The NFC North is the toughest division in the NFL, and all fans are on the edge of their seats to see who’s going to come out on top. Now that Week 9 is officially in the books after the Bills delivered a shellacking to the Vikings, let’s take a dive into who’s got the best shot to win the division in my NFC North Power Rankings.
#1 Chicago Bears 7-2
The Bears are actually coming off a not-so-impressive 27-24 win at home in primetime against the 3-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Star QB Caleb Williams had a poor performance, as he threw four interceptions in the game. The defense was able to come up with big plays, as Bears DB Jaylon Johnson scored a pick-six off a Baker Mayfield interception.
This is part of the reason I actually like them as the team to beat in the NFC North. Former Lions OC and current head coach Ben Johnson is known for his high-powered offenses, and it was nice to see that even in a very rough offensive performance, they were still able to win the game with the help of their defense. In Williams’ other five starts this season, he only threw one interception and has added 10 total touchdowns overall, so I don’t think one bad game is a cause for concern given his play the rest of the year.
One big thing that really puts them on top for me right now is the addition they made by acquiring star DT Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans. He has provided a big spark to the Bears’ defense already, with a sack in both of his games as a Bear. He is someone who can wreck a game himself and proved it many times with the Titans, but it was hard to stand out due to the Titans organization struggling in recent years.
The one negative is that the Bears’ two losses actually both came within the division, with losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. But Williams got hurt late in that game and, as a result, was not able to play against the Packers, so it seems harder to judge them for those flaws. They still seem to check the most boxes when it comes to the NFC North teams.
#2 Detroit Lions 6-2
The Lions are fresh off a 19-9 win in Miami, where they sleepwalked through most of the game but still came through with an ugly win. I think that shows the high talent level of a team like this. But what is really important is that, unlike the Bears, they have taken care of business against their rivals with two back-to-back home wins over the Packers and Vikings. The Lions relied on their strong rushing attack and superstar RB Jahmyr Gibbs to beat the Vikings’ blitz, as he had 153 yards on the ground.
The Lions have no shortage of offensive talent, with Jared Goff doing a good job protecting the football and playmakers like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta surrounding him. Their offense continues to rank among the NFL’s best, sitting fourth in the league with 379.8 yards per game, just behind the Bears. With that much talent on the field, it’s hard not to see Detroit competing with Chicago for the NFC North title.
There is one big issue with the Lions, and that is their defense. They have performed better in recent weeks, as they got star S Brian Branch back from injury, but unfortunately lost a key player in Jack Campbell to a very scary neck injury. He still remains in the hospital but has shown some positive signs recently, as he released a statement saying he has movement in his lower and upper extremities, which is so great after how bad things looked at one point. The Lions recently moved him to IR, and the rest of his status is unknown at this time.
Overall, they remain a tricky team to predict, as they seem to gear up for the big games but need to be more consistent if they want to win the NFC North.
#3 Green Bay Packers 6-3
This is another tough team to judge, as they have been pretty ravaged by injuries and honestly may have one of the worst offensive lines in football, as Pro Football Focus recently ranked them 29th in the NFL. However, they are still tough to beat, as they proved with a huge 45-27 win on the road against the 5-4 New England Patriots. Their defense is pretty sound, currently ranking 11th in yards allowed per game at 322.9.
The Packers’ offense is strange because it feels like a lot of YOLO ball, where Jordan Love just chucks it up to his two star receivers, Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, who respectively rank third and fourth in receiving yards league-wide. It’s a pretty crazy stat to have two guys doing this. Jordan Love himself is leading the league in passing yards with 2,618.
My main issue is just wondering if this success is sustainable or not. I would argue it’s not, but with star QB play, it’s the reason I still have them in front of the Vikings.
#4 Minnesota Vikings 6-2
We know every team in this division is tough, and the Vikings’ defense is currently No. 2 in the NFL, allowing only 280 yards per game. Brian Flores runs this blitz-heavy scheme that just obliterates teams. But the issue is that they have a huge problem on the offensive end, specifically at the QB position.
They are coming off a really rough Monday night loss to the Buffalo Bills, who defeated them 23-6. They did a solid job containing Josh Allen, but the bigger problem was the opposing quarterback situation. Carson Wentz, who stepped in for Kyler Murray after he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring injury, had a disastrous night, completing just 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards and two interceptions. This wouldn’t be as alarming if they also hadn’t scored only 15 points in a 19-15 loss in Detroit previously.
Now it feels like a team that was previously 6-0 could really spiral downward, as they have to go on the road against the 6-3 Packers and 7-1 49ers. It does not matter if this defense is Super Bowl-caliber or not. This team will not even make it through this brutal division if they cannot show some ability to score points and create a functional offense.
End Of My NFC North Power Rankings Rant
The Lions and Bears are the teams to beat in the division. One thing is certain: the rest of the season should be a fun ride as we see whether all four NFC North teams can make the playoffs. It hasn’t happened since 1998, when all four AFC East teams (the Jets, Dolphins, Bills, and Patriots) reached the postseason. That was before the NFL’s realignment, making this year’s potential playoff race an especially interesting one to watch.
Beyond the standings and the rivalry, though, it’s important to remember the players who put their bodies on the line every week. It’s great to hear that Jack Campbell is okay, and moments like that remind us how much these players sacrifice every time they step onto the field. No matter which team comes out on top in the NFC North, we should have respect for these warriors who give everything they have for the game and for our entertainment. Rivalries are part of what make football special, but at the end of the day, these players deserve our appreciation.
