Around the NFC North: 2023 Week 6
Here's what's happening this week and next in the NFC North.
By Mike Price
We got concrete evidence this week that the Vikings are bad (barely beat the Bears) and that the Lions are good (easily handled the Bucs). Meanwhile, the Packers are floundering. It isn't what you'd call a normal season. At least the Bears still suck.
Vikings & Bears
The Vikings outlasted the Bears 19-13.
Game Notes
- Rumors abounded before the game that Kirk Cousins was on the trade block but wouldn't accept any trades (he somehow has a no-trade clause), that Justin Jefferson wouldn't come back without a new contract, and that Justin Fields might actually be good. None of those players had a particularly good day.
- Cousins had just 181 yards against the Bears defense, Fields got hurt after a just OK start, and Jefferson still has to live in Minnesota for at least another few months.
- Fields' replacement, Tyson Bagent, was also just OK, totaling 83 yards and a pick on 14 attempts. No one else on offense for the two teams had a particularly exciting day. Hockenson and DJ Moore had 50 receding yards, D'onta Foreman 65 rush yards, and 56 year-old Velus Jones had a run for 17 yards. What a depressing game to watch.
- Defensively, Flores was back to his aggressive self, blitzing on over 70% of plays against a bad Bears' offense and with Marcus Davenport getting hurt again. It's possible that the blitzing is because of the Bears inability to counteract it, but I'm thinking Davenport is the lever. If he plays Flores feels like he can get pressure naturally, if he doesn't they can't. Maybe they should've just kept Za'Darius Smith.
- On the Bears side, Jaquan Brisker had an impressive game with 6 tackles, a half sack, and a forced fumble. In a hilarious development, DJ Moore had more tackles than Eddie Jackson.
Former Packers
- Sanborn and Edwards both had 7 tackles.
- Big Bob Tonyan had an 11-yard catch.
- Dean Lowry had a couple tackles.
Next Week
The Vikings take on the 49ers on Monday night and the Bears play the Raiders.
Lions
The Lions beat the Buccaneers 20-6.
Game Notes
- Most analysts predicted that the Lions would have a great offense and meh defense this season and the offense would push the team up a level and into the playoffs. The offense is definitely still good, but the defense has been good enough to win games, like it did this week. Tampa had played very well on offense prior to the game, with many people changing their Baker position for a fifth time in his career. Detroit shut them down.
- Baker was 19/37 for just 206 yards with a pick. No running back had over 26 yards. Mike Evans was held to 4 catches on 10 targets. This isn't a good development for Packers fans.
- Offensively, the Lions adapter to their situation. Tampa has a top run defense every year, so Detroit didn't bother trying to establish the run, especially after David Montgomery got hurt (though it's interesting to note that they did run 22 times for just 40 yards), but Jared Goff did have over 350 pass yards. 124 of those went to the Sun God and Jameson Williams had a 45-yard catch in his first game back fully healthy.
- The Lions look good, but like most teams, they're dealing with some injuries now. David Montgomery will miss some time. Brian Branch, Jahymyr Gibbs, Jonah Jackson, and Josh Paschal all missed this game with injury and will miss more time. How they respond to adversity will determine if they're great.
Next Week
The Lions take on the Ravens in another big test.
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Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved form Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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Comments (23)
splitpea1
October 17, 2023 at 11:09 am
LOL, I think the Lions have clinched the division already. There's a lot of season left to go, but barring an injury to Goff, no one else in the division seems remotely qualified to catch them.
Cheezehead72
October 17, 2023 at 11:59 am
The way the NFC north sits right now barring any significant injuries the Lions appear like the only team in the division that can win a post season game.
TarynsEyes
October 17, 2023 at 02:04 pm
The 'only' NFCN team that will be in the playoffs. Fixed it for you.
Leatherhead
October 17, 2023 at 12:58 pm
The division, at this moment, is Lions, Packers, Bears, Vikings, even though the Vikings won this game I'd much rather be the Bears than the Vikings.
If anybody challenges the Lions, it'll be the Packers. I've been watching the Lions implode for 50 years or so and I wouldn't be one bit surprised if it happened again. All it really takes is an injury or two and they're a .500 team.
NFC: 49ers and Eagles, still the two best even though they both took a loss last week. I think the Lions and Cowboys are the next tier. New Orleans will probably win that division. So that's 5 of the NFC playoff teams right there.
The Packers are in the next tier, with Seattle, Rams, Commodes, etc. And the Vikings, Cards, Panthers, and Giants look like they're in the basement.
Bitternotsour
October 17, 2023 at 01:31 pm
I gotta hand it to you, optimism-wise. The Rams and Seattle are easily a level above the Packers, and I'm shocked you don't see Minnesota as a better team. I mean, I hate the Vikings, especially their fans, but Minnesota is a way better team than you are seeing.
Also, New Orleans over Tampa? Not sure I agree with that police work.
The Lions are good. Jared Goff is a better quarterback than a 40 year old Aaron Rodgers. Dismiss the Lions historically if you wish, but my eyes tell me that they're a really good team, with a quality leader.
Leatherhead
October 17, 2023 at 02:32 pm
Well, Tampa just scored 6 points at home, so it's hard for me to see them winning the division. New Orleans has an NFL QB and probably the best defense in that division. I know that Tampa stomped NO already this year, but the facts remain that Tampa has a very poor offense. I mean, they've scored 104 points in 5 games, and that's even less than the Packers . We play them on December 17.
I'm just saying that once you subtract the 4 division winners, and the 4 basement dwellers, there's 8 teams for 3 playoff spots. The Packers are one of those 8 teams right now. I'd probably agree with you that the Rams and Seattle look better than the Packers, but it's not December yet.
TarynsEyes
October 17, 2023 at 02:01 pm
Every time I read what you talk about seeing, I think of this scene.
https://youtu.be/wsG1_wahKVc?si=t5UYWAZ-02zpozdx
Leatherhead
October 17, 2023 at 02:34 pm
Yes, Taryn, your astuteness regarding football.....a sport you have never played or coached.....is much like an old lady with bad eyesight.
TarynsEyes
October 17, 2023 at 03:06 pm
My father coached, my 5 uncles, my 3 uncles on my mother's side coached, my 3 brothers played and one coached, and let me not forget all my aunts and nieces, and sisters who were cheerleaders.The game of football is not beyond me.
crayzpackfan
October 17, 2023 at 04:02 pm
Taryn - You shouldn't feel obliged to validate yourself to an asshole comment like that. When people say shit like that, they are simply admitting they have lost the discussion and should just go back to playing in traffic.
13TimeChamps
October 17, 2023 at 05:00 pm
One of the constants on this board. Leatherhead always has to be right, always the smartest guy in the room. Disagree with him and this is what you get. Push back and the name calling starts. He coached high school football, who knows how many years ago, and apparently that's on the same level as today's NFL.
I got caught up with it for awhile with him. Decided it's no longer worth it. Now he's found other people to argue with, which seems to be his true passion. Football isn't rocket science. Taryn has every bit of a right to express her views as anyone else. Suggesting she can't because she's never played or coached is ignorant and, in this case, misogynistic.
Leatherhead
October 17, 2023 at 07:18 pm
Now THAT was predictable from the guy who would much rather talk about other posters than football.
It works better when you and I ignore each other.
Leatherhead
October 17, 2023 at 07:11 pm
Did you steal that from Marissa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinnie"??
crayzpackfan
October 17, 2023 at 04:00 pm
LH -
"a sport you have never played or coached.....is much like an old lady with bad eyesight."
Less of a LeatherHead thing to say to her but rather a simple dickHead thing to say.
Bitternotsour
October 17, 2023 at 06:26 pm
Leatherhead - "Yes, Taryn, your astuteness regarding football.....a sport you have never played or coached"
I actually reach for the margins while taunting stupid posts, but I try to do it with some humor and grace. Your comment above is just a stupid and thuggish response. I haven't played football since I was in 7th grade, never coached, and yet I'd say my intellectual understanding of the game is pretty fucking substantial. Taryn has a distinct POV. It's informed by experience, and intelligence. Maybe that is intimidating to you, a woman with experience and intelligence.
Your comment reeks of dickishness. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Leatherhead
October 17, 2023 at 07:14 pm
I appreciate the virtue signalling guys. Really, I do. However, if I've truly offended Taryn, I apologize for that. I mean, I was throwing the grenade back at her, but it was still a low blow.
crayzpackfan
October 18, 2023 at 08:07 am
LH- No virtue signals from me, I hate that shit. But if you wanna accuse me of being a good old fashioned gentleman, I'll own that guilt.
T7Steve
October 17, 2023 at 02:19 pm
Just have to beat the Broncos.
One step at a time. Continue to grow and get healthy.
Don't have to think about the rest of the division till it's time to play one of them.
TXCHEESE
October 17, 2023 at 04:33 pm
Detroit is a pretty solid team. If they can handle the success, they could make some noise in the playoffs...wonder how much better they would have been without jettisoning their two backs from last year. I don't see why folks don't appreciate Goff. He's a pretty solid QB...not gonna wow with his arm talent, but he gets the ball where it's supposed to go.
Packers need a year (and a new DC), to grow.
Tundraboy
October 17, 2023 at 11:53 pm
Yep. I used to get angrier than hell losing to the Lions, muttering we have Rodgers they have Goff. c'mon !. But I have to admit he's playing like the best QB in the NFL, and has been for a while.
joejetson
October 17, 2023 at 06:50 pm
Watched the condensed replay of chi vs min on NFL+. It was a comedy of errors. Dueling Turnovers- the only thing missing was the banjos.
Leatherhead
October 17, 2023 at 07:16 pm
It was a one score game where each team made multiple mistakes.
PhantomII
October 17, 2023 at 08:30 pm
It would be nice to see someone shut down St. Brown and see how Detroit adjusts to it. Someone is gonna do it and then we'll see. Detroit has a better OL and DL than we had to go 13-3...so there is that. Maybe if Detroit got the RB the Falcons did we'd be in even more trouble. Gute has got to use the top 5 picks on the OL in the draft or get some FA's.....OR PLAY NIJMAN.....and get a good strong bad ass CENTER.