The NFC North features several teams that saw their fortunes drastically change in 2023. In one of the most interesting divisions in football, we have come out of this season with just as many questions as answers. Here, we look at the state of the NFC North, and how our NFL betting picks played out in this division.
NFC North Futures Betting Odds
Detroit Lions
For the first time in a long time, the Detroit Lions won the NFC North, as we predicted at the start of this season. Detroit was the class of this division by a wide margin this year, with Jared Goff and Dan Campbell leading this team to 12 wins in the regular season. There is still plenty of growing for this team to do in the near future, but this was certainly an encouraging step for Detroit.
Green Bay Packers
After a dynastic run at the top of the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers came into 2023 with the longest odds to win their division. That is understandable after Aaron Rodgers departed this offseason to become a member of the New York Jets. But Green Bay performed admirably this year, finishing second in the NFC North and making the playoffs as a Wild Card team, as Jordan Love looked good in his first full season as a starting quarterback.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings had a strange season in 2023. They came into the year with some hope that they could win the NFC North. But a season-ending injury to Kirk Cousins wrecked their hopes of a good year, as they sent out quarterbacks like Joshua Dobbs, Jaren Hall, and Nick Mullens in his place. Cousins’ recovery will be huge to this team’s chances of success in the future, unless they move on and try someone else to be the starter.
Chicago Bears
Entering this season, there was a lot of hype surrounding the Chicago Bears. But that hype appears to be completely unjustified, as the Bears finished in last place in the NFC North. Chicago lost 10 games this season, a year that prompted a ton of questions about whether or not Justin Fields should be the starting quarterback for this team going forward. This offseason will be huge for the future of this franchise, especially with them getting the top pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
2024 NFC North Futures Outlook
Next season, the Detroit Lions are likely to be the best team in the NFC North once again. But every team in this division has the potential to improve next year. The Packers should get better as Jordan Love continues to gain experience, the Vikings will get better with a full-time starting quarterback, and the Bears can completely transform their franchise in the months to come. That will make this division incredibly exciting in 2024 and beyond.