NFL Betting: Two-team race in NFC North

Jay Cutler will be directing a new offense under Mike Martz in 2010.

The Chicago Bears have Julius Peppers and a healthy Brian Urlacher to bolster their defense, along with Mike Martz to direct Jay Cutler on offense. That’s intriguing.

But NFL oddsmakers see only a two-team race in the NFC North Division, judging by current odds at TheGreek.com.

The Green Bay Packers are plus 135 to win the division with Minnesota at plus 145. The Bears and Lions are combined into a single entry at plus 305 to capture the division.

Pity the poor and porous Lions secondary, which has to deal with gunslingers Cutler, Aaron Rodgers and presumably Brett Favre. Detroit is 80/1 to win the NFC Conference.

Green Bay has the shortest conference odds at 6/1. The Vikings are at 8/1 with the Bears 14/1.

The Packers and Vikings each have the highest regular-season win total, too, in the division at 9 ½ victories. Green Bay, though, has minus 150 juice on the ‘over,’ while Minnesota has minus 120 vigorish attached to the ‘over.’

Certainly the Packers have the passing game and defense to reach a double-digit win total. Rodgers became the first quarterback to pass for more than 4,000 yards during each of his first two seasons as a starter.

The keys for the Packers are better special teams plays – they still haven’t found a reliable punter – and a healthy offensive line with veteran tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher frequently nicked up and on the downside of their careers. Green Bay also needs better cornerback depth if Al Harris can’t return from serious knee injury.

Minnesota was formidable at the Metrodome going 9-0, but went just 4-5 on the road. Favre should be back and three-time Pro Bowler running back Adrian Peterson is in his prime, although he’ll be missing steady backup Chester Taylor.

Favre has outstanding weapons to throw to. Sydney Rice had a breakout season catching 83 passes for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns. He had caught a combined 46 passes during his first two years in the league.

Star pass rusher Jared Allen and dominant tackle Kevin Williams head up an outstanding defensive line. The Vikings, though, have an overrated offensive line and their secondary has concerns. It would be a huge break for the defense if middle linebacker E.J. Henderson can return at full strength after breaking his femur last year.

Anything less than a Super Bowl victory would be a disappointment for both the Packers and Vikings.

The Bears and Lions are not near that stage, although heads will roll in Chicago starting with coach Love Smith if the Bears don’t make the postseason.

Chicago’s ‘over/under’ regular-season win total is at 7 ½ with the juice on the ‘over’ at minus 155.

Since losing in the Super Bowl to Indianapolis, the Bears haven’t made the playoffs during the past three seasons. The Bears are going for broke this year signing Peppers, a premier pass rusher, to a $91 million dollar contract and bringing in Martz to direct Cutler in a high-risk, high-reward offense. The Bears’ wide receiver group, though, is inexperienced.

The Bears’ defense should be improved with the return to health of Urlacher and tackle Tommie Harris joining linebacker Lance Briggs, who has been to five straight Pro Bowls.

The key for the Bears is how quickly Cutler and Martz can click and solidifying a secondary that desperately needs a free safety.

Detroit’s ‘over/under’ regular-season win total is 5 ½ with the ‘over’ at plus 140. The Lions have upgraded their talent level, but it might be asking too much to see a four-game improvement over last year’s dreadful 2-14 mark. The Lions have averaged four victories during the past four seasons.

Detroit’s defensive line should become strong with the additions of Kyle Vanden Bosch and Corey Williams along with rookie Ndamukong Suh, the second overall pick in the draft. Calvin Johnson is a star at wider receiver and quarterback Matthew Stafford leaves room for optimism with his grit and big arm.

The Lions, however, have problems everywhere else. Their vulnerable secondary is going to get torched, the linebacking group is in transition and there is no lead running back. Detroit is hoping rookie Jahvid Best can solve that problem.