By james art There is a distinct possibility that all four teams in the NFL’s NFC North division could be playoff teams by the time the postseason begins in January. Of course, there is still a lot of football to be played, but the way the teams are playing right now gives all 4 fan bases something to cheer about.
2023 NFC North Playoff Teams: Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers
Last year, two teams made the playoffs from the NFC North. The Packers, as the wild card and No. 7 seed in the NFC, upset the Dallas Cowboys before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round. The Lions made it to the NFC Championship game, but blew the lead in the second half and also lost to the 49ers. So predictably, both teams had high expectations in 2024 and they certainly lived up to them.
I have to eat some crow and admit that my own premature declaration that the Packers’ 2024 season is doomed due to Jordan Love’s injury in the Eagles game was short-sighted. Not only did they win the two games Love didn’t start, but he came back and continued to play at an elite level. They even managed to hold on 30-27 on the road against Jacksonville, in a game where Love was injured again and didn’t finish.
As for Detroit, their season had less ups and downs because it was just mostly positive news and smooth sailing. With the exception of a narrow 20-16 Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay, the Lions have shown dominance as well as grit. But just like Green Bay, they were also hit by injury when one of their young stars, Aidan Hutchinson, suffered a season-ending tibia and fibula injury.
Both teams are clearly in good position to return to the postseason this year. But what many consider unexpected is that they may have legitimate competition in their own division this year.
The others: Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears
At the start of this season, Minnesota and Chicago were expected to be near the bottom of the division. The Bears were developing a rookie quarterback, and the Vikings had traded Kirk Cousins and were looking to rebuild around a new quarterback. But both teams defied expectations and so did their respective QBs.
Last year, both teams showed promise but finished with identical, underwhelming 7-10 records. For the Minnesota Vikings, that disappointing record could have been a big factor in the decision to trade Cousins to Atlanta and draft Michigan QB JJ McCarthy. Things could have gone awry after McCarthy was injured in the preseason, but Sam Darnold stepped in admirably and led Minnesota to a 5-2 record so far. Although considering they have lost two in a row after a 5-0 start, they need to work hard to get their momentum back.
A sign of the strength of the NFC North is the fact that the Chicago Bears, 4-3 through November, are currently in fourth place in the division. Of course, what everyone around the league is BUMMING about is their stunning 18-15 Hail Mary loss to Washington. That loss and a lack of discipline on the part of some of their squad could be what unravels a promising 2024 season.
To avoid that fate, they must improve their weaknesses (especially on offense) and continue to help develop rookie QB Caleb Williams. That being said, the fact that the Bears were able to turn their fortunes around and be a competitive team after years of mediocrity should give the city of Chicago hope for the future.
Conclusions: what’s next?
Right now, I think most in the betting market would prefer the Detroit Lions to have the best odds to win the NFC North. But in reality, any of the four teams in the NFC North could win the division and could certainly be in the hunt for a playoff birth. It will be fascinating to see who can handle the injuries/poor games the best and who on the other hand can fall apart as the season goes on.