State of the NFC North-Week 7
Photo Credit: Mitch Stringer/USA TODAY Sports
It was a wild week for the NFC North in Week 7. The Bears practically kept the Raiders quiet in a 30-12 win. The Lions got smacked by the Ravens 38-6. The Packers lost in a close game to the Denver Broncos 19-17. Then on Monday Night Football, the Minnesota Vikings upset one of the best teams in the league in the San Francisco 49ers 22-17. We have a lot to unpackage so let’s get started. Here we go!
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions did not have a good weekend this go around. Quarterback Jared Goff did not have a great day against one of the best passing defenses in the league. Goff threw for 284 yards and one interception. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 68 yards and the lone score for the Lions. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had 102 yards on another amazing performance. The defense itself got smacked to say the least. The Ravens were one of two teams in my opinion, that could give the Lions a true challenge and it seems I was proven right on that front. The Lions will take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers had a rough week to say the least. Now granted I’m not sharing the opinion of the X post, but that’s the most viral play of the game sadly.
QB Jordan Love threw for 180 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The run game was ok for the game. RB A.J. Dillon ran for 61 yards. Meanwhile in the receiving game, the core as a whole was quiet. WR Romeo Doubs had two catches for 30 yards and one touchdown, WR Jayden Reed had three catches for 21 yards and a touchdown.
The defense as a whole kept the score low for every quarter, though that sadly didn’t help them secure a win. Other than a sack from LB Preston Smith, there were no eye-popping plays.
The Packers will next go to Minnesota to take on the Vikings in another NFC North divisional matchup.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings somehow made me lose my fantasy football matchup. No joke, they made the 9ers defense go negative on ESPN Fantasy. QB Kirk Cousins threw for 378 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The ground game was as usual non-existent. The leading rusher was RB Alexander Mattison had 39 yards on the ground.
Despite WR Justin Jefferson not playing again, the receiving game was amazing. Rookie WR Jordan Addison had 123 yards and two touchdowns in an amazing performance. Tight end T.J. Hockenson had 11 catches for 86 yards.
The defense performed great on the day. DE Danielle Hunter had one sack on the day. The best defender for the team was safety Camryn Bynum had two interceptions on the day, keeping QB Brock Purdy under watch.
The Vikings record is now 3-4 on the year and they take on the Green Bay Packers on Monday.
Chicago Bears
The Bears shut the Raiders up as soon as the first drive ended. On offense, the Bears ran right through the worst run defense in the league. In the passing game, QB Tyson Bagent made the top 10 ranked Raiders passing defense look like one of the worst.
Bagent threw for 162 yards and one touchdown. The run game was amazing yet again. RB D’Onta Foreman had a combined three total touchdowns. Two in the run game and one in the receiving game. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson had two interceptions in an amazing performance. LB Tremaine Edmunds had his first interception in a Bears uniform, even though he should’ve been last week.
The Bears now have a 2-5 record and will be taking on the Chargers on Sunday Night Primetime.
