NFC North Round-Up: Packers Get Stunned, Vikings Dominate to 2nd Win
Week 3 is officially in the books, and the division race in the NFC North is starting to take shape.
Obviously, all four teams are still fully in the race, but after Week 3, it may mark a turning point in where the division is headed over the next month. Here is a look at how all four NFC North teams fared in Week 3.
Caleb Williams Shows Out as Chicago Bears Get First Win of 2025
Heading into Week 3, the Chicago Bears had lost 12 of their last 13 games with their Week 18 victory against the Green Bay Packers being their only win in that stretch.
The Bears really needed to get a game out of Caleb Williams in which he gave the organization and fans something positive to look back on, and he delivered just that as Chicago beat the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 31-14.
Williams threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns, and he wasn’t sacked a single time during the game. He was decisive with where he wanted to throw the ball and consistently delivered on target passes.
With the win, the Bears have put themselves into the division race as Chicago heads to Las Vegas for a matchup with the Raiders before their Week 5 bye.
Detroit Wins a Shootout
Remember that Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers that made people think the Lions were going to take a step backwards on offense this season?
Well, they’ve now scored 90 points over their past two games while totaling over 500 passing yards and over 400 rushing yards. Their 38-30 win over the Baltimore Ravens was extremely impressive, led by David Montgomery needing just 12 carries to get to 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Lions now head back to Detroit for a matchup against the Cleveland Browns that should be another win before heading back on the road for a stretch against the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs.
Green Bay Gets Stunned by Cleveland
The good news for the Packers is they still technically hold first place in the NFC North despite the loss, but this one was rough for Green Bay, particularly on offense.
Jordan Love was not great, throwing for 183 yards, a touchdown, and an interception while being sacked five times. Josh Jacobs couldn’t put together much in terms of efficiency in the running game either as he totaled 16 carries for just 30 yards.
It’s crazy to think about, but despite all the drama during the offseason, this Browns team is a field goal away from being 2-1, so maybe this loss isn’t as bad as it looks on paper. Green Bay is hoping they can bounce back against the Cowboys in Dallas before their Week 5 bye.
Minnesota Dominates Cincy
The Vikings desperately needed this win after some really bad injury luck and a bad result in Week 2 against the Falcons. With Carson Wentz making the start for Minnesota, the Vikings dominated all facets of their matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Isaiah Rodgers made history with two defensive touchdowns in the first half and another forced fumble, changing the game as a cornerback. In the running game, without Aaron Jones available, Jordan Mason led the way with 116 yards and two touchdowns on his 16 carries.
Despite the injuries Minnesota has gone through at the start of the season, along with the three-game suspension of Jordan Addison that is now coming to an end, the Vikings are 2-1 and right where they need to be heading into their trip to Europe to face the Steelers and Browns.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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