I get it. It must be frustrating to be in the NFC North and not be the Green Bay Packers.
They basically win it every year. Sportsbooks already have them at -180 to take the division again when almost every other team has some positive money attached to them. This season should be no different. It’s never a great look to be cocky. But, as it stands, the Packers still have the best team on paper.
Green Bay just signed one of the best quarterbacks of all time to a four-year extension. After making leaps and bounds on defense in 2021, they used two first-round draft picks on impact defenders. They were also able to bring back/extend key pieces like Jaire Alexander, Preston Smith, Rasul Douglas, and De’Vondre Campbell. On the offensive side, their running back duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon is among the best in the league.
Are there questions about the receiving corps? Sure. But after drafting Christian Watson and singing Sammy Watkins, who was basically hand-picked by Rodgers, there will be plenty of weapons to spread the ball around to. Robert Tonyan will also return this season. This Packers team could very well be a defense- and run-focused squad now. It just so happens that you also have one of the league’s best quarterbacks too.
Where This Idea Came From
The notion that the Packers won’t win the NFC North isn’t coming from thin air. Since the draft is over and OTAs will be done soon, Packers opponents don’t have too much to write about until training camp starts in July.
The newest angle is that Green Bay won’t win the NFC North again due to Davante Adams‘s absence. That seems rather simplistic. Losing one player does not mean your team suddenly becomes bad. You could maybe argue that with the quarterback position. Yes, Adams is a top-five receiver. He’s probably the best. But the Packers are also 7-0 when Adams hasn’t played since 2019.
Someone actually wrote an article explaining “Why the Vikings Will Win NFC North in 2022.”
I’ll recap so you don’t have to read it. Basically, it claims the Vikings “stacked” their team in the offseason to attack Rodgers. Yes and no. Minnesota had a lot of holes to fill on defense. They drafted safety Lewis Cine, cornerback Andrew Booth, linebacker Brian Asamoah, and cornerback Akayleb Evans. They also signed Za’Darius Smith. If their draft picks play well and Smith stays healthy, Minnesota can say they improved the defense. But their defense still isn’t dangerous.
To claim the Vikings’ roster can compete with Green Bay’s is a bit of a stretch. If the Packers’ offensive line can’t stay healthy or anything happens with Rodgers, then, yes, another team has a shot. But with Green Bay’s current defense, new players, and elite running attack, the NFC North seems like a pretty good bet.
Why The Packers Still Win
The Packers have the best-overall roster. The Chicago Bears won the North in 2018 with a 12-4 record. It was the end of the Mike McCarthy era, and the Bears thought they finally had their franchise quarterback. Cut to four years later and Mitch Trubisky is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, competing for a starting job with rookie Kenny Pickett. Chicago hopes it can happen now with Justin Fields, but the team is still in rebuilding mode. The Vikings won the NFC North in 2015 and 2017, but they haven’t since. The Detroit Lions haven’t won the division since 1993. The Lions could be dark horses this year and sneak into a wild card spot if everything goes well.
The Bears and Vikings will likely compete for one of the last playoff spots. I can see both teams having a record of 10-7 or 9-8. For the Packers, it’s slightly concerning that the other teams in the division are turning a corner. They seemed to hire smart coaches and new general managers who make competent draft picks. That’s not usually like them.
The Vikings have a very serviceable quarterback in Kirk Cousins, a great running back in Dalvin Cook, and a solid receiving group. Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen are two of the best. K.J. Osborn could be an impact player. But the team also has so many questions on defense and no real secure future at the quarterback or running back. If anything, this would have to be their year to win the NFC North.
The Packers aren’t going anywhere. They have a young, talented defense. Players like Kenny Clark, Jaire Alexander, Douglas, Eric Stokes, and Campbell should be around for years. They will also have their new draft picks, Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt, under rookie contracts. Oh, and Rashan Gary is still there too.
When it comes to the NFC North, the Packers still appear to be in control. They are making good decisions and could have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL. If they can stay reasonably healthy, the NFC North will be no issue for Green Bay. No team, even the Vikings, seems threatening right now.