Remember when the NFC West used to be the NFL's crown jewel? Forget it. The NFC North has kicked down the door, dragged the West off the throne, and planted its beer-stained flag as the baddest division in football. In 2024, three teams posted double-digit wins, and none of those records were flukes. This wasn’t a case of beating up on cupcakes — this was steel sharpening steel. Now in 2025, the NFC North is back with a vengeance, armed to the teeth, and looking to rip each other's throats out on the way to January glory.
So how do the teams stack up? Let’s break them down and see where the Bears might finish in this all-out brawl of a division.
Detroit Lions: The Big Dogs with Big Problems
The Lions finally broke their 65-year dry spell and morphed into a legit powerhouse, not just a cute underdog story. They went 15-2 in 2024, were a sledgehammer on offense, and Dan Campbell had the whole squad biting kneecaps and taking names. But now? The party bus lost its driver. Offensive mastermind Ben Johnson dipped for the Bears, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn packed his bags for New York. That's not a coaching shuffle; that's a damn brain drain.
Detroit promoted Kelvin Sheppard and brought back John Morton to call plays. Morton's resume is a mixed bag — he's been everywhere from New Orleans to Denver. Can he keep this offensive Ferrari humming? TBD. More concerning is the gut punch of Frank Ragnow's retirement. Losing an All-Pro center is like ripping the engine out of a Ferrari and hoping a Honda Civic alternator does the trick.
Still, the Lions are loaded. Jared Goff is in his comfort zone, Amon-Ra St. Brown is still torching secondaries, and Jahmyr Gibbs is a joystick on wheels. BetMGM still has them as favorites to win the North at +140, but don’t get it twisted: the leash is shorter now, and the margin for error just shrank.
Minnesota Vikings: All-In on the Kid
Minnesota is the drunk guy at the blackjack table betting it all on a rookie QB. J.J. McCarthy, fresh off a redshirt rookie year (thanks to a preseason knee injury), now has the keys to a 14-win team. That's not a soft launch; that's trial by fire. ESPN projects 3,705 yards, 26 TDs, and 14 picks. Honestly? That sounds optimistic for a kid who hasn’t thrown a pro pass.
That said, the Vikings didn’t leave him hanging. The front office went on a spending spree: Ryan Kelly and Will Fries shore up the O-line, and they added trench wreckers Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on defense. It’s clear the plan is simple: protect McCarthy, pressure opposing QBs, and pray the kid doesn’t crumble.
The skill positions are still insane. Justin Jefferson is a cheat code, Addison keeps defenders honest, and T.J. Hockenson is still a top-tier security blanket. But the oddsmakers smell blood — BetMGM pegged the Vikings for just 8.5 wins, mostly due to a brutal schedule that includes the fifth-toughest slate in the NFL. Even if McCarthy plays well, the ceiling is low if he gets no breathing room.
Green Bay Packers: Solid, Not Spectacular
Jordan Love got his bag. Four years, $220 million (Spotrac). Good for him. But 2024 was a mixed bag: 3,389 yards, 25 TDs, and 11 picks. Solid numbers, but the shine wore off compared to his 2023 breakout. Some of that regression was injury-related. Some of it was... well, Christian Watson running cardio routes.
Let’s talk about that wide receiver room: it’s a sea of WR2s pretending someone is a WR1. Reed led with 857 yards, Watson barely cracked 600, and no one scared defenses. That’s a problem in a division stacked with offensive firepower.
The good news? The Packers’ infrastructure is strong. They open at Lambeau for the first time since 2018 and have a favorable mid-season stretch. But five of their last seven games are against 2024 playoff teams, so any early momentum could die fast.
BetMGM has them at 9.5 wins. Projection models hover around 9.9. It feels right. They’ll be in the mix but lack the pop to rise above third gear.
Chicago Bears: The Chaos Agent
No team flipped the switch harder this offseason than the Bears. They went 5-12, got their teeth kicked in weekly, and still walked into 2025 looking like a playoff sleeper. The biggest reason? Ben Freakin' Johnson.
The Lions OC jumped ship and took the Bears' head coaching gig without even a handshake interview. That’s how badly Chicago wanted him. That’s how much faith they had in him. And it makes sense — his offenses in Detroit were balanced, explosive, and surgical.
Now he inherits a Ferrari with three flat tires and a rookie QB named Caleb Williams who, despite the chaos, still had a top-3 interception rate (just 1.1%), per The Athletic. That kid can ball — he just needs time, structure, and fewer 350-pound men in his face.
Offensive Line: Total Makeover
Chicago said screw it and bought themselves an offensive line. Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson walked into Halas Hall and turned a turnstile unit into one of the league's best. PFF has Dalman ranked fifth among all centers. Thuney's already got Canton whispers. Jackson is the perfect bruiser on the other side. Caleb Williams might finally be able to stand upright and sling it.
Weapons? Oh Yeah, They Got Weapons
D.J. Moore is a stud. Rome Odunze is already drawing WR1 comparisons. Luther Burden III might be the biggest steal of the draft. Add in Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet at tight end, and you've got a weapons group that’s sneakily top-10 in the league.
Reality Check
Don’t get too horny, Bears fans. This team still has holes. The defense didn’t get the same love the offense did, and the schedule is hell. Trips to Philly, Baltimore, and D.C.? Oof. Caleb will take lumps. Johnson will have growing pains. But winning more than 5 games and not being last in the division? That’s progress. That’s momentum.
Final Verdict
No division has this level of parity and bloodlust. You could tell me any of these teams finishes first, and I wouldn’t laugh. This isn’t the AFC South where 9-8 might win the crown. This is a knife fight every week.
The NFC North sent three teams to the playoffs last year. None won a damn game. That changes in 2025. The battle scars from last season will harden these squads. They know what January failure tastes like.
Final Record Predictions
1: Detroit Lions: 12-5
Still the team to beat, but the road's rougher now. Lose a couple of shootouts, but Dan Campbell keeps the boys locked in.
2: Green Bay Packers: 10-7
Jordan Love steadies the ship, and the defense wins them some ugly ones. They sneak into the playoffs again.
3: Chicago Bears: 9-8
The Ben Johnson effect is real. The o-line and weapons are vastly improved. They finally feel like an NFL team.
4: Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
Too much pressure on a rookie QB. The roster is ready, but McCarthy's growing pains cost them late.
