{image1}Difficult as it is to believe, several players will have a bigger impact on the NFC North divisional race this season than rookie Green Bay punter B.J. Sander and would-be Brett Favre backup Tim Couch.

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, never has so much crap been written by so many about so few. It's a safe bet that several Packer beat writers have been through the trash outside Sander's training camp dorm room in search of the latest scoop, or have called Couch's Pop Warner coach with the open-ended query, "Can you tell me a little bit about how much Tim Couch sucks?"

Let's close the door -- if it was a mistake to draft Sander in third round, it was a MISTAKE. NFL Drafts have seven rounds, and mistakes happen throughout each one of them. Mike Sherman has taken more heat for trading up to take Sander than George W. Bush has for the missing weapons of mass destruction. As for Couch, he simply didn't work out, not that many figured he would. Onward.

What about the other teams in the North? Can the Packers defend their title in 2004? Or will Minnesota, Chicago or Detroit stake a claim? Let's scan the division for clues.

Minnesota (9-7 last year)

If the Vikings were still upset over the way they let the playoffs slip away last season, they didn't show it in the exhibition season. The first-team offense looked solid in the Twin Cities, as Minnesota racked up 91 points (to the Packers' 36) in exhibition play.

QB Daunte Culpepper looks better than ever for the Vikes, and he has a couple additional weapons this year. Ex-Bear WR Marcus Robinson joins the club, though he continues to battle injuries, and fellow wide outs Kelly Campbell and Nate Burleson should improve. TE Jermaine Wiggins arrives to provide a deep-middle threat, though he only has 50 career receptions in four seasons.

Fourth-year RB Michael Bennett is as explosive as they come when healthy, but he's nursing a knee sprain at the moment. Moe Williams and Onterrio Smith back him again, with Smith facing a four-game substance abuse suspension (pending his appeal) to start the season.

Mike Tice hopes his team will make its biggest strides defensively. Rookie end Kenechi Udeze is one of three high draft picks that will start, and CB Antoine Winfeld arrives from Buffalo. Winfield isn't a big playmaker, but he is a sure tackler. The development of linebackers E.J. Henderson (second year) and Dontarrious Thomas (rookie) will help determine how much progress the defense (which ranked 23rd in yards allowed in 2003) will make. The new coordinator is ex-Jets DC Ted Cottrell, who replaces George O'Leary, now the head coach at Central Florida.

Also, the Vikings are up for sale. If you're am ambitious Packers fan, you could pick them up for around $600 million, which is what Forbes magazine says the team is worth. Believe it or not, that ranks 30th among the league's 32 teams. The Packers rank 16th.

You can see them: Sunday, Nov. 14 at Green Bay (3:15 p.m.); Friday, Dec. 24 at Minnesota (2 p.m.)

Chicago Bears (7-9)

The biggest shake up on the Midway in 2004 is, of course, the arrival of new head coach Lovie Smith. Smith has generally been met with a love-in in Chicago, as Bears fans are desperate for a return to the Mike Ditka-led glory days of the 1980s.

That might be a little premature this season, but you never know. It's second-year QB Rex Grossman's show to lead, but he doesn't have a lot to work with offensively. WR Marty Booker, one of the few Bears that gave Green Bay trouble over the last few years, was dealt for sack specialist Adewale Ogunleye, leaving David Terrell, Justin Gage and Bobby Wade as the top receivers. This isn't to say those guys can't play, but it'll most likely take everyone a while to mesh in live action.

One addition could give Packers fans pause: RB Thomas Jones. Jones has fought unmet expectations during four NFL seasons, but he sliced through the Packers for 134 yards on nine carries with Tampa Bay last year. His speed-based running style has been known to give the Packers problems.

Smith also likes speedy, lean athletes on the defensive side of the ball, and he's stamped his imprimatur on that unit, as well. Rookie tackles Tommie Harris and Tank Johnson will try to help MLB Brian Urlacher return to his pre-2003 form after a down year. Ogunleye, who led the AFC with 15 sacks, is another key addition, though the Packers offensive line protects Favre like the Secret Service does the President. The Bears will struggle at cornerback with Jerry Azumah (out until mid-season) and R.W. McQuarters (nursing a hamstring) both injured.

You can see them: Sunday, Sept. 19 at Green Bay (noon); Sunday, Jan. 2 at Chicago (noon)

Detroit (5-11)

If you didn't know head coach Steve Mariucci has an offensive background, it wouldn't take you long to figure it out based on his moves since arriving in Detroit.

The Lions added Texas WR Roy Williams and Virginia Tech RB Kevin Jones to a young offensive unit featuring third-year QB Joey Harrington and second-year WR Charles Rogers. Plus, free agent WR Tai Streets and TE Stephen Alexander also join the club, which will try to outscore its opponents in pursuit of a .500 record.

A couple of things are working against Detroit's chances, however: its defense is weak, and the Lions can't win on the road (24 straight losses). It's hard to win in the NFL with either problem.

There is some hope. The defensive line, featuring tackles Shaun Rogers and Dan Wilkinson and ends Robert Porcher and James Hall, is good if not great. And youngster Boss Bailey has the makings of an excellent linebacker, though he could miss most of the season with a knee injury. UW rookie LB Alex Lewis is also vying for time after battling ankle problems in camp.

Veteran safeties Bracy Walker and Brock Marion join corners Dre' Bly and Fernando Bryant in the secondary, but the defensive backfield still looks like a weakness. Marion bruised his knee in the team's exhibition finale, continuing a disturbing injury trend for the Lions.

The Lions could be a fun team to watch in stretches, but there are too many injury questions and too little experience for them to contend in 2004.

You can see them: Sunday, Oct. 17 at Green Bay (noon); Sunday, Dec. 12 at Detroit (noon)