NFC CENTRAL

CHICAGO BEARS

Last season: 5-11 (Fifth in NFC Central).

Coach: Dick Jauron (11-21-0 with Chicago).

Key losses: WR Eddie Kennison (Denver), DT Jim Flanigan (Green Bay), Cade McNown (Miami).

Key acquisitions: DT Ted Washington (Buffalo), DT Keith Traylor (Denver).

Offense: Now that the departed McNown is no longer a distraction, the Bears can concentrate on moving forward. Shane Matthews is the starting quarterback, but Jim Miller might have gotten the nod had he not been hampered by injuries in training camp. James Allen won the running back job by default last season and was a pleasant surprise, rushing for more than 1,100 yards. Yet, the Bears are going to give Redskin castoff Skip Hicks and rookie Anthony Thomas every opportunity to start because Allen isn’t as big or fast as they’d like. At wide receiver, Marcus Robinson is among the league’s best when healthy. Rookie David Terrell had a good enough camp to warrant the release of long-time Bear Bobby Engram. Tight end Fred Baxter isn’t much of a receiving threat. Tackles Blake Brockermeyer and James Williams anchor a dependable and deep line.

Defense: Chicago took a page from the Raven book by signing behemoths Ted Washington and Trevor Price to secure the middle of the line. The jury is still out whether defensive end Philip Daniels is worth all the money the Bears spent on him. There are those who believe that Brian Urlacher is a better middle linebacker than Ray Lewis. Urlacher is adept at consistently making plays all over the field. Big and fast Rosevelt Colvin is the perfect complement as an outside linebacker. The strength of the secondary is the punishing duo of safeties Tony Parrish and Mike Brown.

Special teams: Kicker Paul Edinger showed great accuracy from long range as a rookie. Brad Maynard will give the punting game consistency the Bears have lacked in recent seasons.

The skinny: It’s no picnic playing in the tough NFC Central, as the Bears have too many holes to get to the next level. Seven wins would be a vast improvement.

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DETROIT LIONS

Last season: 9-7 (Tied for third in NFC Central).

Coach: Marty Mornhinweg (First season).

Key losses: G Jeff Hartings (Pittsburgh), T Mike Compton (New England).

Key acquisitions: QB Jim Harbaugh (San Diego), TE Pete Mitchell (N.Y. Giants).

Offense: New team President Matt Millen plucked offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg from the 49ers to do two things--install a West Coast offense and instill a sense of pride. Mornhinweg made a statement early in camp when he was so disgusted by his players’ lack of effort that he abruptly jumped on his Harley Davidson and just took off. The quarterback position is Charlie Batch’s to lose. Batch must shake the injury bug and have a breakout season or the Lions will turn to Ty Detmer, who is very familiar with the West Coast scheme. James Stewart ran for 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, giving the Lions the ground game they lacked since Barry Sanders bolted. Things went downhill for the receiving corps once Germane Crowell was lost for the season with an injury. The Lions need Crowell to be at full speed. Batch must learn to depend on talented tight ends David Sloan and Pete Mitchell more. The young offensive line averages 330 pounds per man and should get better.

Defense: End Robert Porcher and tackle Luther Ellis are of Pro Bowl caliber, tackle James Jones is a fine run stuffer and end Tracy Scroggins is a stable veteran. Middle linebacker Stephen Boyd plays like his mentor Chris Spielman. Allen Aldridge and Chris Claiborne are solid outside linebackers. Cornerback Bryant Westbrook was on the way to fulfilling his potential when he suffered an Achilles injury last season. Should he recover fully, the Lions will field a secondary with great ability.

Special teams: Jason Hanson has been a dependable field goal kicker for 10 seasons. Desmond Howard is always a threat to go all the way. John Jett landed 33 punts inside the opponents 20 last season.

The skinny: Figure this to be a season of transition. It will take a season or two for Millen to get rid of the bad apples and build the team in his own image.

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GREEN BAY PACKERS

Last season: 9-7 (Tied for third in NFC Central).

Coach: Mike Sherman (9-7 with Green Bay).

Key losses: QB Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle), T Ross Verba (Cleveland).

Key acquisitions: QB Doug Pederson (Cleveland), DT Jim Flanigan (Chicago).

Offense: Remarkably, Brett Favre has made 141 consecutive starts despite his tendency to not shy away from contact. His strong arm, toughness, leadership and statisticsare of Hall of Fame caliber. Doug Pederson didn’t show much as Favre’s backup in the preseason. Ahman Green took over for the injured Dorsey Levens last season and gained more than 1,100 yards. Both had nagging injuries during the preseason. Fullback William Henderson is tenacious blocker and a dependable receiver. The Packers need wide receiver Antonio Freeman to regain his focus and attitude after battling numerous problems on and off the field the past two seasons. Bill Schroeder and Cory Bradford make the tough catches but neither are go-to guys. At tight end Bubba Franks looks to finally be taking the next step after much prodding from Favre. Tackle Chad Clifton only allowed one sack last season.

Defense: Vonnie Holiday, John Thierry, Jim Flanigan, Santana Dotson, and rejuvenated Gilbert Brown give the Packers a line full of experience and killer instinct. Linebacker Nate Wayne and Na’il Diggs have a nose for the ball but both are battling injuries. Bernardo Harris is a stable presence in the middle. Rookie linebacker Torrance Marshall has shown outstanding range but must learn the defense to get more playing time. Darren Sharper and LeRoy Butler form one of the the NFL’s elite safety duos and Mike McKenzie, Tod McBride, and Tyrone Williams are good cover corners.

Special teams: Ryan Longwell set an NFL record for field-goal percentage (84.7) last season. Allen Rossum is adept at finding the seam on kickoff returns.

The skinny: Green Bay returns 21 of 22 starters from a team that beat all four of division rivals to close out 2000. An injury free Packer team will vie for a wild card spot.

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MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Last season: 11-5 (First in NFC Central).

Coach: Dennis Green (96-60-0 with Minnesota).

Key losses: DT John Randle (Seattle), LB Dwayne Rudd (Cleveland), T Todd Steussie (Carolina).

Key acquisitions: TE Byron Chamberlain (Denver), DE Lance Johnstone (Oakland).

Offense: This season’s version of Daunte Culpepper might be scarier than last season’s. Sure, he has incredible physical tools, but now he has the knowledge of reading defenses. It’s only a matter of time before rookie running back Michael Bennett becomes every bit as feared as the retired Robert Smith. Fullback Jim Kleinsasser is a 270-pounder who delivers crushing blocks. Randy Moss and Cris Carter form the best wide receiving duo in the NFL. They combined for 24 touchdowns last season and should approach that mark again. Bryon Chamberlain gives the Vikings their best receiving tight end since Steve Jordan. Young All-Pro center Matt Birk has emerged as the leader on the line. Chris Liwienski takes over at the tackle spot of the late Korey Stringer.

Defense: Vast changes have been made to a defense that fell apart late last season. New defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas has installed a scheme based on aggressiveness and speed that is expected to lead to more big plays. Chris Hovan and rookie Shawn Worthen secure the middle of a line that will have its problems with big offensive lines. Ed McDaniel and Kailee Wong are steady linebackers. The secondary was a source of ridicule in 2000, yet the Vikings are going with the same unit in the hopes that simplified coverages will lead to better results.

Special teams: Ageless kicker Gary Anderson missed only one field goal attempt last season. Mitch Berger is one of the finest punters in the game. The Vikings are counting on Troy Walters to provide a spark on returns.

The skinny: The Vikings will be riding the emotional loss of Stringer all season long and in the end it might be too much to bear. This team has the talent to battle for a wild-card berth.

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TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Last season: 10-6 (Second in NFC Central).

Coach: Tony Dungy (47-38-0).

Key losses: S Damien Robinson (N.Y. Jets), G Frank Middleton (Oakland),

Key acquisitions: QB Brad Johnson (Washington), DE Simeon Rice (Arizona).

Offense: Considered the missing component, quarterback Brad Johnson was brought in with the expectation of leading the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl. While Johnson has proven to be a good passer, he does not have a history of postseason success. Long regarded as a just a fragile speed back, Warrick Dunn proved that he could carry the load by gaining 1,133 yards last season. With Dunn’s emergence as the primary ball carrier, fullback Mike Alstott looks to become more involved in the passing attack. The fact that receiver Keyshawn Johnson didn’t really click with Brad Johnson in the preseason is a matter of some concern. Count on Keyshawn to make plenty of noise if he isn’t made the focal point of the passing game. Jacquez Green and Reidel Anthony combined for 66 receptions and five touchdowns on the other side. Playing alongside Pro Bowl guards Randall McDaniel and Jeff Christy should help first-round pick Kenyatta Walker make the adjustment to the NFL.

Defense: The Buccaneers found a way to improve a line that was among the best in the business. New arrival Simeon Rice and holdover Marcus Jones give Tampa Bay the fiercest set of pass rushing ends in the NFC. Warren Sapp is the best defensive tackle in the NFL. Four-time All-Pro Derrick Brooks leads a versatile group of linebackers as there is very little drop off in skill between starters and reserves. Donnie Abraham and Ronde Barber excel at smothering receivers. All-Pro safety John Lynch is like a coach on the field, and is a fearless hitter.

Special teams: Martin Gramatica brings soccer-style euphoria to his kicking game.

The skinny: The Buccaneers finally have an offense to go along with the best defense in the NFC. This team has the talent to still be playing come January.