Packers keep the pressure on Vikings in NFC North power rankings

The NFC North is the best division in football. All four teams have a winning record, with the North starting the year a combined 14-5.

The Minnesota Vikings remained perfect by taking down Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets in London, while the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears also picked up wins as the Detroit Lions sat at home on bye. Minnesota has the early advantage, but the NFC North remains a four-team race entering the second quarter of the season.

Green Bay picked up an important road win over the Los Angeles Rams, ensuring Matt LaFleur's squad maintains the pressure on the rest of the division.

NFC North power rankings entering after Week 5: Vikings can't pull away at the top

4. Chicago Bears (3-2)

This is the version of Caleb Williams that Bears fans have waited to see. The first overall pick completed 20 of 29 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns in easily his best performance of the season. Chicago also rushed for three touchdowns in a convincing win over the Carolina Panthers.

Of course, we are talking about the Panthers, but it's a big win nonetheless. Chicago's defense continues to impress, restricting its former quarterback, Andy Dalton, to 136 yards and an interception. The Bears rubbed salt into the Panthers' wounds after the blockbuster draft-day trade that still haunts Carolina. The Panthers mortgaged their future for Bryce Young, who they have already benched, while the Bears enter a new era with Williams.

3. Green Bay Packers (3-2)

The Packers still haven't put together a complete performance, but they are finding ways to win. Tucker Kraft's breakout season continued with an impressive two-touchdown game—Green Bay has finally found a superstar at the tight end position.

Xavier McKinney made history with a fifth consecutive game with an interception, while it looks like the Packers have unearthed another star in the secondary.

It wasn't a complete performance, and there's so much still to improve, but Green Bay has a winning record and remains very much in the NFC North race.

2. Detroit Lions (3-1)

The Lions didn't play in Week 5 but remain in second place in these rankings. Last week's 42-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks served as a reminder of how unstoppable Detroit's offense is when everything is clicking, but it also raised concerns about the defense.

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Seattle generated 516 yards of offense and 29 points. The Lions have the 10th-worst defense in yards allowed, something they must address to meet their Super Bowl aspirations. That said, there's no doubting this team's talent.

1. Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

Brian Flores' defense continues to dominate, forcing a rare three-interception game from Aaron Rodgers, including only his fifth career pick-six. Flores' disguised coverages are giving even the most experienced quarterbacks problems. Over the past two weeks, Minnesota has made six interceptions against Rodgers and Jordan Love.

However, for the second week in a row, the Vikings almost threw away a comfortable lead, and for the first time this season, Sam Darnold didn't play well. He completed just 45 percent of his passes for 179 yards and one interception. Minnesota lost Aaron Jones to injury and struggled to move the ball.

Rodgers' pick-six was the difference between the two teams. The Vikings are the team to beat, but the Jets may have set a blueprint to slow down the offense.

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