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With such a tight division, the Green Bay Packers odds of winning and paying out handsomely are quite good. The payout would be $200 for every $100 bet if they would win the 2009 NFC North.
Everybody is talking about Minnesota now while Chicago was all the rage throughout much of the summer until Brett Farve unretired again. But neither team is a "lock".
Gambling911.com reported just yesterday on some discontent in the Vikings locker room over Farve coming to town while many believe Jay Cutler is overrated as the new Chicago quarterback. Even if he's as good as they say, the team itself is starting to lose much of the steam they exhibited a few years back.
Green Bay continues to fly under the radar.
Preseason play has everyone in Green Bay excited. The defense will likely be a force as the season progresses. Aaron Rodgers put up plenty of solid statistics last season including more than 4,000 passing yards. He also had a shoulder injury. The problem is he managed to throw five interceptions in the final quarter of games last year and did little to lead his team down the stretch. A healthy Ryan Grant should be able to offer Rodgers the support he so desperately needs. Linebacker Desmond Bishop, drafted in 2007, is also proving to be quite the surprise.
Another individual to note as we inch closer to the 2009 regular season start, Tyrell Sutton.
Sutton has gotten used to playing in the shadows of his childhood friends from Akron, Ohio -- reigning NBA MVP LeBron James and NFL rookie running back Chris "Beanie" Wells.
But the diminutive and undrafted Sutton has been standing out as a running back for the Green Bay Packers in the preseason, making a strong case for a roster spot at a deep position.
"He's a little scrappy dog," veteran Packers receiver Donald Driver said.
The 5-foot-8 Sutton, a long shot to make the team when training camp started, has put together two solid games and ranks second in the NFL with 140 yards rushing.
The oddsmakers at Bookmaker.com have Green Bay winning 9 regular season games in 2009. The line is pretty even.
Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
