NFC North Roundtable: All four teams in division have playoff aspirations, and they all have a good case

The NFC North is going to be the best division in the National Football League this year. The biggest reason being that they have three teams who are coming off of playoff appearances.  There is a real chance that the NFC North lands all four teams in the playoffs if the Chicago Bears take the […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field.
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The NFC North is going to be the best division in the National Football League this year. The biggest reason being that they have three teams who are coming off of playoff appearances. 

There is a real chance that the NFC North lands all four teams in the playoffs if the Chicago Bears take the necessary leap forward. If they can do that, it will be quite the season between these four teams.

If all four teams end up making the playoffs, it will be because each of these came to fruition.

Minnesota Vikings beat writer Tyler Forness: Quarterback proof roster

When you look at the Vikings as they currently sit, it feels like they are going to be depend on J.J. McCarthy to take a huge step forward to win the NFC North. They won 14 games last season, but two losses to the Detroit Lions ended up being a huge factor into them losing the division, and in turn, failing to win a playoff game.

However, the Vikings have insulated McCarthy so he doesn't have to carry the team whatsoever. The trenches were the biggest reason why the Vikings didn't make a playoff run, and those have been remedied in a major way. The additions of Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and Donovan Jackson on the offensive line, with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on the defensive line will make things a lot easier for the Vikings to navigate with McCarthy's first season. All they need to do is have McCarthy play the position and that's quite the advantage for a first-year starting quarterback.

Green Bay Packers beat writer Wendell Ferreira: Offensive consistency

While the defense did improve under Jeff Hafley, the offense is certainly the most reliable aspect of the Green Bay Packers under Matt LaFleur. Since the head coach took over in 2019, the Packers have finished every season in the top 10 in weighted DVOA. Yes, even when the team looked cooked in 2022. LaFleur and quarterback Jordan Love offer both a high floor and a high ceiling by themselves, and the performance of the rest of the group decides which one they will tap into in any specific year.

While there are fair questions about the wide receiver group, Matthew Golden enters the mix and creates enough competition to give the roster more paths to success. Unless everyone in the WR room plays poorly at the same time, which is very unlikely, the offense will be efficient and explosive.

Chicago Bears beat writer Kole Noble: Partnership between Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams

If the partnership between head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams is fully aligned early and continues throughout the ebbs and flows of the season, the sky's the limit for what this team can achieve in 2025. Ben Johnson’s offense will be fully dependent on Caleb Williams operating it at the line of scrimmage and making smart plays with the football. The talent is there on offense saying Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams can work harmoniously.

No one expected the Washington Commanders to make the playoffs, or even the NFC Championship Game with Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn in Year 1. A lesson can be learned to never underestimate a team if the HC-QB relationship is perfectly aligned right out of the gate and it continues to grow as the season progresses.

Detroit Lions beat writer Mike Payton: Balance

Balance is the name of the game for the Lions. Yes, they lost two coordinators, and yes, they lost Frank Ragnow, but this team is still very young and full of All-Pros and Pro Bowlers on both sides of the ball, and they still have Dan Campbell running the show.

The defense is the side of the ball that’s really going to help Detroit. Going into week 12 last year, the Lions were second in defensive DVOA, and they got better, healthier, and deeper over this offseason. This could be the best defense in the league in 2025. 

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