Aaron Rodgers

The NFL preseason is upon us and while yes it's true, the games don't count in the standings, they do impact upon a team's final roster. Certainly, that's important info for future wagering, and it's also vital in the short term. A club with many lineup decisions to make is likely to take a much different approach to the preseason than a team with relatively few choices to consider.

There's a dirty bird racing toward the Big Easy and it looms larger in the rear-view mirror of the New Orleans Saints with each passing week. The defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons are in a mood to retain their NFC South crown, and they are positioned well to do so. Win Sunday at New Orleans and again next Sunday against Carolina and the Falcons are once again champs.

Are the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams to be taken seriously? Both have benefited from soft schedules to take control of their respective divisions - the Eagles in the NFC East and the Rams in the NFC West. But the true question remains, can they run with the big boys? As they face each other this week, both can take another step toward earning status as legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

Lambeau Field has hardly been a field of dreams for the Detroit Lions. Since the 1992 season, the Lions have won one game there, finally tasting victory in Green Bay in 2015 but overall in that span the Lions are a dismal 1-25 on the road against the Packers. But with Packers QB and Lions killer Aaron Rodgers on the shelf with a broken collarbone, it could be Detroit's time to shine.

Another quarterback category, another record for Peyton Manning. The future hall of famer holds the NFL mark of 55 touchdown passes in a single regular season with the Denver Broncos in 2013. That’s an average of more than three TD completions every game. The Broncos lost the Super Bowl that year, but No. 18 set the bar extremely high for future QBs.

When was the last time a quarterback or running back did not win the NFL MVP Award? Keep looking, because the winner is legendary linebacker Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants, and the year is 1986. Defense wins championships, as the saying goes. But offensive stars put points on the board and they get most of the attention on the highlight reel.

It's win or go home time for the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers as they clash in the final week of the NFL regular season. The winner walks off with the NFC North Division title, while the loser may miss the playoffs entirely.

It's been a long time since the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs faced each other during the NFL regular with so much at stake for both teams. In fact, it was so long ago, you might have to ask your father about it.