiting their points allowed. They look like a good bet to win the North and may even reach the Super Bowl this season. But just remember that their odds rest entirely on Rodgers' health.
