Vikings, Lions must seize NFC North opportunity
The Green Bay Packers were the favorite of everyone going into the season to win another NFC North crown. The roster had some obvious holes — especially on the defensive side of the ball — but Aaron Rodgers is always more than enough to Mae up for those small inconveniences.
After a 4-1 start and mounting injuries to the Minnesota Vikings, it appeared a cakewalk for the Packers, until Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone at U.S. Bank Stadium last Sunday. At the least, Rodgers is going to miss two months as he recovers. It’s also very likely that he could miss the entire season, meaning Brett Hundley has the keys to the Green Bay car moving forward.
With Rodgers on the shelf, the Vikings and Detroit Lions now have an opportunity to make a legitimate move for a home playoff game. Minnesota has been there before, winning the North in 2015 before losing at home in the NFC Wild Card round on a famous Blair Walsh missed field goal against the Seattle Seahawks. Detroit, despite making the playoffs three times since 2010, has not won the NFC North (or old NFC Central) since Erik Kramer was the quarterback back in 1993.
Going into Week 7, both the Vikings and Lions have real reason to believe they can win the North. Minnesota is coming off a 23-10 win over the Packers and for the first time in well over a year, Teddy Bridgewater is practicing after a gruesome broken leg derailed his career last summer. With Bridgewater seemingly on the mend, Minnesota might only have to survive a few more weeks with the capable Case Keenum.
Meanwhile, the Lions roll into their bye at 3-3, coming off two straight losses. While that doesn’t sound great on the surface, this is a team that should benefit from an easy schedule ahead. Detroit already defeated the Vikings in Minnesota and unlike the Vikings, who are without Sam Bradford, Dalvin Cook and Bridgewater (for now), the Lions are healthy.
Furthermore, Detroit is only trailing the Vikings by a game but has a pair of contests against the last-place Chicago Bears remaining along with two games against the Rodgers-less Packers (at least one, with the rematch coming Week 17). There are also dates with the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, three teams that the Lions are clearly more talented than.
Whoever wins this division will have taken advantage of an unforeseen opportunity. If it’s the Lions, they will play a home playoff game for the first time in 25 seasons, with the aim of a postseason win for the first time since 1991.
On the flip side, the loser of this race will feel bitter throughout the winner, knowing an incredible chance slipped by.
