Our Soul of the Game series is always about hitting and hitters when it comes to football. However today is a look back at NFL Films chronicling the birth of the NFC Central. An ode to the visceral side of football.

Minnesota’s Purple People Eater’s ruled the division winning it 5 times in the 7 years covered (1967-1973). The division produced two NFL champions in Lombardi’s last championship team in ’67, and the ’69 Vikings who went on to play the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV. Some of the best defensive statistics in history came from these teams. Defense, cold weather and a ton of hitting.

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