1. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Coach: Tony Dungy (5th year, 37-31)
Last playoff berth: 1999
Last division title: 1999
Last Super Bowl: None
1999 finish: 11-5
Starters gone: C Tony Mayberry, WR Bert Emanuel (cut), MLB Hardy Nickerson (FA).
Key additions: WR Keyshawn Johnson, G Randall McDaniel, C Jeff Christy, offensive coordinator Les Steckel.
Outlook: When the Rams beat the Bucs, 11-6, in the NFC Championship game, Dungy made a promise. He would find new ways for his team to score. He did by trading two No. 1 picks to the Jets for the explosive Johnson and then signed two Pro Bowl offensive linemen to protect second-year quarterback Shaun King. McDaniel has some age on him but he's still one of the league's best, and Christy has been the NFC's Pro Bowl center the last two years. Their presence, along with Johnson's, should open up running room for fullback Mike Alstott and halfback Warrick Dunn. The defense was third in the NFL.

2. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Coach: Dennis Green (9th year, 84-54)
Last playoff berth: 1999
Last division title: 1998
Last Super Bowl: 1976
1999 finish: 10-6
Starters gone: G Randall McDaniel (cut), C Jeff Christy (FA), TE Andrew Glover (cut), QB Jeff George (FA), DE Duane Clemons (FA), DE Chris Doleman (retire), CB Jimmy Hitchcock (FA).
Key additions: G Brad Badger, DE Bryce Paup, DE Chris Hovan, CB Cris Dishman.
Outlook: The Vikings remain a potent force but are opening the season with the only starting quarterback in the league never to have taken an NFL snap. Daunte Culpepper has been handed a playoff team to run, which may prove to be lunancy or genius on Green's part. In preseason Culpepper was 43 for 74 with five touchdown passes and only three interceptions while completing 55 percent of his throws, so he has given Green cause to believe it is his system - not the quarterback running it - that will prevail. Culpepper is surrounded with weapons, including the best receiving combination in the league in Randy Moss and Cris Carter. He's also backed by 1,000-yard rusher Robert Smith and a rebuilt offensive line that starts a Harvard man at center in Matt Birk. Defensively, new coordinator Emmitt Thomas wants his team to attack and he's going to do it with some new faces - No. 1 pick Hovan at defensive end and former Pro Bowl pass rusher Paup - and by shifting middle linebacker Dwayne Rudd to the weak side to get him into pass rushing situations from the edge.

3. GREEN BAY PACKERS
Coach: Mike Sherman (1st year)
Last playoff berth: 1998
Last division title: 1997
Last Super Bowl: 1997
1999 finish: 8-8
Starters gone: TE Mark Chmura (cut), DE Vaughn Booker (FA), SLB George Koonce (cut).
Key additions: TE Bubba Franks, DT Russell Maryland, DE John Thierry, P Tom Hutton, LB Mike Martin, DT David Bowens, RB Ahmed Green.
Outlook: This summer their defense allowed 6.5 yards a play and their savior, quarterback Brett Favre, came up with tennis elbow. This does not bode well, but Favre remains one of the league's best quarterbacks if he can refrain from the impatience of last year that led to too many interceptions when he tried to do too much. He's playing with a depleted aresenal of weapons, though, especially with running back Dorsey Levens limping again. He still has a viable deep threat in wide receiver Antonio Freeman, a new tight end in Franks, and a line that can protect him. If he's patient, the Pack still should be able to score. New defensive coordinator Ed Donatell has to rebuild a defense that was 29th in the NFL in sacks with retreads such as Maryland and John Thierry, journeymen imports who didn't do anything special in Dallas and Chicago. He's also taking a good defensive tackle in Vonnie Holliday and trying to make him the man to replace Reggie White as an edge rusher. That may be a mismatch of skills that will hurt the Packers in two places.

4. DETROIT LIONS
Coach: Bobby Ross (9th year, 72-64)
Last playoff berth: 1999
Last division title: 1993
Last Super Bowl: None
1999 finish: 8-8
Starters gone: RB Ron Rivers (cut), FS Mark Carrier (FA), CB Robert Bailey (FA).
Key additions: RB James Stewart, OT Aaron Gibson, OT Stockar McDougle, FS Kurt Schulz, QB Stoney Case, QB Mike Tomczak.
Outlook: Ross has the inside runner he's always wanted after shelling out $25 million to ex-Jacksonville backup Stewart, but who's going to hand him the ball? His first two quarterbacks - Charlie Batch and Tomczak - broke their legs this summer, although Batch believes he can get back for the opener. If he can't, third-stringer Case opens the season under center. Worse, No. 1 draft choice McDougle, who was expected to start at left guard, was lost with a recent knee injury, Pro Bowl tight end David Slocum is hurting, and All-Pro wide receiver Herman Moore is out for half the season. A year ago the Lions' running game finished 28th in the league, so Stewart will make a difference, but he'd have to be Barry Sanders to make the kind of impact the Lions may need. The defense returns 10 starters and must keep the early games close in a division with some explosive wide receivers and quarterbacks and do it with two cornerbacks - Bryant Westbrook and Terry Fair - who struggled last season, finishing 25th against the pass.

5. CHICAGO BEARS
Coach: Dick Jauron (2d year, 6-10)
Last playoff berth: 1994
Last division title: 1990
Last Super Bowl: 1985
1999 finish: 6-10
Starters gone: SLB Ricardo McDonald (FA), P Todd Sauerbrun (FA).
Key additions: DE Phillip Daniels, CB Thomas Smith, S Shawn Wooden, LB Brian Urlacher, WR Eddie Kennison, CB R.W. McQuarters, S Mike Brown, WR Dez White.
Outlook: This was supposed to be the season running back Curtis Enis arrived. Anybody seen him yet? Enis bulked up and claimed to finally be fully recovered from his knee problems, of the past, but so far the added size has only made him a bigger target. to tackle. Chicago had hoped to throw a bit less because of Enis, but it looks as if the Bears are likely to again ask Cade McNown to pass 600 times. That may lead to some touchdowns, especially from wide receivers Marcus Robinson and Bobby Engram, but it will also lead to turnovers and defensive problems. Although the Bears defense improved in the offseason, it's still a group that was 29th against the pass and 23d against the run. The Bears are counting on Daniels, who had nine sacks last year, to have a breakthrough season and for Smith to shore up the secondary, but there is no other speed rusher.