NFC North Preview: The Toughest Division in Football

Four teams with playoff expectations, six divisional games guaranteed to get ugly, and almost no room for error. Welcome to the NFC North.

The NFC North might be the hardest division in football to figure out this year.

Green Bay has a roster I think can win a Super Bowl. Chicago is coming off an 11-win division-title season. Detroit's offense is still loaded and has a favorable schedule. And Minnesota has enough talent that they could absolutely make me look stupid.

I think three teams can realistically win this division.

Maybe four.

But probably three.

Green Bay Packers — It’s Jordan Love’s Time to Shine

This is the biggest year of Jordan Love's career.

I genuinely believe he's capable of being a top-five quarterback. Now it's time to prove it.

The receiving room got thinner with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gone, which means Christian Watson needs to become the WR1 Green Bay paid him to be. I'm also extremely high on Matthew Golden. I didn't think the Packers used him enough as a rookie, and this is his chance to prove he's a long-term piece of this offense.

My bigger concern is running back with Josh Jacobs unavailable and whether MarShawn Lloyd can finally stay healthy. Defensively, Green Bay has to survive the beginning of the season without Micah Parsons while Jonathan Gannon takes over for Jeff Hafley.

But this really comes back to Love.

Green Bay's Super Bowl window is open. If Love wants to enter that top-five QB conversation, this is the year to do it.

Ceiling: Super Bowl Floor: 3rd in the NFC North Prediction: 11-6

Detroit Lions — We Know They Can Score. Can They Stop Anybody?

Detroit could win 11 games.

They could also shit the bed in the NFC North and win eight.

Offensively, I don't have many concerns. Jared Goff has quietly played elite football for the past few years, and he's still surrounded by Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Isaac TeSlaa.

Detroit moved on from David Montgomery and brought in Isiah Pacheco, but Pacheco is already starting the season on IR with a back injury. Either way, Gibbs is still the guy in that backfield.

The question is the defense.

Aidan Hutchinson is still there and there's plenty of talent, but I don't think the defense even needs to be elite. If they're serviceable, that offense can win a lot of games.

Detroit also gets a pretty favorable schedule outside the division.

Unfortunately, they still have to play the NFC North six times.

Ceiling: NFC North champion and legitimate playoff run Floor: Bottom of the division Prediction: 10-7

Minnesota Vikings — Kevin, Start Whispering

I don't trust Minnesota.

And it basically all comes down to quarterback.

The J.J. McCarthy experiment has been fucking abominable. Minnesota drafted him 10th overall, he missed his entire rookie season, struggled when he finally played last year and now he's backing up Kyler Murray.

So Kevin O'Connell, start whispering.

Because if there's anywhere Murray should be able to revive his career, this is probably it.

Justin Jefferson. Jordan Addison. Jauan Jennings. T.J. Hockenson.

The weapons are there. The offensive line has legitimate pieces in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill. And I trust Brian Flores to have the defense ready.

That's why Minnesota could make me look like an asshole.

If O'Connell gets the old Kyler Murray back, they're dangerous.

I just don't trust it enough to bet on it.

Ceiling: Wild Card team / 2nd in the NFC North Floor: Dead last Prediction: 8-9

Chicago Bears — Caleb Williams: Shit or Get Off the Pot

This hurts me to say as a Packers fan:

I think the Bears are going to be really fucking good.

I think Ben Johnson is already one of the best coaches in football, and I believe Caleb Williams can become a top-10 quarterback.

Now it's time to actually do it.

Shit or get off the pot.

DJ Moore is gone, but honestly, I'm not convinced that's a bad thing. I'm extremely high on Luther Burden, and pairing him with Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland gives Caleb more than enough weapons.

Chicago's offense should score a shitload of points.

The defense worries me.

There are questions in the secondary, and I'm not convinced they have an elite pass rusher who can cover those problems up.

If the defense can just be serviceable, I think Chicago is good enough offensively to make another run at the division.

And of course Caleb is on the cover of Madden 27.

Because Bears fans definitely needed something else to worry about.

Ceiling: NFC North champion and legitimate playoff run Floor: Bottom of the division Prediction: 11-6

Bantrym NFC North Prediction

1. Green Bay Packers — 11-6 2. Chicago Bears — 11-6 3. Detroit Lions — 10-7 4. Minnesota Vikings — 8-9

Yes, I'm picking Green Bay over Chicago on the tiebreaker.

I'm a Packers fan. What the hell did you expect?

But I really do think this division is that close.

Green Bay can win the Super Bowl. Chicago can win the division. Detroit can win the division. And Minnesota has enough talent to make this entire article look stupid by November.

The NFC North is going to beat the shit out of itself all year.

And for Green Bay, it all comes back to Jordan Love.

If he's the quarterback I think he is, it's time to prove it.