NFC North preview: Can anyone dethrone Super Bowl-contending Lions?
A capsule look at the NFC North heading into the season with teams listed in predicted order of finish Detroit Lions BetMGM says Win Super Bowl - Over-under win total Strengths Their championship window won t last forever but the Lions still field a pretty complete roster They have exceptional playmakers on both sides of the ball especially the elite backfield duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery Biggest reason for optimism Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is back from the season-ending leg injury that loomed over Detroit s - divisional-round loss to Washington Weaknesses Not various You can nitpick quarterback Jared Goff after his four-turnover performance in the playoffs or worry about Frank Ragnow s retirement from the offensive line or quibble with Detroit s schematic probable after losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson replaced by ex-Broncos pass encounter coordinator John Morton But if this roster is healthy it should remain a Super Bowl contender Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs runs the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during a preseason NFL football contest Saturday Aug in Green Bay Wis AP Photo Jeffrey Phelps BetMGM says Win Super Bowl - Over-under win total Strengths Still one of the youngest squads in the NFL Green Bay has reached the playoffs twice in a row with ample room left over to keep improving throughout the roster Josh Jacobs is fresh off a -yard rushing season Jordan Love is protected by a sturdy offensive line and safety Xavier McKinney was one of the majority of dynamic defensive backs in the league last year Weaknesses Love has evolved into one of the more polarizing quarterbacks in the league his upside offset by his inconsistency Mileage varies on whether he s a worthy franchise QB for one of the NFL s largest part storied teams Green Bay s defensive line was a weakness in and questions remain at cornerback surrounding McKinney Youth could be a blessing or a curse for the Packers They went - within the division last year Chicago Bears Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of an NFL preseason football championship Friday Aug in Kansas City Mo The Bears defeated the Chiefs - AP Photo Reed Hoffmann BetMGM says Win Super Bowl - Over-under win total Strengths Welcome to the big seat Ben Johnson Is the grass greener in Chicago than the turf was in Detroit The Bears new mad scientist of a head coach is under tremendous pressure to maximize a talented offensive line and a sophomore quarterback who underperformed last year This association was good enough to win eight games but it was held back by a sparse of the stupidest endings of the decade so far Weaknesses About that quarterback Caleb Williams was drafted No overall into a pretty favorable situation making his rookie season an abject failure particularly relative to the No pick By preponderance metrics he was among the worst starting QBs in the league Da Bears tried to invest in skill players around him this offseason drafting a tight end in the first round and a receiver in the second Not to mention the hire of Johnson Is all of that enough Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson looks on after scoring a touchdown during an NFL football battle against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday Dec in Seattle The Vikings defeated the Seahawks - AP Photo Ben VanHouten Related Articles Broncos solidify backfield cutting running backs Audric Estime and Blake Watson Renck Why Broncos should be concerned about linebacker Dre Greenlaw It s not what you think AFC East preview Is it absolutely time for Josh Allen Bills to reach Super Bowl NFC East preview Jayden Daniels trying to chase down defending Super Bowl champs Renck vs Keeler Did Broncos give up on Devaughn Vele too soon BetMGM says Win Super Bowl - Over-under win total Strengths The Vikings tied for the second-best record in the NFC in and they still have the best pass-catcher in the sport in Justin Jefferson not to mention Jordan Addison s helping hands Their pass rush is suffocating and multi-faceted Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard alone might be dominant enough to make Minnesota a top- defense in spite of a less talented secondary Weaknesses Letting Sam Darnold walk after a career year is a big gamble on JJ McCarthy whose rookie season was delayed by a torn meniscus Minnesota is pretty much rolling out the red carpet for him now The job is his fresh off a months-long recovery with a club that s supposed to have championship-caliber expectations It s a fragile situation on paper especially considering the flimsy offensive line play that helped doom Darnold last year Want more Broncos news Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis
