Although the Green Bay Packers have owned the NFC North the past three seasons, there has been a shake-up in the standings in 2022. The Minnesota Vikings have been on top through the first five games, going 3-0 against division opponents. While the Packers hold second place, Green Bay has had trouble adjusting its offensive identity. Chicago and Detroit have also struggled, both finding wins hard to come by.
Let’s check the latest NFL picks, stats, injury reports, and NFL predictions. We’ve plenty of NFL expert picks for you to consider.
Minnesota Vikings (4-1)
- Odds to win NFC North: -135
- Odds to win NFC: +800
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +2000
The Vikings are in a new era in Minnesota with a new head coach and general manager. With coach Kevin O’Connell taking over, Minnesota is off to a strong start, going 4-1 in the first quarter, including winning all three of its divisional games.
Though Minnesota has four wins to its name, three of those have come in close situations. The Vikings rallied for a game-winning touchdown after falling behind by three late against the Lions, and a similar situation happened in the most recent win against Chicago as Minnesota needed a late-game touchdown. The Vikings’ narrowly won their game in London over the New Orleans Saints as well.
Minnesota has received consistent play both on the ground and in the air. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has averaged 265.4 passing yards a game, though with wide receiver Justin Jefferson disappearing in a couple of games, he has had to find other weapons. Aside from Minnesota’s one loss, running back Dalvin Cook has averaged 89 rushing yards.
While Minnesota’s offense has remained relatively solid, its defense has allowed opponents to get back in the game. The Vikings are in the bottom nine in the league in yards allowed with 369.8 yards a game. However, those yards don’t always result in points, as opponents average 20.4 points a game, 14th in the NFL. Despite this, the Vikings have been left to play catch-up in late-game situations to pull out the win.
Green Bay Packers (3-2)
- Odds to win NFC North: +110
- Odds to win NFC: +600
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +1600
Green Bay also looks a bit different after star wide receiver Davante Adams moved on to the Las Vegas Raiders. With Adams gone, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has had to adjust to new wide receivers in rookies Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson.
Through five games, Green Bay has not seemed to have found its identity. With Rodgers still building chemistry with his young receivers, Green Bay has turned to the ground game. While running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon have proved to be a productive duo, the Packers have not stuck with them when it mattered. In its two losses to Minnesota and the New York Giants, Jones and Dillon rushed a combined 15 and 19 times, respectively.
On defense, the Packers were expected to be a top-10 unit with multiple players re-signing with the team as well as new players joining. Even though Green Bay’s 303.4 yards allowed is fifth in the league and its 19.2 points allowed is 12th, the defense hasn’t been performing as such.
Green Bay struggled to stop third-string QB Bailey Zappe and the Patriots while also allowing an injury-riddled Giants team to come back from 14 points down to win 27-22. Justin Jefferson and the Vikings also carved up the defense in Week 1. For a team with the highest-paid cornerback in the league, a number of first-round picks and veterans, the unit hasn’t been performing like it.
Chicago Bears (2-3)
- Odds to win NFC North: +4000
- Odds to win NFC: +12500
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +50000
Chicago is another team with a new head coach and general manager, but Matt Eberflus isn’t off to as smooth a start as O’Connell and the Vikings. The Bears are 2-3, dropping their division games against the Packers and Vikings.
The Bears have failed to get much going on the offensive end, as the team is in the bottom two in the league in total yards with 274 yards a game and bottom six in total points, averaging 17.2. Chicago has been unable to get much of anything going in the passing game. Quarterback Justin Fields averages 135.8 yards a game and has more interceptions (4) than touchdowns (3).
The rushing game is where the Bears have shone, as their 157.4 rushing yards a game is fifth in the NFL. Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery have formed a solid one-two punch. Herbert, rushing 56 times for 328 yards and three touchdowns, leads Chicago while Montgomery has 179 yards and one touchdown on 47 attempts.
While Chicago’s offense has cleared 20 points twice in five games, its defense has failed to hold opponents under 20 just once, resulting in a win. The Bears sit in the middle of the league in both total yards and points allowed, allowing 367.2 yards and 21.2 points a game. Just as Chicago’s offense has struggled to score, its defense has fought to slow down opposing teams.
Detroit Lions (1-4)
- Odds to win NFC North: +3300
- Odds to win NFC: +8000
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +17500
The Lions are in Year Two of the Dan Campbell area. Although Detroit got a win in Week 2, injuries and defensive deficiencies have plagued the team. The struggles have left the Lions at 1-4.
The Lions’ offense was on fire in the first four games and ranks third in the league at 28.0 points a game despite being blanked by New England, Detroit’s defense has failed to get any stops, with its 34.0 points allowed last in the league.
Detroit has also been dealing with injuries, one of the reasons for the unremarkable performance against the Patriots. Running back D’Andre Swift, as well as wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and DJ Chark, have all missed their share of time, leaving options limited.
St. Brown returned against New England on a pitch count to contribute 18 yards, a far cry from his 116-yard season high in Detroit’s only win. While Jamaal Williams has stepped up in Swift’s absence, rushing 54 times for four touchdowns in the last three games, Swift’s 8.6 yards a carry has been missed.
