NFC North
Chicago Bears - Bears earn a Wild Card spot in the NFC playoffs
The Chicago Bears are closer than you think to being a legitimate contender in the NFL once again. The team made the right move when they took Caleb Williams first overall, and there was absolutely no argument in the world to keep Justin Fields over Williams. The Bears also sport a quality offensive line, very good play-makers, and a defense that ended the 2023 NFL Season holding opponents to less than 20 points per game.
Williams may not be excellent as a rookie, but even the rookie QB being slightly efficient could be enough for the Bears, yes the Bears, to win nine games and earn a Wild Card spot in the NFL playoffs.
Detroit Lions - Lions represent the NFC in the Super Bowl
One of my major predictions is the Detroit Lions winning the NFC and having a showdown with the Houston Texans in the Super Bowl. As far as I am concerned, Detroit has the best roster, top to bottom, in the NFL. Jared Goff has also played in a Super Bowl before, so this will not be new to him.
The Lions hit a grand-slam with the hires of Brad Holmes at the GM spot and Dan Campbell at head coach. There is virtually nothing to dislike about this roster, and the 2024 NFL Season could be where Detroit puts the entire league on notice once again.
Green Bay Packers - Jordan Love comes dangerously close to the MVP award
Jordan Love is a dangerously good QB, and he will come dangerously close to winning the NFL MVP award in the 2024 NFL Season. His mid-season turnaround last year was just bonkers. Have we truly seen anything like that before in NFL history? Love and the Packers ended up winning nine games and found themselves in the NFC Divisional Round, where they gave the San Francisco 49ers a run for their money.
With the Packers still being extremely young, they may have the highest ceiling of any team in the NFL right now. While I am not personally predicting them to win the Super Bowl or anything, QB Jordan Love is going to flirt with the MVP award.
Minnesota Vikings - Sam Darnold plays better than we all thought
Folks, I would not count out Sam Darnold in 2024. The Minnesota Vikings took JJ McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, so their long-term vision here is clearly for McCarthy to be the franchise quarterback. However, with how strong the coaching staff is in Minnesota, and with Sam Darnold being the “best” backup QB they have had in the Kevin O’Connell era, do not be surprised to see Darnold play well.
He may not be anything more than the 20th-best QB in the NFL at his peak in 2024, but he’s got some nice football on his resume lately with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. He’s not going to be a franchise QB for anyone, but he’ll play better than you think.