Packers not picked to win NFC North in 2020 by Bleacher Report

Bleacher Report isn’t expecting the Packers to retain their NFC North title.

The Green Bay Packers will face tough competition from their NFC North rivals this season, and they’ll likely need double-digit wins again to have a chance of retaining their title.

Five Bleacher Report analysts have predicted each division winner in the NFL ahead of the 2020 season. For the NFC North, it’s not good news for the Packers.

With three votes, Bleacher Report has the Minnesota Vikings winning back the division title this season ahead of the Packers. The Packers and Chicago Bears each received one vote.

However, while the Vikings did get the most votes, the fact three teams received at least one vote highlights how competitive this division could be this season. The Packers will need to put in another great season to win the NFC North, but the same goes for the Vikings and Bears.

It’s going to be an unusual season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many players have already opted out of the season due to the pandemic, including Green Bay’s Devin Funchess, Minnesota’s Michael Pierce, and Chicago’s Eddie Goldman.

The pandemic has already resulted in a different offseason than usual, and the regular season will also be different. Stadiums could have no fans or, at the most, limited capacity. That alone will have a major impact on the regular season.

There will be other challenges that come as a result of the pandemic, as we’re seeing in other major sports currently.

But, if we assume the season starts on time and goes ahead as planned, the Packers and Vikings look to be quite evenly matched. The Bears, too, aren’t far behind.

Green Bay will take on Minnesota in the season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium. The game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Sept. 13.