Tony: What a difference a week makes…when we started writing these summaries, the NFC North looked like it might be one of the most entertaining battles in the NFL, with the Vikings and Packers going back at it again after the Vikings managed to wrest the division title away from the Pack in 2015.

A few days later, and the Vikings are trying to figure out if Shaun Hill can hold together for 16 games, something he’s never even been close to having to do before.

And oddly enough, in a very un-Minnesotan like manner, there are still a lot of fans who think that the defense, combined with Adrian Peterson, still provides a legitimate shot at the division. Of course, many Viking fans have also showed their idiocy following Teddy Bridgewater’s injury, which is disheartening to this Viking fan.

Meanwhile, Green Bay did it’s regular Green Bay thing, by adding such offseason free agents as Jared Cook and…well, that’s about it. Of course, getting Jordy Nelson back, along with about 80% of Eddie Lacy back, means the Packers should improve upon their 23rd ranked offense (yardage)—but will their defense maintain or improve on their performance from 2015?

And one of the funniest comments I saw on Twitter after the Bridgewater injury was a Lions fan asking if a door had just opened for the Lions…

Andy: The Bridgewater injury was agonizing, as was the fan follow up. I actually saw one guy say the Vikings should trade Bridgewater and a 1st for Philip Rivers or Eli Manning … Like for some reason the Giants or Chargers were going to be clamoring to acquire a QB whose knee had just been turned to goo.

Shaun Hill is a guy you don’t mind throwing in for a game or two if Teddy gets nicked, but Hill, at five years younger than me, is not the guy you want to throw out there for 16 games. That means the Vikings will be looking for waiver wire or trade targets, which means they’re not going to have their guy at QB for two to four weeks, perhaps.

So … Yeah, I don’t think Minnesota overcomes that this year. It’s a disappointment for Vikings fans, but Green Bay will win the division this year. They might have even before the injury, but now I think they do so comfortably.

With Nelson back and Lacy not eating everything in site, the offense was going to be improved. The Vikings’ defense is still good enough to compete for a playoff spot. And … No, a door did not just open for the Lions. Not even a crack.

Tony: Nor did the door open for the Bears, who are likely once again the doormats of the division. They made some solid free agency signings, like Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman, and some interesting draft picks like Cody Whitehair, but the team was too void of talent to take the next step, even with the master of squeezing everything out of the talent a team has (until Super Bowl time) John Fox at the helm.

In fact, I only see two ways that the Bears could jump the Lions this year—first, if the Lions learn to regret their decision to retain Jim Caldwell, who has always just struck me as outmatched for some reason—great coordinator, lacking as a head coach. The second is if Jay Cutler somehow out performs Matthew Stafford in their new look offenses—something that seems to be a stretch.  Cutler finally gets a chance to have two real WR again, with Kevin White healthy—but also has to overcome the offensive coordinator that re-vitalized his career taking his talents to South Beach. Meanwhile, Stafford lost his best target in Calvin Johnson—but very well may be better off for it, as he can more effectively distribute the ball to his full array of weapons, which includes newly signed Marvin Jones, who has impressed in preseason.

I still don’t like the Lions to jump into the playoff discussion yet, as their defense still has a ways to go, but they might be another team that is headed in the right direction.

Andy: I find it hard to believe that Stafford will be “better off” for not having Johnson, but there will be, out of necessity, a more balanced approach. That said, with guys like Eric Ebron, Marvin Jones and Ameer Abdullah, who have not exactly been the picture of durability throughout their respective careers, I see attrition as one way the Bears could step up and finish at the top of the lower half of the North. High praise, I know.

This is a two team division, in terms of the playoff race. Probably about one-and-one-third with Bridgewater’s injury. The Lions and Bears are playing to stay out of last place.

 

Tony’s Prediction:

Packers
Vikings
Lions
Bears

 

Andy’s Prediction:

Packers
Vikings
Lions
Bears