Detroit May Be the Only NFC North Team with Fair Expectations
The Minnesota Vikings want to make more than a few prognosticators look silly. To do so, they would need to win something near nine games and make a push for the playoffs. The rest of the NFC North seems to be misjudged as well, and only the Detroit Lions seem fairly assessed.
Detroit May Be the Only NFC North Team with Fair Expectations
Coming off a division championship, the Detroit Lions are expected to repeat as champions. That is a straightforward stance, and they are definitely the cream of the crop in the division. Minnesota is looked at as being a cellar dweller, but that shouldn’t come to fruition.
A second year of Jordan Love under center is already looked at as a sure thing. He definitely looked better as the season went on, but assuming he was a sure thing would be wild. Green Bay turned over the running back position to Josh Jacobs, but their wide receiver talent remains a massive wild card. They should be expected to finish second in the division, but there’s also a better chance Minnesota takes that spot than the Vikings are being given credit for.
The Chicago Bears have been a dumpster fire for an incredibly long time. Caleb Williams is being asked to take over and immediately turn the tide. His attitude and character could be the biggest reasons for concern, and any moments that ultimately humble him in the league will be a true test of his fortitude. Chicago has better skill-position talent than they have of late, but expecting a substantial turnaround is seen as too much of a given.
Minnesota has been consistently pegged as a team destined to win just six or seven games. With what Kevin O’Connell has at his disposal offensively, it’s just jarring to think the best version of Sam Darnold can’t make some noise. There is too much belief in O’Connell as a leader and what he has to work with to believe his team can’t surpass expectations.
Ultimately, the NFC North should be something of a complete crapshoot. The Lions will be a team that no one will likely chase down. The way each of the other three teams shakes things out should be much more up in the air than the perceptions currently seem to be.
Let the chaos ensue.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
You must be logged in to post a comment.