Halfway through the 2022 season, expectations have shifted for NFC North teams. Although the competition between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers for the division title was supposed to be close, that hasn’t been the case. Green Bay’s recent losses and Minnesota’s continued success has given the Vikings a four-game lead in the division. The Chicago Bears, meanwhile, are tied with Green Bay while the Detroit Lions remain winless in the division.
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Vikings (7-1)
- Odds to win NFC North: -4000
- Odds to win NFC: +600
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +1600
- Odds to make playoffs: Yes: -15000 / No: +2500
The Vikings have continued to find ways to win, with Minnesota’s six-game win streak placing the team near the top of the NFC.
Minnesota’s defense has made improvements, holding two of its last three opponents under 20 points. However, those games also came against Washington and Miami with backup quarterbacks. The Vikings remain in the middle of the league in both total yards and total points allowed, with opponents averaging 368.1 yards and 20.1 points. The defense has seen success on the pass rush, as Minnesota’s 24 sacks is 10th in the NFL. The defense is led by linebacker Za’Darius Smith, whose 8.5 sacks are tied for second in the league.
The offense is where the Vikings have been strong, with Minnesota averaging 26 points in its last three wins. Minnesota is led by its passing game, with 238.1 passing yards per game 10th in the league. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson leads the team with 867 yards, and the Vikings also added another offensive threat with the addition of tight end T.J. Hockenson at the trade deadline.
Packers (3-6)
- Odds to win NFC North: +1600
- Odds to win NFC: +5000
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +15000
- Odds to make playoffs: Yes: +550 / No: -900
With Green Bay on a five-game losing streak, the Packers dropped out of contention in the NFC North.
Both Green Bay’s offense and defense have struggled recently. The Packers allowed 27 points three times during their five-game slide and the offense has averaged only 15.8 points during that span.
Despite their recent defensive stall, the Packers remain sixth in yards allowed with 309.1 yards, though their 20.9 points is 15th. Green Bay suffered a number of injuries on both sides of the ball in their most recent loss to Detroit. The most impactful may be the loss of linebacker Rashan Gary, who led the team with six sacks.
Green Bay’s offense has still struggled to find an identity, and injuries plaguing the wide receiving corps hasn’t made it easier. The Packers also failed to make any moves at the trade deadline, and with the schedule not getting any lighter, Green Bay is at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
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Bears (3-6)
- Odds to win NFC North: +8000
- Odds to win NFC: +40000
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +75000
- Odds to make playoffs: Yes: +1000 / No: -4000
The Bears started the season slowly, and although they are 1-3 in their last four games, the team has shown improvement.
Although Chicago’s offense was largely to blame for many of its first few losses, the defense has been the issue for the Bears lately. In the first five games, opponents averaged 21.2 points a game, while in their last four, they averaged 27.5 points, highlighted by 49- and 35-point outbursts from Dallas and Miami.
On the offensive side, the Bears went from scoring 17.2 points a game in their first five to averaging 25.3 points in their last four. Chicago has scored over 25 points in three of its last four games. Quarterback Justin Fields has shown improvement, having a breakout game against the Dolphins. Fields threw for 123 yards and three touchdowns while also leading the team on the ground, rushing for a record 178 yards and a touchdown. Chicago also added another weapon for Fields as wideout Chase Claypool was the result of a trade-deadline deal with Pittsburgh.
Lions (2-6)
- Odds to win NFC North: +5000
- Odds to win NFC: +25000
- Odds to win Super Bowl: +50000
- Odds to make playoffs: Yes: +1400 / No: -7000
The Lions remain at the bottom of the NFC North, but their recent win over Green Bay pushed them one game closer to the rest of the division.
Detroit appears to be regressing at Super Bowl bet, as its defense remains stuck at the bottom of the league and its once-strong offense has stalled.
Against the Lions, teams averaged 417.3 yards and 29.3 points a game, both last in the NFL, although Detroit managed to hold Green Bay to single digits. The Lions limited the Packers to nine points, recording three interceptions in the win.
Detroit’s offense, however, has dropped from third in the league to 12th. The Lions were averaging 28 points in the first four games but are now averaging 23.5 points. They have scored 20 points once in the past four games. Detroit has also had its fair share of offensive injuries and traded away tight end Hockenson at the deadline.
