The NFL 2009

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The National Football League opens its season Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Tennessee Titans.  Missing from this picture is John Madden in the NBC booth, having hung up his microphone after three decades on four different TV networks.  Taking his place next to Al Michaels is Cris Collinsworth.

That's just one of the changes facing the NFL this season.  We know about Brett Favre and Michael Vick, who will return in Week 3 for the Philadelphia Eagles after he serves his league-mandated suspension.  Here are some of the others:

• Jon Grudin, Tony Dungy and Mike Shanahan are not coaching.  Instead, Grudin and Dungy have joined that halfway house for coaches called TV.  Grudin replaced Tony Kornheiser on ESPN's "Monday Night Football", while Dungy--who's also been mentoring Vick in his return to society--has joined the cast of NBC's "Football Night In America" (also known as "Sunday Night Live").
• Terrell Owens has taken his act to Buffalo, while another "look at me" player in Cincinnati changes his name to Chad Ochocinco.
• Jay Cutler now plays quarterback for the Chicago Bears, having successfully whined his way out of Denver because of a dispute with new coach Josh McDaniels.  Brandon Marshall is apparently trying the same tactic.
• Three teams have fired their offensive coordiantors during the pre-season.
• The Dallas Cowboys have a monster of a stadium down in Arlington, complete with an overhead video scoreboard punters can kick footballs at.  Even in this economic climate, size still matters in Texas.
• Another economic sign of the times:  Ten teams might have their home games blacked out on local TV because they're having problems selling out their stadiums.  Even the presence of Favre can't guarantee that the Minnesota Vikings can fill the Metrodome.  The NFL needs to tweak its blackout policy, because you can't sell the product if people aren't buying.
• And, yes, the league has decided to let its players Twitter away, as long as they're not doing it during games.  Some teams have taken exception, banning Twitter outright for competitive reasons.  Or maybe they're just plain paranoid.

Here's who we think the division champions will be come January:

NFC EAST  Philadelphia Eagles
         WEST  Seattle Seahawks
         NORTH  Minnesota Vikings
         SOUTH  Carolina Panthers
WILD CARD  New York Giants and Green Bay Packers

AFC EAST  New England Patriots
         WEST  San Diego Chargers
         NORTH  Pittsburgh Steelers
         SOUTH  Tennessee Titans
WILD CARD  Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts
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The Vikings, with or without Brett Favre, are a slight favorite to win the NFC North in a close battle with the Packers and Bears.  This should also be the year the Detroit Lions actually win a game or two.

The quarterback controversy over who gets to back up Favre has been settled, at least for now.  They are Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson.  John David Booty has been moved to the practice squad.

Coach Brad Childress has everything he needs for a title run:  A veteran quarterback who couldn't decide whether he wants to play or not, a backfield that's among the league's best no matter what LaDanian Tomlinson of the Chargers says, and a defense with question marks.  If the Vikings should somehow miss the playoffs, then it's time to start looking for a new coach and a long-term quarterback.