King In The North?

First off, there was a perfect game last night. Fricken awesome ⚾️

Football today though. We’re entering that time of the NFL calendar where optimism is beginning to peak just about everywhere around the league — ok, maybe not in Arizona, but you still get the point 😂

• Stop me if you’ve heard this one before; your QB and WR1 spent all offseason perfecting their chemistry, your defensive star is in the “best shape of his life”, and your prized rookie is looking like a seasoned vet in his first taste of NFL action

• With all the glowing reports coming out of OTAs and minicamps, it’s easy to talk yourself into your team’s chances this season. And that especially holds true when you’ve got a division that’s totally up for grabs 😏

In that case, it doesn’t get much more wide-open than the NFC North, and a wildly eventful offseason has all four teams looking quite different than they did a year ago. Take a look at the tightly-contested odds to finish atop the division standings this season 👇

Odds To Win The NFC North (subject to change)

• Detroit Lions: +145

• Minnesota Vikings: +270

• Green Bay Packers: +350

• Chicago Bears: +420

Yep, you’re seeing that correctly — that’s the Detroit Lions with the best odds to win their division. The same Lions’ team that has never won the NFC North and hasn’t won a playoff game since 1991 😳

• Roster turnover elsewhere in the division is certainly a factor in Detroit’s status as the favorite, but don’t sell Dan Campbell’s squad short. After all, they did go 8-2 down the stretch last season, and there’s plenty of reason to believe in the league’s third-best offense taking yet another step forward this year

• The running back duo of Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift has been replaced by a David Montgomery-Jamyhr Gibbs tandem that has even more upside, second-year wideout Jameson Williams could be a huge addition once he returns from his 6-game suspension, and rookie TE Sam LaPorta has been one of the stars of the summer ⬇️

The reigning champs up North, the Minnesota Vikings, might be the safest pick to challenge the Lions for this year’s crown. The offense will likely (and rightfully) continue to become even more Justin Jefferson-centric, while also incorporating talented first rounder Jordan Addison, but it’ll still be tough to ignore the absence of one of the franchise’s recent icons 🍎

• After six seasons, four Pro Bowl appearances, nearly 8,000 total yards and over 50 TDs, Dalvin Cook is officially no longer a Viking after being released earlier this month. The team seems confident in Alexander Mattinson as a workhorse back, but #4 won’t be easy to replace 😤

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers both check in as a solid dark horse picks if you’re looking to get a bit spicy. In a league largely dominated by QB play, taking a flier on either really depends on one question; how much do you believe in Justin Fields or Jordan Love? 🤔

• There’s no denying Fields is an electrifying talent, but he has to improve as a passer for the Bears to be a legitimate threat. The addition of D.J. Moore, along with continued growth from the rest of the young offense, should go a long way, and some are even predicting a transcendent leap 👀

After finishing with the worst record in the league last season, Chicago clearly has other areas of concern besides Fields’ development. But if that type of MVP-caliber breakout does come to fruition, this team will certainly be in the mix 📈

• Love is a bigger shot in the dark, as we’ve only had rare glimpses of the former first-rounder in his four seasons in Green Bay. But the wait-and-see approach at QB worked out quite well for the Packers last time, and Love will also have one of the league’s best defenses to help take the pressure off him 💪

A division title in the first year of life without Aaron Rodgers would be truly something. But despite Green Bay having the steepest odds, I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility. When it comes to picking the winner of the NFC North this season, your guess is as good as mine 🤷🏻‍♂️

Trivia Question: Since 1992, which QB has the most starts in a Green Bay uniform besides Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers?

Want more sports content from Overtime? Check us out on TikTok 🗣

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Join thousands of other informed subscribers

Trivia Answer: Brett Hundley made nine starts in 2017 for the injured Rodgers

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Many will enter, only some will win. Giveaway ends 12 hours after the completion of the final game references within the giveaway. The winner will be notified via the email address used to enter. Restrictions apply. See the General Conditions and Releases sections of Overtime's Terms of Use at https://overtime.tv/terms for additional giveaway terms

©2023 Overtime Sports, Inc. All rights reserve