Injuries Are Becoming the Biggest Story in the NFC North
The Vikings have been bitten by the injury bug this year. … No, that doesn’t cover it. The Vikings stayed at a bad hotel, got bitten by bed bugs, and brought them home.
Quarterbacks, safeties, linebackers, fullbacks, and the most injured group, offensive linemen, have stained the injury report all year. While that has settled down for the Vikings, it has picked up significantly for others. Today, two of the biggest names in the NFL are done for the season and will start next season still rehabbing.
With multiple contenders losing starters on both sides of the ball, the division has shifted from a talent race to a survival test as December games take on added weight.
Injuries are part of the game, and I never cheer for, nor am I happy when, someone gets hurt, no matter how much I might not like them. Opposing teams don’t need to apologize for not having to deal with those players while they heal.
How Injuries Are Reshaping the NFC North Race
Micah Parsons and Patrick Mahomes both went down with major knee injuries that ended their 2025 run and will be closely watched at the beginning of next year to see if they’re ready to go. You hate to see it because this is their livelihood, and if something goes completely south or the rehab hits a snag, they could potentially never play again.
Imagine someone cheering as you get hurt and lose your job. The Chiefs were also eliminated from the playoffs, and the Parsons’ injury could affect the Packers’ run.
Bears vs Browns
The Bears are at the top of the NFC North. Not a phrase that many fans thought would be voiced in 2025. They are playing well with the defense playing very well, and Caleb Williams is lighting things up at times.
On Sunday, they got to host the Browns, who have fallen apart after a strong start. They still boast the 2nd-ranked defense in the NFL, and Myles Garrett has been a sack machine. However, their offense has become such an utter mess that they quickly fallen off as the season has continued. Shedeur Sanders is now the quarterback, and he hasn’t been the savior some thought he would be. That’s why I’m not spending much time in this game.
The Bears controlled the game from beginning to end, only slowed at times by that great defense. But getting three interceptions gave them short fields and kept the Browns off the scoreboard, except for a third-quarter field goal that felt like a pat on the head for trying super hard.
Williams had a bit of an injury scare at the end of the first half, but it appeared to be nothing as he came back in the second half and played well. The Bears’ win was a “twofer” as it also knocked the Vikings out of the playoffs.
Packers at Broncos
The Packers have been on a roll with a 4-game win streak after dropping two to the Panthers and Eagles. Sunday’s game was one that I had a close eye on because Denver has been playing extremely well this year.
If the Packers were to win, it might paint a picture of a team destined not only to get into the playoffs, but maybe even to the Super Bowl. Jordan Love had the team in a great spot at halftime with a 16-14 lead, and the game had been a great back-and-forth contest. In the third quarter, Josh Jacobs ran in a 40-yard touchdown, and I thought that might be enough to keep Bo Nix and the Broncos at bay with their strong pass-rushing defense.
Then something terrible happened: Parsons tried to hit the brakes on a pass rush, his knee buckled, and he hit the turf. Reports are that he tore his ACL, his season is done, and, with that, many folks think the Packers’ losing such a key player has doomed their pass rush and playoff expectations. After that injury, Nix seemed to have a ton of time to throw the ball, and the run game moved with a little more ease. They scored three touchdowns and allowed the Packers only a field goal.
The Denver defense tightened up, and with a desperation drive to try to tie it up, Love’s last pass fell harmlessly to the ground as he got hit as he threw it. When you add in that receiver Christian Watson also had to be taken to a local hospital for evaluation and may be out for a while, the loss was a paper cut with lemon juice poured on it.
They’re not dead in the water, but they are teetering on the bottom edge of the standings, and another false move could put them on the outside. I saw many diehard Packers fans conclude that those February aspirations may have slipped through their fingers. The Broncos getting the win locked them into the playoffs as a top contender.
Lions at Rams
If the Lions were cheering for the Broncos’ help on Sunday, then the Packers were cheering for the Rams. With everything being so tight for the top three in the NFC North, they need outside help to stay relevant. The Lions went to LA with the idea that they needed this win to stay afloat.
Everyone knew this would be a shootout between Matt Stafford and Jared Goff, forever connected by the trade that swapped their zip codes. It was better for both of them, as they had both had success, with Stafford having a leg up by earning a Super Bowl win. They didn’t disappoint, with the Lions putting up 396 yards and the Rams 519.
The first half ended with the Lions leading 24-17. The second half was a different story as the Rams decided they had enough messing around and scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter.
The Lions’ depleted backfield finally got exposed by Stafford and Puka Nacua. Even though Amon-Ra St. Brown had a great game with two touchdowns, Jamyr Gibbs was a non-factor with only 38 yards rushing, and David Montgomery had 32. Gibbs was also shut down in the receiving game, where he usually shines. The Rams are on top and the favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl for a reason.
Their offense is potent, and their defense is strong. Once they got a few things settled down, they went after the Lions. This loss has the Lions on the outside of the playoffs, looking in and fading fast without the magic they had carried the last few years.
Vikings at Cowboys
By the time this game started, the Vikings had been mathematically removed from the playoffs. They truly have nothing to play for but pride and the growth of the younger players on the roster. The Cowboys are still in the playoff hunt and are desperate to hold on to their position, welcoming the Vikings to town.
For many (especially the experts), Dallas was sure to win this game over a struggling Minnesota team with a young quarterback and Christian Darrisaw out with an injury. Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense are formidable, with CeeDee Lamb, Carl Pickens, Jake Ferguson, and complementary players to sub in. They can run a defense up and down the field.
Their defense is a bit suspect after trading away Parsons this offseason and a series of injuries to the defensive backfield. The Vikings strolled in and played like they were the ones trying to get into the playoffs. Kevin O’Connell pulled out his bag of tricks once again, leaving the fans, the announcers, and the Dallas defense confused on several plays, and the defense brought the same thing, leaving Prescott more flummoxed as the game continued.
The game did start on a sour note for the purple, with JJ McCarthy having a ball tipped at the line of scrimmage that ended up in Quinnen Williams’ hands. McCarthy even tried to bat it down, but that only made it go straight to the Dallas player, and it looked like we might have another blowout loss dripping with embarrassment.
That feeling of doom was amplified when the Cowboys got a first down on a fake field goal after the defense got a good stop. I think many thought that a laugher was about to ensue.
What happened next was what fans had waited for all season: nobody panicked, and the Vikings drove down the field, and McCarthy hit Jalen Nailor with a laser in the endzone for a score.
When Dallas went down the field again and scored, the Vikings matched it, so the game was tied at halftime. This time, McCarthy faked out everyone on the field and in the booth with a fake handoff to Jordan Mason as he “griddied” into the end zone on a clean rollout. Will Reichard added a field goal as well.
The only mistake by the Cowboys was that Brandon Aubrey missed a 51-yard field goal. Which team was going to come out of the locker room with the proper adjustments?
It appeared that Dallas was the better team on offense with two drives equaling 6 points off of Aubrey’s foot. But the Vikings’ defense is what stood tall and kept them from scoring more than that. The end of the 3rd quarter was when the Vikings’ offense got back in rhythm, and McCarthy showed his growth as a player.
That drive he had layered in throws and fastballs that found the mark, with his most impressive being a seam route connection to TJ Hockenson. Once again, Old Saint O’Connell reached into his bag and dialed up a CJ Ham run for a touchdown that no one expected as Ham walked in untouched on a straight dive. The defense stepped up again and forced the Cowboys to make a bad coaching decision.
Down by only one point with almost the entire 4th quarter to go, they tried a 59-yard field goal, and Aubrey went wide again. They should have punted and pinned the Vikings deep. Instead, they gave them the ball at the 49-yardline, and McCarthy again connected with Nailor for the score.
After that, the defense did its job of bending but not breaking and getting the ball back one more time so Reichard could tack on an extra three points to pad the score. The special teams recovered a Cowboys onside kick attempt to end the game. It was only a win for pride, but it was a huge display of what this team has been capable of all season.
Division Standings
- Packers
- Bears
- Lions
- Vikings
The Vikings will remain at the bottom of the list for the remainder of the year with no playoffs to plan for. Even though the Packers lost, it was to a good team, and they beat the Bears last week. The Bears have benefited from the weak schedule they’ve faced this year. The Lions could jump back up, but they can’t lose a single remaining game.
The Packers lost to the Broncos, who are at the top of the AFC. They also played them very well until the two key injuries. Until the Packers lose to the Bears, they remain at the top in my rankings. Guess what? They face each other this coming weekend to see who really belongs at the top.
Without Parsons, the Packers still have a potent offense, and their defense is no slouch. However, losing a future Hall of Fame player in the home stretch hurts them in the run and pass game. The Packers have already struggled against the run, and it can only get worse.
The offense will need to carry them until the defense can make the proper adjustments.
Da Bears sit up top with the better record, but they lost to Green Bay. If they beat them this weekend, then they top the charts. Having Rome Odunze injured could hurt them in the coming weeks if it lingers.
Williams is playing well, and the defense has played well enough to be a problem for other teams, but they aren’t dominant. They have to get through the Packers, at the 49ers, and host the Lions to prove they are the best in the NFC North and take the division for the first time since 2018.
The Vikings have all the pressure off of them as a team. They don’t have the playoffs to prepare for, and they could be spoilers for the next three weeks.
All eyes are now laser-focused on the play of JJ McCarthy and his continued progress toward becoming a better quarterback. Their next game against the Giants means nothing. The last two against the Packers and Lions could ruin one or both of their seasons. It’s a dull silver lining with plenty of tarnish, but at least it’s better than playing in meaningless games against teams we have no rivalry with.
Johnathan Greenard had a great game, but left early after his shoulder injury was reaggravated, and O’Connell stated in his press conference on Monday that his season is over. Brian O’Neil also went out late with an injury, but I saw him on camera walking around after the game with a smile on his face, so I hope it was minor. If they are both hurt, it only adds to this year’s injury plague on the team.
Younger guys will need to step up, improve their play, and show their own growth to secure spots on the team next year or to have tape for other teams to draw from. When your team isn’t in the playoffs, you look to the future while trying to enjoy the present.
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