Nothern Exposure: Week 6

Results

Chicago 28 Minnesota 3
Carolina 21 Detroit 20

Standings

Chicago 2-3
Detroit 2-3
Green Bay 1-4
Minneosta 1-4

Breakdown

The NFC North continues to make a mochary of divisional races. Anytime Chicago and Detroit hold any lead over Minnesota or Green Bay past week one, it catches you off guard.

The Bears absolutely demolished the Vikings yesterday, 28-3. Hey Minnesota, thanks for showing up. The Vikings have failed to even make an effort in three games this year (Cincinnati, Atlanta and Chicago) when does this fall on the shoulders of Mike Tice? I realize no one on that staff can coach a team-even on an interim basis-but this team has no direction or leadership.

The Bears have now absolutely manhandled two divisional opponents at home, and the defense continues to look good, but they are still not a very good team. When they go up against a team with a halfway good defense, they lose. Week one versus Washington, 7 points scored and a loss. Week three versus Cincinnati, 7 points scored and a loss, and week four against Cleveland, 10 points scored and another loss.

Put points on the board and play adequate defense and you will, not can, will beat this team. Kyle Orton has looked pretty good for a rookie, but you're still relying on a rookie quarterback.

Defensive coordiantors clearly have the blueprint. Stuff the box and double team Mushin and the Bears have no anwer.

How on earth have the Lions won two games? Well Green Bay played poorly in week one and lost thier best offense player not named Favre, and the Ravens are just horrible. Yes they played the Buccaneers and Panthers close, but who hasen't this year. This is all you need to know about the Lions, for how much they dominated the Green Bay and Carolina games, Green Bay still had a shot up until the end, and they lost the Carolina game. Oh yeah, and had it not been for a meltdown by the Ravens, or an inept offesne, they lose that game too. They won by 18 points because the Ravens turned the ball over in costly spots, and had a butt load of personal foul calls. Joey Harrington's stat line: 10-21, 97 yards no touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

The winner of the Packers Vikings game on sunday is still the favorite to win the division. The only shot Chicago and Detroit had was a bad start by the Vikings and Packers-which they got- and a good start of their own. I'd hardly call 2-3 a good start. The Bears and Lions needed to be at least 3-2 to give them a chance at winning this.

If Duante can return to old form, and this high priced editon of Extreme Defense Makeover can avoid getting cancelled (cheap tv pun) the Vikings will be fine.

Same can be said for the Packers, if Ahman Green can get the running game going and as long as this defense continues to improve, the Packers will be fine.

Funniest Moment of the Week

Without a doubt the funniest line of the line of the week comes to us courtesy of the Vikings. In a statement released through the team, Mike Tice has now made it mandatory for players to arrive to team meetings, are you ready for this, on time. So they could just show up whenever they wanted before? God this story keeps getting better by the day.

Stat of the Week

The Green Bay Packers defense ranks 14th in the NFL in scoring, and 5th in the NFC. In terms of yardage it looks like this

Total: 11th NFL, 5th NFC
Rushing: 11th NFL, 6th NFC
Passing: 12th NFL, 6th NFC

The Packers are a middle of the road defense after 5 games, and have improved every week. If only our defense was just average was the story of the Packers season the last two years. They finally have that scenario, now if only the offense keeps putting up points...

Upcoming Schedule

Detroit at Cleveland 1:00pm
Green Bay at Minnesota 1:00pm
Baltimore at Chicago 3:15pm

The Larry David Special...

Okay, so maybe I should curb my enthusiasm here, but the brutal murderers row of a schedule the Packers were facing a few weeks ago doesn't look that bad all of a sudden.

Vikings game is very winnable, the home game against Cincinnati is a probalbe loss, but winnable. Pittsburgh and Atlanta will be tough and are losses, but then...

Minnesota
Philadelphia
@ Chicago
Detroit
@ Baltimore
Chicago
Seattle

Not one of those games strikes you as a sure fire loss. Just glancing at it, you would think, again if the defense continues to play like this and improve and Favre continues to play this well, you can win at least four, and as many as 6 of those 7 games.

Question of the Week

Can we trade for the rights to Reggie Bush right now?

"That's great it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, and aeroplane..."

The Bears are 2-0 in division play, and have outscored their opponents in those games by a combined score of 66-9. I know what you're thinking, but those numbers are correct, and no you didn't read that wrong.