Jay Cutler, Adrian Peterson, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford (left to right) during NFL games during the 2012 season.

Each week, Rishi Pochiraju will predict the placement of teams in an NFL division. Today: the NFC North.

One word comes to mind when I think about the NFC North: firepower. The offenses of this division are arguably the best four, when put together with any other division’s offenses, in the league. This offensive output makes this division arguably the best in the league.

Aaron Rodgers is, well, himself, and Green Bay boasts one of the best offenses in the league under his control. Detroit features the best receiver in the league in Calvin Johnson with a quarterback who can make any throw on the field. Chicago’s offense is solid with an excellent trio of Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, and Brandon Marshall. The Vikings possess the best running back in the NFL.

The offensive fireworks certainly aid each team, but when the teams play against each other, and the rest of the league, only one team can come out on top.

1^st Place:  Green Bay Packers

Green Bay is still the class of the division. Aaron Rodgers should, once again, put up monster numbers. He will still have viable targets in Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and James Jones after the departure of Greg Jennings to what some Packers players call “The purple team over there.”

The defense should improve after not playing well over the past two seasons. I expect defensive coordinator Dom Capers to turn the defense around. Even with so-so players at some positions, Capers should be able to focus his players to his system, and the defense will excel as they did during their Super Bowl run in 2010.

Although Green Bay has the sixth-toughest strength of schedule in the league, the team has enough weapons and coaching staff to beat difficult teams on the schedule, such as 49ers, Giants, and Falcons. Green Bay will take the division crown for the third straight year.

2^nd Place:  Chicago Bears

Chicago fired Lovie Smith after a 10-6 season and is possibly attempting to put an emphasis on offensive improvement with the hiring of Marc Trestman. He can be instrumental in Jay Cutler’s development and will boost the offense.

The offensive playmakers will certainly help the Bears win games, but the o-line is a work in progress. Chicago hopes Trestman can turn the line’s fate around. This will only help Cutler’s growth. The team is solid in general and has an easier strength of schedule than Green Bay, but a first-year coach, a bad offensive line, and an aging defense will not push them over the top of the division.

Chicago can have a solid season, but I believe the Packers are the better team. However, the Bears can push for a wild card spot in the playoffs as they did late last season.

3^rd Place:  Minnesota Vikings

How far can Adrian Peterson take his team? 2013 will be all about Christian Ponder’s development as a passer. The team cannot rely on Peterson to rush for 2,000 yards again (although he is shooting for 2,500).

The team signed Greg Jennings this offseason and drafted receiver Cordarrelle Patterson to fill the void of Percy Harvin.  But Minnesota competes in a tough division and has a tough schedule. Although the team has all the pieces it needs to be solid, solid is simply not enough.

Adrian Peterson will win multiple games single-handedly for Minnesota, but if Ponder does not develop into at least a solid passer, the Vikings will have trouble competing with tough-nosed defenses. Although I have them in 3^rd place in the division, they could still be a .500 team or better in one of the best divisions in the game.

4^th Place:  Detroit Lions

Detroit has everything going right for them in terms of the passing game. However, the running game and the defense is a different story. Quarterback Matthew Stafford attempted more passes than any quarterback in the history of the game last season and the Lions ran the ball on only 35 percent of plays last season – lowest in the NFL.

That lack of balance was a reason the Lions finished 4-12 last season. The defense did not play well, either, giving up many big plays and forcing the offense to play catch-up in many games. If the defense is able to generate more turnovers and stop opposing offenses, and if Reggie Bush can produce, Detroit may be able to win more games, but I don’t see them overtaking the other three teams in the division.

In a difficult division, Detroit will not be going anywhere soon. However, team could turn its fate around with a well-balanced offense and a defense that should be able to generate more turnovers in 2013.

May 20, 2013; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) speaks to the media following organized team activities at the Broncos training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

After having a full year of play with the Denver Broncos under his belt, quarterback Peyton Manning says he’s feeling a lot better than he did last year. But won’t go as far to saying he feels better than ever.

Peyton Manning lead the Denver Broncos to a #1 seed playoff birth last season after signing with the Denver Broncos as a free agent. Possibly the best quarterback of his generation, looks to hit go farther than just the 2nd round of the playoffs. Manning spoke to the Los Angeles Times about returning last season after missing the entire 2011 season following his multiple next surgeries. I have to admit that after hearing he had all these surgeries done on him, that he was pretty much down and out.

Manning went on to say that the way he feels now is a lot better than the way he felt when he was a new (Denver) Bronco. Saying in his interview:

“The biggest issue for me was performance: Can I perform the way that I’ve been performing for over 14 years? You’ve only done it one way-you’ve thrown one way, the ball felt one way in your hand since you were 15 years old playing quarterback. All of a sudden, when things feel a little different, there are some questions and some unknowns: How will it hold up in different types of throws, touch passes? I’ve got to put one in there in some weather, whatever it may be. Not that I feel as comfortable as I did in my eighth year in Indianapolis, but it’s a heck of a lot more comfortable than I was last year.” – Manning said to L.A. Times

If Peyton Manning is feeling more comfortable than he was last season, then that is bad news for the rest of this league. Denver Broncos to me are the team to beat in the AFC and I believe they could repeat as the #1 and possibly reach the Super Bowl. Giving Manning another weapon like Wes Welker will work perfectly for this franchise as they look to win their first Super Bowl since John Elway, Shannon Sharpe and Terrell Davis won their 2nd in a row back in ’98.

Now when it comes to the MVP award, I honestly thought it should have been split between both Adrian Peterson and Peyton Manning. Two outstanding players who were key pieces of their teams success last season, both coming back from tough injuries. Both veterans were questioned when it came to how they would perform when they came back, if they were ever able too. Would they be the same? Last season both of these players grabbed the attention of every fan who watched this sport. Love them or hate them, they put up some great numbers after coming back from what were thought to be career changing injuries.

John Fox believes that his future hall of fame quarterback Peyton Manning should have won the Most Valuable Player award that Adrian Peterson himself received.

“No disrespect to Adrian, because I love him and he’s a great player. But I think an ACL is a little bit more understood in the National Football League than a surgery on your neck that affects your nerves. I still marvel at what Manning was able to accomplish. It was with a different team, and at a position that mentally is just so hard. In history, I don’t think anything’s ever been done like that, and not even counting the fact that he didn’t lay the year before.” Head Coach John Fox on the MVP award.

Well I can definitely say that this year, may once again be the year of Peyton Manning.

Dec 30, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) against the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Packers 37-34. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Peterson has rushed for more yards in a season than everyone in NFL history except one man. And he isn’t looking to slow down in the 2013 season.

In all fairness he had a slow start in the 2012 campaign he only crossed 100 yards once in the first 6 games. And that was a game where he rushed 102 yards. If he had a full 16 games like the last 1o, he could easily do it.

The Minnesota Vikings resigned full back Jerome Felton who was integral in Peterson’s MVP season. And Felton thinks it is possible Peterson could reach 2,500 yards.

“I really don’t feel like it’s out of reach,” Felton said, via The Star Tribune. “You look at it. It’s what, around 155 yards per game? With him, that’s doable.”

Jared Allen agrees:

“With that dude? It’s logical. And yeah, that’s crazy. … But I think too, with the way the league is now as such a pass dominant league, you’re seeing smaller fronts. You’re not having that 330-pound nose tackle anymore. You’ve got to have guys there who can rush the passer because of these spread offenses and these check-down systems. So you get a team like us that likes to run the ball with a back like Adrian and smaller [defenders] on the field, 2,500 might not be a stretch.”

But if the coaches aren’t calling the play it’s not doable. But coach Leslie Frazier thinks its a good goal and it is possible.

“I think it’s a good goal to have if you’re Adrian Peterson. He’s more than capable of getting it accomplished.”

But unlike last season where the one-dimensional Vikings had to force Peterson the ball they’re looking for more balance this time around, and that could hurt his numbers.

Another note is that no 2,000 yard rusher broke the 1,500 yard mark the following season.

Dec 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) runs with the ball against the Chicago Bears in the first quarter at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Running backs have long been deemed the work horses for NFL teams. Doing the dirty work, running backs are needed to get that few inches in the trenches when it really matters. The 2012 NFL season offered a wide variety of performances at the running back position. Highlighted by an MVP year by Adrian Peterson, running backs are staking their claim that football still relys heavily on the rushing game.

1) Adrian Peterson -

The obvious number one choice for the 2013 NFL season, Adrian Peterson had an absolute incredible year on the ground in 2012. Peterson will be poised to actually break Eric Dickerson’s long standing rushing record in 2013. Coming off an ACL and MCL knee reconstruction, Adrian seemed better post injury than he was before the injury. 2013 should be no different for Peterson who in 2012 led the Vikings to the playoffs with 2,097 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns, and an insane 6.0 yards per carry average. Oh, and he was the MVP of the NFL in 2012, out dualing Bronco’s quarterback Peyton Manning for the coveted award.

2) Arian Foster -

Arian Foster will be expected to sustain his rushing success of the past 3 years. Coming on the scene for the Houston Texans in 2010, Foster has shown the type of consistency necessary to be an All Pro year in and year out. His efforts in 2012 helped the Texans make a playoff run which ended in a loss to the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. Arian posted an impressive 1,424 yards rushing, 15 touchdowns, and a per carry average of 4.1 yards. Arian Foster will be in the hunt for the rushing title in 2013.

3) LeSean McCoy -

LeSean McCoy did a bit of a disappearing act in 2012. He was coming off of two straight 1,000 yard seasons and was expected to repeat or to even better those numbers in 2012. Well, that didn’t happen as he was only able to put up 840 yards rushing, score only 2 touchdowns, and net a 4.2 yards per carry average. LeSean was able to make this list because of one man, Chip Kelly. LeSean McCoy possesses the skill set that a running back needs to shine in a Chip Kelly offense. This could prove to be very good for LeSean McCoy’s stats. During his tenure at Oregon, Chip Kelly’s offense was very good to the running back position, as LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner were able to have outstanding statistics. LeSean McCoy will have a comeback year for the record books.

4) Marshawn Lynch –

Coming off his best year during his time in the NFL, Marshawn Lynch launched himself into the company of elite NFL running backs. Making the Pro Bowl in 2012, Lynch had 1,590 yards rushing, scored 11 touchdowns, and had a 5.0 yards per carry average. It should come as no surprise that the Seattle Seahawks had a very successful year behind both rookie sensation Russell Wilson and the always entertaining Marshawn Lynch. The Seattle Seahawks should fully expect a repeat performance from Lynch in 2013, as they will be trying to make another run at the Super Bowl. Beastmode is here to stay.

5) Alfred Morris –

Alfred Morris came into the year as an unknown rookie running back who was picked in the 6th round of the 2012 NFL draft at pick number 173. Out of Florida Atlantic, Morris proved to be one of the top RBs in the NFL this past year with 1,613 yards rushing, 13 touchdowns, and a 4.8 yards per carry average. With the injury to RG3, Morris should expect a higher work load on the ground, which could benefit Alfred as he will try and improve on the numbers he put up in 2012. Don’t be surprised if Alfred Morris is competing for the rushing title in 2013.

Dec 30, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) smiles following the game against the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Packers 37-34. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Peterson deserves to be the MVP of the NFL this year. Not only should he be MVP, but he also deserves the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

Adrian Peterson changed the game with the type of stats he put up this past year with the Minnesota Vikings. Coming off a torn ACL and MCL, Peterson was able to lead the Vikings to the playoffs, one year after a lowly 3-13 season. Leading his team to the playoffs isn’t even the most impressive thing about the year, Peterson’s pursuit of Eric Dickerson’s rushing yards record was an MVP effort all in itself.

A pursuit that he fell just 8 yards short of, gaining 2,097 yards on 348 attempts along with an impressive 12 touchdowns via ESPN.com. To put the year that AD had in perpective, he alone gained more rushing yards in 5 games this year than the Vikings’ quarterback Christian Ponder had in passing yards. Peterson took a team that went 3-13 to the playoffs coming off a devastating injury that sometimes sidelines players for over a year. Adrian Peterson is the MVP of the NFL.

AD has set the bar when it comes to recovering from the gruesome injury that is a torn anterior cruciate ligament or ACL for short. Every athlete that has suffered the injury since Adrian’s remarkable comeback has visions and expectations of coming back and being better than before.

The amount of time it took Peterson to come back from the rehabilitation is absolutely freakish. He was running sprints up a hill with teammate and wide receiver Percy Harvin and beating him after just 4 months of rehab. Adrian Peterson deserves the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award simply because of the expectation and hope that he has given thousands of athletes around the world who suffer torn ACLs every year.

Peyton Manning took an entire year off to recover from his injuries. Adrian Peterson took half that amount of time and had a near record breaking year. Adrian Peterson had a freak year that deserves both the MVP and NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

Dec 30, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) against the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Packers 37-34. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Those who have watched the NFL this season think the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, and the Most Valuable Player Award come down to the same two men: Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson. Both players came off injuries requiring surgery, and both had stand out years.

Peyton Manning, with a new team, in an outdoor stadium  led that team to a 13-3 record. He competed nearly 69% of his passes for 4,659 and 37 touchdown passes. This after having 4 neck surgeries that caused him to miss the entire 2011 season.

Adrian Peterson tore his ACL, had surgery to repair that and fell 9 yards short of having the best season ever by a running back. He finished with 2,096 yards, just 9 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s single season record.

Both are playing in the Pro Bowl as neither led their team to the Super Bowl. And Adrian Peterson is taking the opportunity to campaign for the MVP award. When a reporter asked about who he though the MVP should be, Peterson had a simple answer.

“I’m going to win it. I will get it,” Peterson said, via the Denver Post.

While Manning had a good year, Peterson seemingly had an even better year. The Minnesota Vikings lacked any kind of passing attack and opponents knew Peterson was coming, and he finished strong after a slow start. He didn’t even cross the 100 yard mark till his fourth game and didn’t record his second till the 7th game.

And it’s that 7th game when he caught fire. He ran for 153 yards that game, the first of 8 game streak where he passed 100 yards every game, the 150 yard mark 6 different times and the 200 yard mark twice.

Peyton Manning’s stats are no doubt less impressive. He tied Y.A. Tittle’s record for most touchdown passes thrown after the age of 35 years. But the league took notice of what Adrian Peterson did.

“I’m still amazed,” Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk said. “What A.P. did was incredible. Unless you’ve played football and had knee issues, there’s no word to quantify what he did. I kept waiting and waiting for fatigue to come into his game. But, as the season went on, he actually started getting stronger. And that doesn’t happen in the NFL.”

We’ll wait and see who wins, but it looks like Peterson has the edge.

Jan 6, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) drops back to pass during the second half of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks at FedEx Field. The Seahawks won 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Many fans in Washington were immediately overcome with pessimism and doubt after watching their star young quarterback go down with a gruesome leg injury in the playoffs. Robert Griffin III tore several ligaments in his knee and it seemed that the Redskins’s fans were headed back to the bottom of the NFC East, but there was hope.

Hope in one man, who defied the odds, and returned from an ACL surgery and had one of the greatest NFL seasons ever by a running back, falling 9 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s single season record and becoming the 7th man to pass the 2,000 yard mark. That man is likely set to win Comeback player of the year honors and even, possibly an MVP award.

That man is Minnesota Vikings’s Adrian Peterson.

But Peterson could be the exception, and not the rule. That certainly is what makes his season so incredible and miraculous. So it could be said that while his quick recovery if a beacon of hope for Redskins fans, it shouldn’t be the bar to which RG3 is held.

“That’s not fair,” Peterson said, via NFL.com. “Everybody’s body heals differently. That’s something nobody is going to understand.”

Griffin though has a history with these injuries, unlike Peterson. This is RG3′s second ACL surgery on the right knee and third total. But RG3′s doctor, orthopedist James Andrew says you can expect RG3 to return by season’s start.

But Peterson maintains he is the exception, not the rule.

“This is also a matter of genetics,” Peterson said. ”Look at my dad. And my mom’s side, my aunts and uncles, they’re all ripped. At 50 years old, they’ve got six packs and eight packs.

“My body just heals differently. I know it has a lot to do with rehabilitation and work ethic — but I really credit my genetics for my recovery as much as anything else.”

Do you think RG3 will be ready in time for next season?

Dec 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) carries the ball during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Peterson is having an MVP caliber year coming off of an ACL injury. Through 13 games he has ran for 1,600 yards which has him on pace to finish the season with 1,969 yards. Just 31 shy of the exclusive 2,000 yard club. It also leaves him 136 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s single season record of 2,105 yards.

This morning, Dan Patrick asked AP if Dickerson should be nervous.

“I think so,” Peterson said.  “I think so…. The guys in front of me are doing a great job of blocking. I feel it’s possible.”

Patrick asked about the knee that has so many people surprised with the season Peterson is having.

“It’s stronger than it was before,” Peterson said.

And aside from the surprise that is how strong his knee is, Patrick asked Peterson if he was suprised at how successful he was running the ball, when teams know it is coming.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Peterson said. “We come in and we want to run the ball. It’s all about mindset.”

It might seem like a herculean task to run for 505 yards in just 3 games but it’s do able. In the 1984 season when Eric Dickerson set the record he had ran for 1,643 yards after 13 games. Just 43 ahead of where Peterson stands right now. He also was averaging 5.61 yards per attempt, Adrian Peterson is averaging 6.01 yards per attempt right now.

Peterson has a tough road ahead of him with games in St. Louis and Houston before hosting Green Bay in the season finale, all who have defenses against the run ranked in the top half of the league. St. Louis is 13th against the run allowing an average of 110.3 yards per game, Houston is 3rd against the run allowing 90.8 yards per game, and Green Bay is 15th against the run allowing 116.7 yards per game.

If he finished with those averages he’d only accumulate 318 yards, well short  of the record. But Peterson is above average so let’s dive into some numbers.

He started off slow, only eclipsing the 100 yard mark once in the first 6 games of the season. In fact, it took till week for to pass 100 yards and he did so barely gaining 102 yards in that game. In September he ran for 332 yards, 4.2 yards per carry, in October that increased to 443 yards with 6.2 yards per carry, and in November to 461 yards with 7.4 yards per carry. So far in December he has 364 yards at 7 yards a carry.

In the last 7 games he has ran for 1,101 yards.

In the last 7 games he has only ran for less than 150 yards in 2 games. He would need to average 169 yards per game to break the record, a mark he has passed 3 times in the last 7 games. In his trip to Lambeau two weeks ago he ran for 210 yards.

If you’re curious, Eric Dickerson finished that season with 462 yards in the last 3 games.

It won’t be easy, but it’s definitely within reach.

Sep 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28 ) is introduced prior to the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

Adrian Peterson suffered a torn ACL and MCL on Christmas Eve of last year and he has been recovering in hopes of playing in the season opener. Not only did Peterson get to play but he got the start and it has payed off for the Vikings.

The Vikings were trailing the Jacksonville Jaguars late in the first half when he scampered into the endzone for a three-yard touchdown run to bring the score closer. The Vikings now only trail 7-9.

Peterson has 23 yards on 7 carries. The bright spot is the touchdown and it gives the Vikings a glimmer of hope going into the second half.

Jul 27, 2012; Mankato, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) poses for pictures at training camp at Blakeslee Stadium at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

The Minnesota Vikings coaching staff is meeting today to discuss the roster and potential changes to the team’s depth chart. One of the topics of discussion will be whether or not to remove starting running back Adrian Peterson from the Physically Unable to Perform list where he has been since the start of the offseason.

“We’re going to discuss it,” Vikings head coach Frazier said. “We’ll discuss where he is and what’s the next step for him this week, whether we continue to work through rehab or how we want to approach it.”

Peterson has been working hard to recover from a torn ACL late in the season and reconstructive knee surgery. Peterson has steadily been progressing as the offseason has gone on and he has had no setbacks.

The Vikings how handled Peterson’s status with caution and do not want to rush him back on the field.

While bringing Peterson off of the PUP list as early as Sunday is an option, it is no sure thing. Frazier and the Vikings coaching staff will do their due diligence and make sure Peterson is 100% before they remove him from the PUP list and get him back on the field.