After seven weeks, the NFC North has settled into a shape that feels anything but settled. The Minnesota Vikings are still sitting alone at the top with a 6-0 mark, while the Detroit Lions’ win over the Green Bay Packers gave them a much-needed jolt inside a division that keeps tightening. Chicago has climbed into the picture, Green Bay is still hanging around, and the whole race now has the kind of bite that makes every divisional matchup feel heavier.
- Green Bay Packers (4-3)
The Packers are still stuck in the middle, and their latest loss to Detroit had to sting. Trey Smack missed two very short distance field goals in Week 7, and Josh Jacobs, back in the lineup, had a costly drop in the end zone that probably would have put the game away.
That was only part of the mess. Matt LaFleur drew scrutiny for some of his decisions, the officials had their own shaky moments, and the result was a rough all-around outing.
Jordan Love can only carry so much when the offensive line isn’t giving him clean protection or much help in the run game. Injuries could end up being the thing that drags this team down, just like they did to the Lions throughout 2025.
- Chicago Bears (5-2)
The Bears are where this ranking starts to get interesting. They’ve been one of the surprise stories of the season, and a big reason is the offense. Caleb Williams and head coach Ben Johnson have matched up the way plenty of people hoped they would, and right now that pairing is looking every bit as dangerous as advertised.
There are still issues. Chicago’s defense has some holes, especially in the secondary.
The drops have been a problem too, and the run game hasn’t always matched the team’s scoring pace. Even so, the Bears keep getting better, which is a bad sign for the rest of the division.
Their first meeting with Detroit comes in Week 12 on Thanksgiving.
- Detroit Lions (4-2)
Detroit gets the edge over Chicago for one simple reason: the Lions’ offense feels a little more trustworthy right now.
Yes, Jahmyr Gibbs had a lost fumble in Week 7, and Cade Mays played a direct role in two turnovers in that game, including Gibbs’ giveaway. But those aren’t the kind of mistakes you normally associate with this offense.
What you do associate with it is Jared Goff keeping the ball out of harm’s way. He has not thrown an interception this year, and that matters. Goff does not want turnovers becoming part of the story.
He’s been excellent, and so have Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and most of the offensive line.
On the other side of the ball, the big question is whether the secondary’s improved play over the last two games is real or just a short burst. They’ve been much better against the pass and tighter in coverage, but they need to prove it can hold up.
If it does, the Lions look like a real division threat. If it doesn’t, they could end up right back in the same holding pattern as Green Bay.
- Minnesota Vikings (6-0)
Minnesota still has its own issues. The quarterback situation is unresolved, and the offense still hasn’t come together in a convincing way.
The team just watched J.J. McCarthy look like a solid signal caller for the New York Giants in a walk-off win, while Kyler Murray once against struggled to generate any positive yardage other than with his legs.
But the Vikings are unbeaten, and that starts with the defense.
Their defense has been tremendous, and the numbers back it up: a team total DVOA of 17.3 percent, with much of that driven by the league’s top-ranked defense. They blitz relentlessly, they make quarterbacks uncomfortable, and if an offense does get the ball out, Minnesota tends to punish it anyway.
That’s what makes this team so hard to shake. And even with the questions on offense, there’s still that feeling every week that the Vikings are about to make somebody’s day miserable.
In Other News...
Packers Coach Weighed In On The Lions Penalty Controversy
The Packers 20-17 loss to the Lions came with plenty of extra attention on the officials, as Green Bay was flagged repeatedly and Detroit was handed 81 free yards in a game that stayed tight throughout. Matt LaFleur did not hide his frustration afterward, especially with one roughing-the-passer call, but he also stopped short of turning his postgame availability into a full-scale attack on the officiating.
LaFleur made clear he wanted the focus to shift quickly from the calls to the loss itself, saying the Packers need to move on and get ready for their next game against the Carolina Panthers. For Detroit, it was the kind of divisional win that can linger with the opponent long after the final whistle, especially when the games most debated moments keep coming back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Win Sparked A Postgame NFL Reaction Packers Fans Hated
The Lions 20-17 win over Green Bay was already going to leave the Packers frustrated, but the reaction afterward pushed the conversation well beyond the final whistle. Packers safety Xavier McKinney took aim at the officiating in the aftermath, and even Fox broadcaster Tom Brady raised questions about several calls, including a roughing-the-passer penalty that drew attention during the game.
What really set off Packers fans, though, came later when the leagues own social media account leaned into the celebration. The NFL posted a clip of Lions players dancing after a late offsides penalty on Green Bay, and the choice did not go over well with a chunk of the Packers fan base online. It turned a tense divisional loss into one more talking point in a rivalry that already needs no help getting heated. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Defended The Lions Gamble That Nearly Backfired Vs Packers
Late in the fourth quarter of Detroits Week 7 matchup with Green Bay, Dan Campbell made the kind of call that defines the way the Lions want to play. With the game tied and under five minutes left, he kept the offense on the field for a fourth-and-1 at his own 24-yard line instead of punting, a decision that raised eyebrows in the moment when the conversion came up short and handed the Packers a short field.
Campbell didnt back away from it afterward. He said he believed Detroit would get the first down and, even if it didnt, the defense would be able to get the ball back, and the sequence played out in a way that preserved his logic. The Packers failed to cash in on the field-position gift, the Lions were able to survive the scare, and the game still came down to a last-second field goal. [Read more 🡒]