How the NFC North Shifted While the Vikings Were Off
The bye week for the Vikings could not have come at a better time for the team that needs players to heal.
Kevin O’Connell should get more credit than he has for keeping the team playing better than a team missing the majority of its offensive line, starting quarterback, and running back, and some key players on defense. Part of the reason they have held up is that backup players have stepped up to nearly starter-level performances.
Minnesota Vikings fans watched from home as NFC North rivals traded wins and losses during the bye week, keeping the division race tight heading into Week 8.
Add to that the fact that the first five games have been a whirlwind of primetime games on the road, at home, and in two other countries. Listening to Coach O’Connell talk after the stretch of games and some of the players’ interviews, they sound worn out. I have a feeling that the feedback the team will give to the NFL will be to avoid having a team stay overseas for more than one week, or, at the very least, not travel to two different countries.
A Peek at the NFC North after Week 6 and Vikings’ Bye
The Vikings are back in their own beds and back at TCO to get back on track for them hosting the Eagles this Sunday at noon. It feels odd to say that this is only the Vikings’ second noon start time this year. The price a team pays for being successful the year before. So, with the team having their feet up this weekend, how did the rest of the NFC North do?
Packers vs Bengals
It was the Packers’ turn to host a game against the hapless Bengals. A team that the Vikings beat at US Bank Stadium 48-10 in a game that was never in question.
As I see the Packers as a better team right now than the Vikings, I was sure that they would have a similar outcome. I had some inklings in the back of my mind of this being a trap game for the Packers, but I chalked that up to being false hope.
Those feelings weren’t far off. The Bengals had just traded for Joe Flacco, and he had about a week of a crash course to learn the offense and step behind a much-maligned offensive line before taking on the Packers. After one quarter of play, the score was tied at zero. By halftime, the Packers had put 10 points on the board, but that was not done easily.
The Bengals finally got on the board in the 3rd quarter and kept the Packers in check, keeping the game closer than anyone expected. They employed a quick passing game to protect Flacco as much as possible. Defensively, the Bengals lost Trey Hendrickson, their best player on that side of the ball, to a back injury, and they still kept things within striking distance. They even intercepted Jordan Love, which has not happened much this season.
The Packers should have still marched up and down the field on the Bengals in their own house. They often appeared disjointed and out of sync. It didn’t help when corner Carrington Valentine decided to “Griddy” on Jamar Chase after he broke up a floating Flacco pass.
On the next play, the Bengals went for it on 4th and 5 from the 19-yard line, and Chase made a difficult catch for a touchdown, and they then tacked on a 2-point conversion. In the end, the Packers ran out the clock while putting 3 more points on the board. The fact that Cincinnati hung around as long as it did indicates that the NFC North lacks a solid leader.
Lions at Chiefs
Last year, these two teams met early in the season, with the Lions edging out the Chiefs in what many considered a clear indicator of the Lions’ potential to reach the Super Bowl. The Lions battled injuries the rest of the year and bowed out in their first playoff game.
The Chiefs managed to reach the Super Bowl, where the Eagles defeated them. Kansas City is suffering from a “Super Bowl Hangover” that seems to afflict the team that lost the big game most years, while the Lions have found a groove to get back to the playoffs. This game was set up for Detroit to handle the Chiefs and keep their hold on the top of the NFC North with some cushion.
The game started evenly enough with the Chiefs heading into halftime up by 3 points. One reason they were up by that much was a trick play the Lions tried, which was called for an illegal shift and wiped a touchdown off the board.
In the second half, the Chiefs weren’t dominant, but they seemed to carry out their plans with more success than Detroit. Putting up 17 points to the Lions’ 7 was the culmination of those successes. While the Chiefs weren’t dominant, they were highly efficient.
After time had expired, it is now the most talked-about aspect of the game. Lions defensive back Brian Branch didn’t seem to like a block in the back by wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster at the end of the game, and he hit him in the helmet, which started a mini-brawl. Branch has now been suspended for the next game against the Buccaneers.
The Lions didn’t play poorly. However, it seems that some of the magic they had in the last two seasons has diminished a bit.
Bears at Commanders
Last year, when these two teams played, it ended on a Hail Mary pass from Commander’s quarterback Jayden Daniels. What made it laughworthy was that Bear’s defensive back Tyrique Stevenson was taunting the crowd as the play was starting to unfurl, and he’s the one who tipped the ball to receiver Noah Brown in the end zone.
Whoops.
The Bears spiraled out of playoff contention after that loss, with their head coach eventually being fired. Will we see a repeat on Monday Night Football or redemption? While we didn’t get as exciting an ending as last year, the two teams played a back-and-forth game that had its share of drama. Caleb Williams is settling in at quarterback for the Bears with the ups and downs of a sophomore season and was making some great throws Monday night.
A player that suddenly seemed rejuvenated was running back D’Andre Swift, as he lived up to his name by running all over the field and having a great catch and run for a touchdown late in the game. He ran for 108 yards on only 14 carries for a 7.7-yard average.
The Bears’ defense wasn’t great, but it produced turnovers when needed, with an interception early on and a late fumble on a Daniel’s handoff that slipped out of his grip due to some light rain. Had they not fumbled there, the Commanders would have sealed the victory. Instead, the Bears moved down the field for a game-winning field goal.
The Bears started the season with two losses. Now they have won three in a row. The NFL as a whole has been extremely confusing and hard to predict because teams look great one week and then fall apart against a mediocre team the next. The Bears might be hitting a stride, and having the Saints as their next opponent should keep the win streak going, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the hapless New Orleans team came to town and knocked the Bears back into the loss column.
The Division Standings
With Detroit being the only team that hasn’t had its bye week yet, the records appear a bit skewed, but my opinion of the teams’ rankings remains unchanged.
- Lions
- Packers
- Bears
- Vikings
I still have the Lions at the top because of the quality of their wins compared to the quality of the Packers’ and their losses. The Bears are making a push for the top two spots, but they have suffered some setbacks and mistakes along the way.
This week could change things unless the Packers lose to the Cardinals, which is a very real possibility. They haven’t dominated anyone since the first week, when they tied the Cowboys, which is almost worse than a loss in fans’ books because no one, including the fans, really won. They’ve struggled in other games and should have tormented the Bengals at home, but didn’t.
The Lions lost to a Chiefs team that has the talent to do better, and they finally did that on Sunday night. Their matchup against the Buccaneers this weekend will be telling as the Bucs are a tough team, and the Lions will be without Branch.
The Bears are still on the move, but they haven’t secured a signature win, and they face a few teams that they should be able to take down. If the Vikings beat the Eagles this Sunday at home, then that will be an eye-opener.
A huge grain of salt must be taken with this, because, as I mentioned earlier, this season has been difficult to predict. There is no dominant team, with even the Bills taking two losses against teams that most thought they would beat.
We’ve even had our first coach being fired as the Titans dropped Brian Callahan. The season is getting close to the halfway mark, and it seems like any game is a toss-up and surprises could come out of nowhere.
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