The Detroit Lions are the reigning champions of the “black and blue” division, a feat they have not accomplished since 1993, when Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders was on the roster.
2023-24 NFC North Standings
- Detroit Lions 12-5
- Green Bay Packers 9-8
- Minnesota Vikings 7-10
- Chicago Bears 7-10
Think about how long that’s been. The most popular NFL video game of the time was Tecmo Super Bowl for Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Today’s NFL futures again place Detroit as the front-runners, but do they have what it takes to become back-to-back division champions?
2024-25 NFC North Futures
- Detroit Lions +140
- Green Bay Packers +200
- Chicago Bears +275
- Minnesota Vikings +950
Another franchise that hasn’t been relevant since the Tecmo Bowl era is the Chicago Bears, but as we’ll discuss, their immediate future also looks bright.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions’ fortunes were reversed last season when they captured the division and earned the third seed in the NFC. In 2023, they split the series with the Green Bay Packers, and they will need to do the same this year if Detroit hopes to defend its NFC North title.
Regular Season Wins – Detroit Lions
- Over 10.5 Wins -150
- Under 10.5 Wins +115
The odds for betting on the Detroit Lions to win the NFC North place them as the most likely champion, but they are only narrowly ahead of Green Bay by 60 points overall.
Green Bay Packers
Last season, Jordan Love’s play exceeded all expectations, rising to become one of the best quarterbacks in the league by the onset of the NFL playoffs. GB is no longer building toward becoming a winner; they’ve already arrived and are positioned to build on the success they achieved in 2023-24.
Regular Season Wins – Green Bay Packers
- Over 9.5 Wins -150
- Under 9.5 Wins +115
These futures imply ten or more wins but no division championship. We’re betting on the Packers hitting on the over and surpassing Detroit a year early.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are the dark horse of the division and a popular sleeper pick for 2024-25. The hype began when it became known the Bears would get the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft via a previous trade with the Carolina Panthers. Chicago chose quarterback Caleb Williams first overall and began immediately supplementing the offense via free agency.
Regular Season Wins – Chicago Bears
- Over 9.5 Wins +115
- Under 9.5 Wins -150
Williams has looked great during the preseason and appears pro-ready. The Bears over/under for wins suggest they’ll go 9-8 this year and finish third in the NFC North. Remember, they won seven games last year, so they should easily eclipse that mark again, barring any key injuries.
Minnesota Vikings
Despite losing their franchise quarterback in the offseason and their rookie QB now on injured reserve for the season, the Minnesota Vikings are still projected to win at least seven games.
Regular Season Wins – Minnesota Vikings
- Over 6.5 Wins -150
- Under 6.5 Wins +115
Sam Darnold is listed as the starting QB on the Vikings depth chart, which should cut into WR Justin Jefferson’s numbers. RB Aaron Jones has been acquired from the Packers, and he should see plenty of work out of the backfield. We’d be surprised if they won six games.
