Last year, the NFC North had the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings in first and second place. Well, as it would be in the NFL, the Lions and Vikings are now in third and fourth place, which is just insane to think about.
On paper, all four NFC North teams have the potential to be very good, but the Chicago Bears have left more of a mark than the other three teams. Heck, if the Minnesota Vikings can figure out something with their QB situation, they could get back into the mix in 2026, and the Detroit Lions really just need to rework the defense a little bit.
This division is still pretty good overall but does have the chance to one year in the near future have all four teams making the playoffs, which is something we have not yet seen since the NFL rolled out the seven-team playoff format. Let's power rank the division as Week 16 closes out.
Power ranking the wild NFC North following Week 16 action
Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
The Minnesota Vikings won, but JJ McCarthy again got hurt, and I have to wonder just how close the Vikings are to pulling the plug on this experiment - Minnesota can still win out for a winning record this year, which I guess is good for something, but the QB play has been horrific at best.
And this team is coming off a season in which they won 14 games. I bet they do regret letting Sam Darnold leave in free agency. Anyway. I could see a major QB change this coming offseason, as McCarthy is not only a bad QB, but he cannot stay healthy.
That is a double-whammy of 'no good' at the QB position. Minnesota is last in our NFC North rankings but do have a path to a winning record this year, so I guess that has to be good for something, right?
Detroit Lions (8-7)
The Detroit Lions now have to win out to have any shot at the playoffs this year, and with their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Bears' win against the Green Bay Packers, the Lions are mathematically eliminated from NFC North division contention.
This team has truly taken a nosedive this year, and they are at risk of quadrupling their loss total from the 2024 NFL Season, as they were 15-2 last year and could finish 9-8 or even 8-9. Dan Campbell's team is still excellent on offense, but the defense is forgettable and a unit that simply has not stayed healthy for multiple seasons.
Until the defense gets fixed once and for all, the Lions will not shoot back near the top of the NFL like they were for a short time in 2023 and 2024.
Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)
Not only are the Green Bay Packers clinging to life in the NFC, but they are also seeing players drop with injuries. Micah Parsons tore his Achilles in Week 15, which is a significant blow, and the Packers just do not have the makings of a division winner or playoff team this year.
Green Bay should still be able to get into the postseason, but they are trending in the wrong direction and would need a ton of help to win the NFC North. The Packers have failed to get over the hump in the Matt LaFleur era, and while he is a good coach, there is always a bit of meat left on the bone with these teams.
The Packers are second in our power rankings.
Chicago Bears (11-4)
The Chicago Bears just have to win one more game to win the NFC North, but they could also win it if the Packers lose one more game. Chicago has done a total 180 under Ben Johnson and just constantly find ways to win - Chicago is the best team in the division, and it's really not close at this point.