Don't Overlook The Vikings

With Week 6 of the NFL season quickly approaching, now is about that time when we think we have each team figured out. This couldn't be further from the truth in the NFC North. Ask four different people about who will win this division, and you'll likely get three different answers. Sorry, Detroit.
I think the Bears will make the playoffs. I really do. I've been fighting myself lately, trying not to set myself up for disappointment, but I finally feel comfortable with believing they're playoff bound.
The next three games will be crucial in determining Chicago's playoff chances. Seattle and Washington at home, bye week, and Buffalo on the road. All three winnable games. Three wins and viola! The Bears are 7-1 heading in to the toughest stretch of their schedule.
That means they'll only have to win three, possibly two of the following eight games to make the playoffs. I think they can, I think they can...
The Vikings are the biggest question in the NFC North, and all of football at the moment. For a team with such lofty expectations, they've been nothing short of disappointing. Even more so than Dallas because, let's face it, unless if you live in Dallas, you know the Cowboys have been overrated for the past 15 years.
Let's bring it back to the Vikings, a team in total disarray. Sidney Rice is still injured, Jared Allen isn't sacking the quarterback, and Brett Favre is bringing new meaning to the naked bootleg.
I'm still afraid of this team. I think they've already hit rock bottom. Their next two games, at home against Dallas, and in Green Bay will reveal a lot about Minnesota's make up. The Bears beat both of those teams, if Minnesota wants to contend, they have to beat them as well. Two wins and just like that, the Vikings are back to .500.

It's imperative that Minnesota stops the bleeding. Rice could be back in as soon as three weeks. By that time Moss should be acclimated into the offense. That's going to be the week I crap my pants.
Moss and Rice lining up on opposite sides, Harvin in the slot, and Peterson running the ball. Not even a turnover-prone quarterback like Favre could screw an offense like that up. I think people are underestimating how scary this offense will be in a few weeks.
Until then, the Vikings can't dig their own graves. They're already 1-3 and can't afford to lose a couple more games.
They need their defense to step up. They've been pretty good in pass defense, an area that was expected to be a weakness. The run defense needs to be better. With the D-Line they have, there's no excuse to not be in the Top 5 in rush defense every year. They play the pass happy Cowboys, Packers, and Patriots in their next three games, so they should have an opportunity rectify that.
The Packers are having one of those years where the injury bug hits early and often. Ryan Grant, Nick Barnett, and Jermichael Finley are all out for the year. Aaron Rodgers may have to miss his next start. No one is talking about how they let Kampman walk or Jolly's suspension.
This is a pretty weak Green Bay team right now in a variety of areas. When healthy, they're definitely a playoff team, but the way it's looking, maybe 8-8.
The Bears will be playoff bound. I swear I believe that and am not just repeating it to try and convince myself.
I'm predicting that within the next month, the Vikings will shake up the NFC dramatically.