The 2022 NFL season is almost here. The marathon battle for the Lombardi Trophy begins on September 8 with Thursday Night Football featuring the Bills and Rams. In addition to breaking down all 32 teams, we’ll be diving into each NFL division, plus our best bets.
We continue into the NFC North which could be the worst division in football in 2022. The Green Bay Packers might look different without Davante Adams, but they are still expected to retain their crown as NFC North champions for the 4th consecutive season. But what can we expect from the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears?
But before we jump in, be sure to read all our 2022 NFL preview content from the NFL tab. This includes our picks for the Super Bowl, AFC, NFC, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.
NFC North teams
The NFC North teams are the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings.
NFC North odds
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Packers as the heavy favorites at -190 odds, with the Vikings at +265, the Lions at +1000 and the Bears at +1400.
Green Bay Packers preview
Without Davante Adams, one of the top wide receivers in football, the Packers offense has work to do. The addition of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs provides QB Aaron Rodgers with new options, though, and the two-headed monster of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon in the backfield should continue terrorize rival defenses throughout the season. Speaking of defense, the Packers sought to improve it through free agency and the draft, and Green Bay should have a top-10 defensive squad in the league. It’s difficult to pick against Green Bay as long as Rodgers is healthy because their division is not particularly difficult.
Check out our full Green Bay Packers 2022 season preview
Minnesota Vikings preview
QB Kirk Cousins signed a one-year extension for the 2023 season, meaning the quarterback’s tenure in Minnesota won’t be over anytime soon. In 2021, the veteran threw for more than 4,200 yards and 32 touchdowns as the Vikings finished 14th in points scored per game. When you consider Adam Thielen’s meager productivity and Minnesota’s lack of receiving depth, that is astounding. Cousins and Justin Jefferson should have an even stronger connection heading into their third season together. The Vikings should perform better overall than they did in 2021, but the divisional title still looks beyond them.
Check out our full Minnesota Vikings 2022 season preview
Detroit Lions preview
We should see some improvement from the Lions this year. As well as playing the Bears twice, they face the Seahawks, Giants, Jaguars, Jets and Panthers. Dan Campbell’s squad has plenty of games that they can win, and while making the playoffs may seem unlikely, improving on last year’s performance is unquestionably feasible. D’Andre Swift should be able to shoulder the burden out of the backfield, while Jameson Williams is a promising wideout. With a favorable schedule, the Lions have reasons to be optimistic, but it’s important to remember that those supposedly “weaker” teams will be looking at Detroit in the same manner.
Read our full Detroit Lions 2022 season preview
Chicago Bears preview
Bears QB Justin Fields has a lot of talent, but the rest of the Bears team doesn’t offer much hope. Even in a weaker NFC North than in prior years, this squad clearly has a third-place ceiling. Matt Eberflus is being challenged with making the most of a group that lacks star power, which is a lot to ask of a first-year head coach. Additionally, the caliber of the opposition on their schedule is fairly balanced. There aren’t any obvious periods on the schedule where Chicago will be favored in many contests. This makes it more difficult to accumulate victories and momentum. If things get off to a sluggish start, the Bears may have another difficult season.
Read our full Chicago Bears 2022 season preview
2022 NFC North predictions and best bet: Green Bay Packers to win NFC North (-190)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
The NFC North will not be one of the stronger divisions in football this season, and the Packers may not need to be improved to win it for a 4th straight season. They might be able to do better than that, though, as they look to have a greatly improved defense compared to just a couple of seasons ago. A strong defense is a huge help to an offense that might not score quite as many points without Davante Adams, and getting the ball back in Rodgers’ hands faster can only be a positive thing. The Vikings have a little too much ground to make up under their new coach, the Lions look set to progress this year, but they’re starting from a long way back, and Chicago’s struggles look set to continue.
We’ll have NFL picks for EVERY matchup of the 2022 season
NFC North standings 2021
Green Bay Packers, 13-4 (4-2 in division)
Minnesota Vikings, 8-9 (4-2 in division)
Chicago Bears, 6-11 (2-4 in division)
Detroit Lions, 3-13-1 (2-4 in division)
NFC North champions
2021: Green Bay Packers, 13-4
2020: Green Bay Packers, 13-3
2019: Green Bay Packers, 13-3
2018: Chicago Bears, 12-4
2017: Minnesota Vikings, 13-3
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