NFL 2018 predictions: Which team will win each division?
By Nile McNair
NFC North
1. Vikings
2. Packers
3. Lions
4. Bears
In the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings took over last season. They capitalized on the Packers having a down season due to Aaron Rodgers being hurt. Now the Vikings are NFC North favorites. In a division with some elite quarterbacks, the Vikings finally got their guy this offseason, signing Kirk Cousins. With Dalvin Cook coming back from injury, plus having the number one defense in the league, the Vikings are the clear-cut best team in this division.
As dominant as the Packers have been in years past, once Rodgers went down last year the team got exposed. The Packers realized Rodgers covered up a lot of flaws on the team, but those must be solved if they want to contend once again. Green Bay added talent to the secondary through the draft. And finally, they gave Rodgers an elite tight end in Jimmy Graham. Lastly, with a talent at quarterback like Rodgers, there is always a chance to make the playoffs regardless of the roster.
The Detroit Lions are usually a team that seems to beat themselves when it matters most. They’ve been in the playoff hunt every year of late and found a way to play themselves out. New coach Matt Patricia comes over from New England looking to end this trend. Detroit has talent on their roster to be better than the Packers, but they won’t live up to those expectations in 2018.
Though they finish last in these standings, the Chicago Bears have laid the foundation to be successful moving forward. Chicago’s success centers around whether quarterback Mitchell Trubisky makes a leap in his second year. Trubisky now has a star wide receiver to throw to in Allen Robinson, and Chicago’s defense is young but talented. If Trubisky plays significantly better in year two, Chicago could steal some games from their divisional opponents.