The Detroit Lions had their idle week this past week. Only the Green Bay Packers got a victory in Week 8 for the NFC North. The Vikings and Bears both wished they had a week off last week. Even though Green Bay sits atop the North, the only sure thing in this division seems to be the Detroit Lions.
Here are my takeaways from Week 8 in the NFC North from each team:
(5-1-1) Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are on a three-game winning streak and sit at the, as it stands, top of the NFC North. The Packers are also, as it stands, the #1 seed in the NFC. Jordan Love so far has been efficient and has played winning football. He only has two interceptions on the season. Love was lights out against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Rashan Gary and Micah Parsons have wreaked havoc on offenses all season; both pass rushers have at least 6 sacks. Yet I still don’t trust this team to make it all the way. They look really good and things are headed in the right direction for them, yet they don’t have a signature win like other NFC contenders. It will take much more than 7 games to tell really how good this team is.
(5-2) Detroit Lions
The Lions are coming off a game where they made the Buccaneers look beneath them. I expect the Detroit Lions to come out of the bye week hot. They have the Vikings this upcoming Sunday, and that is a matchup in which they should be able to impose their will. I think, as it stands, the Lions are the best team in this division and one of the biggest threats in the NFC. I want to see this team make a trade at the deadline to take this defense even further.
(4-3) Chicago Bears
It was a step back for the Chicago Bears this past week, losing to a hobbling Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens could not afford to lose that game, and they played like it. While the Bears played like a team that did not need to win that game. For the Chicago Bears’ upcoming schedule, they cannot afford to have that mindset anymore. They need to take on every game like it is a must-win. The Bears have 4 games they can win on this next stretch of games, but they need to take this loss as a learning opportunity. The Bears are a decent team, and they are still way away from being a good football team that can put away bad football teams. Last week’s loss was needed, and it could help the Bears reset. If the Bears come out this week with a better mindset, they could jumpstart another win streak with a win over Cincinnati.
(3-4) Minnesota Vikings
Carson Wentz is now out for the season, and the Vikings have no choice but to start J.J. McCarthy. It is apparent that it is not what they want to do. There are rumblings that Kevin O’Connell could be losing the locker room. Things are not looking good for the Vikings. With a game against Detroit this week, I could see the season derail even further. There could not be a worse game for McCarthy to get back on the field as the starter for.
Overview
The NFC North remains competitive, but to me, the current favorite to win the division is the Detroit Lions. Both Green Bay and the Chicago Bears have to prove that this year will be different for them. Minnesota might be heading in the direction of looking for a new quarterback. It is early, but the writing is on the wall for some kind of change again in Minnesota.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: NFC North Week 8 Recap
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
