NFC North News, Notes, & Betting Odds

Minnesota Vikings  10-6 last year; 2nd Place in the NFC North

-Season win total this year 9 +120, -145

-Odds to win NFC North -120 Favorite

-Odds to win NFC 12-1

-Odds to win Super Bowl 25-1

-Odds to make Playoffs -136

-Solid franchise, solid coaching, solid talent level. They do lose OC Kevin Stefanski as well as Stefon Diggs to Buffalo. Zimmer 59-41 entering his 7th season. 

-Cousins was great last year statistically but this team was still 23rd in passing efficiency, and you just never had the feeling that he took that next step. 

-The defense is likely to regress a bit; they lose Everson Griffen, Mackense Alexander, Xavier Rhodes, and Trae Waynes, all huge parts to their defense. 

Green Bay Packers 13-3 last year; 1st Place in NFC North

-Season Win total this year 8.5 -135 +110

-Odds to win NFC North +180

-Odds to win NFC 13-1

-Odds to win Super Bowl 28-1

-Odds to make Playoffs -129

-You have to start any discussion of the Packers with the 1st round draft pick of Jordan Love. Clearly Rodgers wasn't happy with this pick, and for a team that made the NFC Title game a few months ago, and was arguably a few players away, you could certainly make the case that this was an odd selection. 

-A lot of the underlying stats point to their year last year as a lot of smoke and mirrors however. They were very good in 1 possession games and also had a +12 turnover differential. Both things that should regress. 

-They lose All-Pro Tackle Bryan Bulaga who started all 16 games last year. 10 year starter in front of Rodgers. Huge loss. He only gave up 3 sacks in 893 snaps last year. 

Chicago Bears 8-8 last year; 3rd place in the NFC North

-Season win total this year 7.5 -130, +100

-Odds to win NFC North +380

-Odds to win NFC 20-1

-Odds to win Super Bowl 40-1

-Odds to make Playoffs +155

-Foles knows Nagy. They were together in both Phil and KC. This to me was them giving Mitchell Trubisky one last chance in a not so subtle way. Extremely short leash. 

-29th in total offense last year, a lot to be desired on the offensive side. 

-Their OLine has been atrocious, they've done Mitch no favors back there, not to make excuses for him. 

-They brought in a lot of big names including Robert Quinn, Jimmy Graham and Ted Ginn, each a few years past their prime, but we'll see what they can do, perhaps offer Trubisky some locker room confidence. 

-They lose Prince Amukamara, as well as Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, both big parts of that defensive unit that was 8th in overall defense last year. 

-Defense was extremely frustrated last year, and you could see it. 4th in total points allowed, but knowing they just had no chance with Trubisky back there is a real thing. Same thing in any office setting. They were dejected at so many points. 

Detroit Lions 3-12-1 last year; Last place in the NFC North

-Season win total this year 6.5 -140, +115

-Odds to win NFC North +550

-Odds to win NFC 30-1

-Odds to win Super Bowl 60-1

-Odds to make Playoffs +245

-Perhaps no coach is on the hot seat more than Matt Patricia; just 9-22-1 headed into his 3rd season.

-The Lions offense could be a sleeping giant. They were a top 10 offense with Stafford in there before he got hurt last season. He still finished the season with 19 TD and just 5 Ints last year, and that was with a very mediocre OLine. They do lose Guard / Center Graham Glasgow, but keep the majority of their OLine. 

-Darius Slay was traded to the Eagles, but they did spend their 1st round pick on Jeffrey Okudah from Ohio St. 

-I like their skill position players, drafting D'Andre Swift from Georgia...huge game breaking potential. I think Kenny Golladay is ready to break out as well. 

-The biggest issue with Detroit honestly is their coaching staff. The team has regressed steadily under Patricia, but on paper this team is highly underrated compared to their market value.