The early NFC North standings are taking shape, and they flip-flopped big time on Sunday.
Here’s what we learned about the NFC North after the Lions, Vikings and Packers all won on Sunday, dropping the Bears to last place early on.
Vikings: Another win on top of 5-0
The Vikings got by with Carson Wentz at quarterback, and got by with injuries to Justin Jefferson and more.
On Sunday, it’s starting to come together.
Kyler Murray and Jefferson connected six times for 79 yards and a touchdown. Murray and his top target are becoming much better acquainted with each other, and not a moment too soon.
“His trust is something,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “It is Justin Jefferson.”
The Vikings were without wide receiver Jordan Addison, running back Jordan Mason and tight end Josh Oliver before tight end TJ Hockenson left the game with a concussion. It’s imperative Murray and Jefferson start to click.
At 5-0 with a hunting defense, the ability to click offensively is coming together. Getting there with Murray and Jefferson is encouraging.
What they’re saying:
“All of my friends and family were here,” Jefferson said, according to the Associated Press. “A touchdown to celebrate and to get a victory here, I couldn’t ask for more.”
Packers: They’re getting their swagger back
The Pack were left for dead after their loss to Atlanta. The Falcons ran roughshod on the Packers, who could not answer at all offensively.
They’ve put it all together, and very satisfyingly against the Bears.
“What I’m so proud of just watching these guys, because it’s been a little rocky early on to start the season and we haven’t played a real complete football game until today,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said. “Our guys approach it the right way in terms of just wanting to come in the building with great energy.”
When the Bears came to town, it reminded the entirety of Green Bay about how they beat the Packers twice in dramatic comeback fashion.
A 31-7 win over the Bears was a statement. The Pack still got it and will compete in the NFC North.
What they’re saying:
“I mean, that’s where it starts every day is you’ve got to come in with the right mindset,” LaFleur said. “Having great energy that is contagious for everybody, gets you excited about going to work.”
Lions: Looking like the Lions of old
The defense remains a concern for the Lions, sure. But, the team has a two-game stretch against the Packers and Vikings coming up that could determine early NFC North positioning.
So, the Lions’ coaching staff put the onus on the players.
“We applied a little pressure,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “The players really responded.”
The offense put up the kind of fireworks the Lions have been known for as of recently.
Against Arizona, the Lions scored 24 points in the second quarter enroute to a 45-21 romp over the Cardinals in Phoenix.
Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes. Jameson Williams has his first-career multi-touchdown game. Jahmyr Gibbs had over 150 all-purpose yards.
The defensive improvements can still come. Having a get-right game is what the doctor ordered for the Lions.
What they’re saying:
“The important thing is you go all in, no matter what you’re going to do,” Campbell said. “And either it crumbles or they rise up, but you’re going all in. You’ve got to push your chips all the way in and you’ve got to believe in it.”
Bears: Getting Caleb Williams back is the priority
The Bears saw their starting quarterback warm up at Lambeau Field. He was ruled out when he was placed on the inactive list.
However, would he have been a better option on Sunday? It’s hard to think he wouldn’t have been with the 31-7 loss to the Packers. The Bears got served up and carved.
“You don’t last for very long in this league if you don’t know how to get back up when you’ve had your ass kicked, and that’s just the way it is,” Bears quarterback Case Keenum said.
This can’t be the way it is, though. The Bears came into 2026 with expectations of retaining their NFC North title. Now, they’re 0-2 in the division.
Beyond that, the Bears have a 5-21 regular season record against the NFC North since 2022. Only the Titans and Cardinals have worse records against their division rivals since 2022.
The Bears need to right their ship like the Packers did. It starts with getting their starting quarterback in the fold again. Going 2-1 without Williams was good, but Sunday’s loss to Green Bay was a reminder how different the dynamic is when Williams is at quarterback.
Without him, the Bears might not be good enough to think about a division title.
What they’re saying:
“There’s really good players, really good coaches, really good teams and if you last long enough, it’s just a matter of time,” Keenum said. “At some point you are going to get your ass kicked. It’s not about that. It’s about how you respond. How you respond the next day, the next week, and every day after that.”
The Source: Analysis is from FOX Chicago’s Chris Kwiecinski, who covers the Bears and the NFL for FOX Chicago.