The Chicago Bears are just two years removed from a 12-4 season that included an NFC North championship, the team’s first since 2010. But following a disappointing 8-8 season that included a third-place finish in the division, the Bears are looking to get back on top of the NFC North.
To do that they’ll have to best the defending division champions in the Green Bay Packers and the second-place finisher the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears, Packers and Vikings have all won the NFC North since the division was renamed from the NFC Central in 2002.
You know who has never won the NFC North? The Detroit Lions. And Pro Football Focus believes that the Lions are the best bet to win the NFC North in 2020. Seriously.
The Lions are who you should bet on to win the NFC North pic.twitter.com/FyQdnZRFPV
— PFF (@PFF) June 26, 2020
The Lions are coming off a 3-12-1 season and their second straight last-place finish in the division. But, to be fair, context is deserved. Detroit lost starting quarterback Matthew Stafford to a back injury, which sidelined him for both contests against the Bears last season starting in Week 10. Overall, the Lions were decimated by injuries in 2019.
Not to mention the Lions defense stumbled following their peak when they contained Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Week 4, but it was all downhill from there. Detroit struggled to rush the passer and stop the run, which was a recipe for disaster.
While the Lions made some offseason moves to address positions of need, it’s hard to believe that they have the roster capable of besting not only the Bears but the Packers and Vikings. Sure, they’re getting Stafford back, but that’s not exactly the cure for their struggling defense.
If anything, the Packers and Vikings should be the favorites for the division title coming off playoff seasons.
The Bears will open the 2020 season in Detroit, where they’re looking for their fifth straight win over the Lions. While Chicago certainly has question marks of its own — namely who the starting quarterback will be in either Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles — they’ve fared well against Detroit since Matt Nagy’s arrival.
Overall, Chicago has done well against Detroit and Minnesota since 2018, sweeping both teams. But the Bears’ Achilles’ Heel remains the Packers, who they’ll have to beat to have any chance of taking back the division crown.
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