NFC Central
Team	Hoge's analysis
	The Bucs still have a strong defense and needed to make changes to their offense so it would be more compatible with the defense. Brad Johnson was a significant offensive pickup. He's a veteran quarterback who is more consistent and makes sound decisions. He doesn't gamble much, maybe to a fault. With a defense like Tampa Bay's, the key for the quarterback is to not make mistakes. Now the Bucs need to address who will be the featured back, Warrick Dunn or Mike Alstott. Dunn proved he is the Bucs' explosive, big-play back. If he is the choice, they need to stick with him. That doesn't mean Alstott will not play or have an impact. He will still play a big role. Whichever direction they go, the Bucs need a No. 1 back to carry the ball and get into the rhythm of the game. Having Dunn and Alstott split time has hindered the offense more than helping it. If they use Dunn in the right fashion -- on the perimeter -- he will be effective and explosive. And he can still run inside because he runs behind his pads. On defense, it's hard to say what kind of impact Simeon Rice may have. The Bucs' defense has been terrific at stopping the run, but that is not Rice's forte. The Bucs have tremendous blitz packages, and Rice upgrades their ability to pressure the quarterback. But Rice must show he can stop the run.
	The Packers' defense should be much improved. Defensively, with a new scheme in Mike Sherman's first year as head coach, they did the best they could with what they had. The Packers were small up front and got manhandled. They tried to address the defensive line, bringing back Gilbert Brown and drafting defensive end Jamal Reynolds. Offensively, I expect the Packers to be more balanced and explosive. They still have Brett Favre, and Ahman Green could be a star in the league. The more consistent Green plays, the better Favre will be. Antonio Freeman had a down year and Bubba Franks didn't impress in his rookie season, but the Packers' running game, which includes a healthy Dorsey Levens, should help them get better results in the passing game.
	The critical area the Bears must address is selecting a starting quarterback among Cade McNown, Shane Matthews and Jim Miller. They need a consistent leader, and I expect it to be Miller. The Bears must establish running back James Allen, who can give them the balance and consistency they need. If they stay more focused on running the football instead of airing it out, they will score more points. Defensively, their greatest hindrance was the offense. They have added Keith Traylor and Ted Washington to the defensive line and should be more consistent. Every year, the Bears seem to be close, but they can't seem to turn the corner. As long as they make the right decision at quarterback, they have a chance to have a solid season.
	Robert Smith made the Vikings' offense as explosive as any in football last season. The running game allowed them to run a vanilla offense so that Daunte Culpepper could execute. Culpepper did a terrific job in his first year as a starter, but -- with Smith retired -- they won't have the running game to lean on. Michael Bennett may end up with the starting job, but I would hate to pin my hopes on a rookie. You can't replace a 1,500-yard rusher with a rookie. They will find out how valuable Smith was to the offense. Culpepper and the offense will be forced to be more creative and do more in the passing game. More pressure will fall on Culpepper's shoulders than last season. The defense won't have the luxury of having points on the scoreboard and will be exposed as a below-average defense earlier in the season. They didn't address the defense much in the offseason and lost John Randle and Dwayne Rudd.
	New coach Marty Mornhinweg will get the most out of his players. He will implement the West Coast offense, but do the Lions have the quarterback (Charlie Batch) and the running back (James Stewart) to fit that style? We will find out. The offensive line will be relying on two rookies, tackle Jeff Backus and center Dominic Raiola. That may bode well for the future, but they will more than likely struggle early. The key is how Batch adjusts to the new offense and how the offensive line comes together. Last season, the offense had more line changes than you'd see in a hockey game. Defensively, the Lions have big bodies up front, but it's hard to say they will be a very good football team. Mornhinweg, however, is a good coach who will adapt to his players and get them to adjust to his system.