2026 NFC North Preview

Nowhere in the NFL will you find a division with every team having so many questions heading into a new season. Will Micah Parsons hit the field for Green Bay in mid October as projected? Will Kyler Murray settle the Vikings issues at quarterback? Have the Bears made enough moves to improve a defense that lost 4 starters on last year’s 29th defense at 361.4 yards per game? Will the Lions remain dominant running the football moving the best RT Penei Sewell to LT?

2026 NFC North Predictions

1. Chicago Bears 12-5 #
2.  Detroit Lions 11-6 *
3. Green Bay Packers 8-9
4. Minnesota Vikings 6-11

Bears Coach Ben Johnson has openly stated he wants to go after the 2013 scoring record of 606 points by the Peyton Manning Denver Broncos. This is conducive to getting into shootouts, not winning an NFL title. Caleb Williams ended last season as the most exciting young player with 2026 being the year he cements this status.

His growth last year was felt throughout the NFL with Williams engineering 7 4th quarter comebacks including last year’s 31-27 wildcard win over Green Bay. The same theatrics were performed with his 4th down miracle throw to send the divisional playoff against the Rams into overtime. Yet they will come undone by a defense that will struggle come playoff time.

Did you know Pro Bowl Tackle Penei Sewell is the only starting offensive lineman on this team from just 2 years ago?? If the Detroit Lions didn’t have so much disruption to their offensive line we could be talking about Jahmyr Gibbs possibly becoming the 2nd 2,000 yard rusher in team history.

They traded Montgomery and gave Gibbs the keys and Coach Campbell stated in a press conference “He’s going to be our bellcow now.” Illustrated by his huge new contract. He is the most explosive back in the league and will still have big plays and should make it to 1,400 yards.

The Lions need to make a blockbuster type trade to get DE Aidan Hutchinson some help. He had a career high 14.5 sacks & should have been Comeback Player of the Year. This is who should trade for Maxx Crosby while they’re among the better teams in the NFC. They’ve been a middle of the pack (18th) allowing 331.9 yards per game for several years now and its cost them a chance at the Super Bowl. They only forced  19 turnovers last year and can’t make timely stops. They need another blue chip playmaker or will flameout in January. Keep in eye on the trade deadline for Detroit.

Remember last year when I wrote The Truth About Jordan Love citing his inability to have strong starts against Green Bay’s top competition?? Well there is a pending suspension looming over RB Josh Jacobs. Last year he just missed a 2nd straight 1,000 yard season (929 yds/13TDs) by missing 2 games. One of which they beat the rival Vikings, but was it because they ran for 146 by committee or the inept JJ McCarthy passing for just 87 yards losing at Lambeau??

If its a 4 game suspension, the Pack could be 2-2 or worse going into a week 5 matchup with Chicago at Soldier Field. The truth is Caleb Williams outplayed Jordan Love 3 times last year including the Monday Night loss with the division on the line and the wildcard game. Love had a decent year 291 of 439 for 3,381 yds 23TDs to only 6 interceptions. However that 7.7 yards per pass needs to be improved upon. It was good enough for 9th in the NFL which is about where they finished last year.

Keep in mind I already showed you last year the measure between QBs and winning football is this stat alone in “The Lie Behind Passer Rating“. Love has been blessed to lean on a balanced attack he won’t be afforded early in 2026. It lands squarely on him regaining stature with a week 5 win and the personal haunt of being leap frogged by Williams as the best young QB in the division. He’s had to live with it all offseason and there is no Malik Willis to fill in if he misses any action.

So why does The Chancellor have Green Bay 8-9?? Well last year’s Packers finished 12th on defense without OLB/DE terrorist Micah Parsons. They deteriorated allowing 392 yards per game where before his injury were allowing just 287. For reference point Washington was dead last (32nd) in the NFL on defense allowing 384.2 yards per game. This is before we bring up LB Quay Walker (signed with Raiders), and trading DE Rashan Gary to Dallas. Who is going to make plays for this team on defense weeks 1-6?

Barring any physical setbacks is Parsons rushed back onto the field or given a snap count?? If surrounded by unproven commodities will opposing offensive lines slide their protection toward #1?? If the team comes out of the blocks slow do they keep Parsons on a pitch count the rest of the year?? New players need to emerge on this defense but not fast enough to cover all these deficiencies. Sorry Lambeau friends.

What completely sucks is the NFL’s 3rd best defense (282.5 yds allowed) resides in Minnesota where they were doomed by inept quarterback play. In registering 49 sacks they had 5 players with 10 or more hits on the QB. The Vikes QB play saw 4 QBs go an anemic 298 of 484 for 2,834 yds 18TDs and 21 interceptions. That’s just 5.8 yards per attempt, one of the worst in the NFL. Yikes! With dynamic Justin Jefferson & Jordan Addison at receiver??

Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores has his charges completely fooling teams with well disguised blitzes. You saw them knock out Jaxson Dart in their 1st preseason game against the Giants. It would be great to see a bounce back year from Taylor Blitz Times DPoY 2024 Andrew Van Ginckel also. Had injuries and a long season but still produced 7 sacks.

In comes diminutive Kyler Murray to be the starting QB. The Chancellor has watched Kyler up close here in Phoenix for 6 years now. He will run around and make big plays out of broken plays at the begining of the season.The Vikes will surprise a few early opponents than defensive coordinators get a bead on his tendencies and trick him into interceptions and misreads as the season wears on. He’ll be enough to raise the competitive nature of the Vikings but only to the point of 6 wins. No more no less.

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