Chicago Bears (OVER 10)
   CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR: Just like in my preview of the Colts, I'd really like to fade the Bears on their Super Bowl hangover, but I don't see them dropping off. There are question marks with the inconsistent play of QB Rex Grossman and the loss of Thomas Jones at running back, but the offense still doesn't need to be that great as long as the defense lives up to expectations, and they got a boost with linebacker Lance Briggs finally agreeing to terms. The addition of safety Adam Archuleta should make the secondary even stronger.
   SCHEDULE ANALYSIS: The division in which they play also helps the over being the preferred side as the Vikings, Lions and Packers are still down. The Bears have a tough opener at San Diego, but they catch the Chargers adjusting to a new coaching staff. They then face the Chiefs and Cowboys (both at home) before a relatively easy stretch vs. those division rivals before traveling to Philadelphia. But for every tough game, there seems to be a breather to keep them from having to endure any losing streaks and that should allow them to reach double digits.

Sept. 9 at San Diego      W

Sept. 16 Kansas City         W      

Sept. 23 Dallas           W

Sept. 30 at Detroit       W

Oct. 7 at Green Bay       W

Oct. 14 Minnesota        W

Oct. 21 at Philadelphia      L      

Oct. 28 Detroit        W

Nov. 4 BYE

Nov. 11 at Oakland      W

Nov. 18 x-at Seattle      L

Nov. 25 Denver       L

Dec. 2 New York Giants     W    

Dec. 6 at Washington             W

Dec. 17 at Minnesota          W

Dec. 23 Green Bay         W

Dec. 30 New Orleans       L


Green Bay Packers (UNDER 7.5)
   CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR: Last season during the will he retire/won't he retire discussions, conventional wisdom said that if Brett Favre was to put off retirement that the Packers would give him some immediate help instead of going with a rebuilding plan. But here we are at training camp and not much has changed from this roster that went 8-8 last year. The biggest non-news of the NFL draft was when the Packers didn't complete a deal for receiver Randy Moss to help Favre; that lack of action by management didn't really send that great of a message to the players. The Pack overacheived last year to actually reach .500, but should certainly slip this year.
   SCHEDULE ANALYSIS: Going over the schedule, the wins will be few and far between. How can the Packers be expected to win more than one game out of their first five vs. the likes of the Eagles, Giants, Chargers, Vikings and Bears. Their home game vs. the Redskins on Oct. 14 might be the first time they're favored, and if they're 1-4 or 0-5 at that point, that might be asking too much. The Pack then gets another brutal stretch vs. the Broncos, Chiefs, Vikings, Panthers, Lions and Cowboys, with the only two games that will be anywhere near pick-em being vs. the Vikes and Lions. I have them down for four wins, but even if they add two or three more, they'd still go under 7.

Sept. 9 Philadelphia      L

Sept. 16 at New York Giants     L       

Sept. 23 San Diego      L

Sept. 30 at Minnesota     L          

Oct. 7 Chicago         L

Oct. 14 Washington    W

Oct. 21 BYE

Oct. 29 at Denver      L

Nov. 4 at Kansas City    L      

Nov. 11 Minnesota      L

Nov. 18 Carolina       L

Nov. 22 at Detroit        L       

Nov. 29 at Dallas     W

Dec. 9 Oakland        W

Dec. 16 at St. Louis    L

Dec. 23 at Chicago    L

Dec. 30 Detroit        W

Detroit Lions (lean UNDER 6)
   CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR: I like Rod Martinelli as a head coach, but it's really hard to overcome an atmosphere of losing and mismanagement in the front office. Despite good moves by Martinelli in his first season at the helm, the Lions still went 3-13. The team should be better this year with Zach Piller and Edwin Mulitalo added to an offensive line that gave up the second-most sacks last year (ahead of only the Texans). Rookie Calvin Johnson gives the Lions one of the best potential 1-2 receiving tandems in the league, but you need a lot more than that to compete in the NFL (look at the Cardinals with Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald).
   SCHEDULE ANALYSIS: Since I think Martinelli is making progress, my initial thought was to look at the Over, but then I looked at the Lions' schedule and how I had already handicapped the games and I ended up having them win their first two vs. the Raiders and Vikings, but then lose their last 14 games. Now, I think they'll be able to win a few more games than that (vs. the Buccaneers, Cardinals and Packers and Vikes being the top candidates) but even getting over the paltry number of six seems difficult.

Sept. 9 at Oakland    W

Sept. 16 Minnesota    W

Sept. 23 at Philadelphia    L            

Sept. 30 Chicago      L

Oct. 7 at Washington   L         

Oct. 15 BYE

Oct. 21 Tampa Bay    L

Oct. 28 at Chicago   L

Nov. 4 Denver         L

Nov. 11 at Arizona     L

Nov. 18 New York Giants      L

Nov. 22 Green Bay                L

Dec. 2 at Minnesota       L

Dec. 9 Dallas            L

Dec. 16 at San Diego    L  

Dec. 23 Kansas City     L

Dec. 30 at Green Bay      L   

Minnesota Vikings (lean UNDER 6.5)
   CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR: After starting 4-2 last year, the Vikings went 6-10 in head coach Brad Childress's first season. In the draft, they added Adrian Peterson at running back. That might be a great pick, but the problem is that it didn't address a big need (Minnesota already had Chester Taylor at the position) and they failed to get a quality starting quarterback or a go-to receiver. The defense also lost Fred Smoot and Napoleon Harris. I don't see them being improved over last season.
   SCHEDULE ANALYSIS: The Vikes open vs. the Vick-less Falcons and then have winnable games vs. the Lions, Chiefs and Packers. I have them 2-2 at that point, but nothing would surprise me. But then it gets tough after their bye as they face the Bears, Cowboys, Eagles and Chargers in succession. They'll likely be out of the playoff picture by that time, so the rest of the season could go either way, they step up and beat teams they should, or they go in the tank. I lean toward the latter, but a mediocre 7-9 season is not out of the question. 

Sept. 9 Atlanta           W

Sept. 16 at Detroit       L

Sept. 23 at Kansas City    L       

Sept. 30 Green Bay     W

Oct. 7 BYE

Oct. 14 at Chicago   L

Oct. 21 at Dallas      L

Oct. 28 Philadelphia   L            

Nov. 4 San Diego     L

Nov. 11 at Green Bay    W        

Nov. 18 Oakland      W

Nov. 25 at New York Giants     L            

Dec. 2 Detroit          W

Dec. 9 at San Francisco     L 

Dec. 17 Chicago       L

Dec. 23 Washington    W           

Dec. 30 at Denver    L