In the latest in our fan preview articles, we turn our attention to the NFC North, home of the best player in the league for the past two years but one that might not be soo easy to predict following some changes.
The NFC North is a division that has been dominated by the Green Bay Packers for the best part of a decade, having won the crown 8 times since the 2010 season, and whilst they may have lost their main receiver target in Davante Adams, with Aaron Rodgers having won league M.V. P. in each of the past two seasons, it's hard to think that they won't be challenging for it once more.
But the other teams aren't going down without a fight, with the Detroit Lions being very aggressive in the draft to make sure they have the firepower to cause problems on both sides of the ball, whilst the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears both have the rosters at hand to cause some trouble on their day.
That's what we think, but what about the fans? We reached out to a number of fans from all teams in the NFC North and asked them their views on their respective franchises, asking five of the same questions to each responder before giving them one unique question each, after which we will reveal our prediction for how the division will look come the end of the regular season.
Minnesota Vikings, @mikeykalpakoff “This Is Our Year: a Minnesota Vikings Podcast” @TIOYVikings
What went well for you last season?
Something that went well for the Vikings last year was turnover differential. They were 5th in the league in differential with +11. The defense didn’t force takeaways all that often, but Kirk Cousins and Co. had a great time holding onto the ball. Kirk threw only 7 interceptions on the season; a very respectable total.
What area do you need to improve on?
The Vikings 2 minute defense was one of the worst in the history of the league in 2021. We can’t take away the last 2 minutes of a half, but if we did, the story of the season would have been much different. Situational defense and clock management were issues at the end of the Zimmer era as well.
Ed Donatell is the new defensive coordinator for 2022 with an entirely new coaching staff. Donatell’s track record should give Vikings fans hope, as well as the addition of Za’Darius Smith and the development of young players.
How confident are you going into this year and what do you expect your record to be?
The 2022 schedule can give Vikings fans reason to be excited. They will have some tough battles with the Bills, and the Packers at Lambeau, but with a head coach that isn’t afraid to lean into a highly talented offense, anything is possible.
The quarterbacks that the defense have to face such as Tagovailoa, Winston, and Daniel Jones don’t strike fear into our hearts. Not to mention, Adams is gone, so facing the Packers at home in week 1 gives an advantage to the Vikings, where it may take time for the Packers to find their identity without Adams. The Vikings can truly be contenders to win the division. I give them a 12-5 record.
Who is winning MVP and the Super Bowl?
As hopeful as I can be for the Vikings, the Buccaneers are the team to beat in this league. Tom Brady will throw for another 5,000-yard season, and win MVP. They have had an excellent free agency taking everything they want, and with Arians gone, this is truly Brady’s team. Don’t expect a drop-off from the Bucs, and look for them hoisting the Lombardi once again this year.
Who is going to end up with the worst record in the league?
The Chicago Bears might just be the worst team in the NFL. Let’s not put that blame all on their quarterback, though. They still have no major contributors on their offensive line, a very poor receiving room that just got worse with the injury to N’Keal Harry, and a defense whose best players now play for the Bucs and Chargers.
Justin Fields has again not been given anything to thrive this year. I expect them to have 4 wins this season.
Is Dalvin Cook ready to take the next step and be considered in the top-tier of NFL running backs?
If you ask me, Dalvin Cook is already a top-tier talent in this league. He’s been a pro bowler each of the last 3 seasons, and was top 5 in rushing yards the last 2 years. Will he continue this pace? He is 27 years old, and has seen a significant decrease in touches.
His role will slightly change in the new O’Connell offense. Expect to see him opening up more in the receiving game, and be a more balanced offense. Could balance result in more touchdowns and yards? Cook is elite, but with a new coach, how they will rely on him this year is still to be seen.
Green Bay Packers, @mattramage from The Matt Ramage Show
What went well for you last season?
The Packers' defense came together last year. They had a great game in the playoff loss. They’re proving to not be a liability like in years past.
What area do you need to improve on?
The biggest improvement must be on special teams. The special teams absolutely fell apart last season. Especially in the playoff loss.
How confident are you going into this year and what do you expect your record to be?
I’m extremely confident in the Packers this year. Defense will be top 5 or better, they have all the pieces to be great. Rodgers will level up young receivers and having Robert Tonyan back from injury will be huge. They will win 13 games this season.
Who is winning MVP and the Super Bowl?
Can Aaron Rodgers win MVP yet again? I think that would be tough to do. I think Josh Allen will have a year and take it. Packers are winning the Super Bowl though. The MVP winner never wins the Super Bowl.
Who is going to end up with the worst record in the league?
The team with the worst record could be the Bears. That might be Packers bias though. Bears, Jets and Lions are contenders. I think the Lions will be improved enough to win a few games. The Jets will have the worst record in football.
Do you think the Packers wasted their pick with Jordan Love, or is there still some use for him down the line in Green Bay?
Was Jordan Love a wasted pick? I don’t think so. Him getting drafted turned Aaron Rodgers into a machine. In his last preseason game Jordan had some great throws and decisions. I think the jury is still out on what Love can be. I don’t think we’ll know until we see him in regular season games taking reps with the first team.
Chicago Bears, @bdon300
What went well for you last season?
There wasn’t a lot of good for the Bears last year, especially on offense. Defensively, the team was just average across the board. However, if we’re looking for a bright spot, that would be the play of veteran Robert Quinn who broke Chicago’s single-season sack record with 18.5 sacks.
Linebacker Roquan Smith was another bright spot for the team. He finished the season with 163 total tackles, which was the fifth-most last season.
What area do you need to improve on?
Where do I begin? The Bears basically need improvement everywhere you look. If I had to pinpoint one area that stands out above the rest that would be execution in critical situations. Chicago had a difficult time doing much of anything on third down as the unit ranked dead-last in the league, only moving the chains on 34% of third downs faced.
Similarly, the Bears' offense was very poor inside the 20. Only scoring touchdowns on 48% of their trips into the red zone, the Bears were the third-worst team in this area of the field. Improvement is necessary.
How confident are you going into this year and what do you expect your record to be?
Chicago has made changes across the board that provide a good sense of optimism about the general direction of the team. Justin Fields looks comfortable in the Bears’ new offense and Darnell Mooney is working hard at becoming one of the best wideouts in the league.
The defense should be firing on all cylinders under new head coach Matt Eberflus. And the team has a renewed sense of identity. With the fourth-easiest schedule, the Bears really could surprise some folks. The arrow is pointing up in Chicago. But expectations are still modest this season. I predict they’ll realistically finish 9-8.
Who is winning MVP and the Super Bowl?
It’s hard not to like what is happening over in Buffalo. So I’m going to double-dip and say Josh Allen wins MVP and leads the Bills to a Super Bowl victory.
Who is going to end up with the worst record in the league?
Without Russell Wilson, I strongly believe that the Seattle Seahawks will suffer throughout the season. In a loaded NFC West, the Seahawks are most definitely the bottom of the bunch. Geno Smith doesn’t instill a lot of confidence. I expect them to end the season with the worst record.
Did you see enough in Justin Fields' first year to make you think he can be the man to take you forward as a franchise?
There were definitely flashes from Fields that make you go “woah, this kid is very talented.” His struggles last year are mutli-faceted. He did struggle going through his reads, but the Bears’ offensive scheme under Matt Nagy was very, very poor.
However, I still count on those flashes of very good play as reason to believe he can be the guy. Furthermore, he’s had himself a solid camp and a terrific end to the preseason. Fields has the tools, it’s all about putting it together and building a roster around him at the same time.
Detroit Lions, Matthew Turner from @ROTL_UK
What went well for you last season?
Not a lot. The season started poorly and got worse before it got better. The team spirit however didn't break and the 3.5 wins achieved actually was overperforming the roster.
What area do you need to improve on?
Top-end talent. The roster is quite deep but it's bottom heavy. The two 1st round picks will help in that regard, but it still lacks true superstars.
How confident are you going into this year and what do you expect your record to be?
I'm more bullish than most. The offense has been a long way ahead of last year in camp. The team should hover around .500. I'll be optimistic and say 9-8.
Who is winning MVP and the Super Bowl?
MVP - Tom Brady ends his career on a mission. Super Bowl - Bills over Tampa Bay.
Who is going to end up with the worst record in the league?
Chicago Bears. The only thing weaker than their receiving core is their offensive line. They went big on getting Justin Fields, but the new regime seems set on making things as hard as possible for him.
Is Dan Campbell the head coach that the Lions need in order to move forward as a team?
MCDC (Motor City Dan Campbell) is absolutely the man for the future. For all the "ra-ra" man he comes across as, he's smart as a tack and an underrated tactician, but his talent for spotting coaching talent is clear and will serve us very well for the future.
GiveMeSport predicts: Packers, Vikings, Lions, Bears