The Detroit Lions won the NFC North for the first time ever last season, and it was their first division title in 30 years; now they will look to go back-to-back for the first time in 70 years. However, they will have stiff competition from the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, who both have young QBs looking to make their mark in different situations.
In one of the divisions expected to be the most hotly contested, we could see it go all the way to the wire, but who will come out on top? Let’s take a look at the odds for the NFC North and our NFL betting expert’s top picks for the four teams in the NFC North.
What Are the NFC North Odds To Win the Division?
- Detroit Lions +135
- Green Bay Packers +225
- Chicago Bears +275
- Minnesota Vikings +1000
Top Picks in the NFC North
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the Lions’ run to nearly making the Super Bowl feels more like it was their moment than the start of something. That’s not to say the Lions are suddenly going to be bad — quite the opposite. This offense is too good for the Lions to ever not be contenders. I just don’t see them dominating the division every year.
The Lions went 12-5 last year, while the Packers went 9-8. I smell a little bit of regression from the Lions, perhaps to a 10-win team. Meanwhile, the Packers strike me as a team just scratching the surface.
The Packers don’t have elite players or an established quarterback, and we are only now finding out how good they can be.
This is a team with a ton of continuity. Their top six pass-catchers in receiving yards from last season are all returning. The only major offensive turnover is at running back, which doesn’t matter. At these odds, give me the Packers to win the division.
Pick: Packers +210
– Jason Katz, PFN Betting and Fantasy Analyst
Much like the AFC East, this division features three teams that figure to push for a postseason berth. For me, the excitement surrounding the Packers and Bears comes with the hope that they can be what the Lions already are. Detroit knows exactly who it is — this was a three-win team just three seasons ago before winning nine games in 2022 and 12 a season ago.
The Lions should come out of the gates strong (favored by an average of 4.8 points through September) and finish their season with a home game against the Minnesota Vikings. I have them labeled as the class of this division, and while you could bet them to win the NFC North (+135), I feel just as strongly about Minnesota being the worst team in this division.
By placing a pair of bets, I’m leveraging my two strongest takes in this division to get more bang for my buck than simply betting my confidence in Detroit.
Pick: Lions to win the division, Packers to finish second (+320 at DraftKings)
Pick: Lions to win the division, Bears to finish second (+450 at DraftKings)
– Kyle Soppe, PFN Betting and Fantasy Analyst
I am going to push back on Katz’s point on the Lions and say last year was the start of something. The Lions were arguably the best team in the NFC last season and came within a blown fourth-quarter lead of representing the conference in the Super Bowl. They are the most talented team in the NFC North and I do not think it’s close.
The Packers were a good story last season and very well might repeat that this season, but remember, they were still only a nine-win team. The Lions were 12-5, which included an OT loss to Seattle and the ridiculous bad penalty-loss game to Dallas. The one weakness in my eyes was the coach, and Dan Campbell proved his worth last year and, hopefully, learned from his mistakes.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
Soppe and I agree on the Lions to win the division (+150), but I am taking it one step further and picking them to win over 10.5 games (remember they won 12 last season) and laying the +550 on them to win the NFC. Outside of the division, they play an improved but not difficult AFC South, the NFC West, and first-place teams Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Buffalo, all of which are winnable.
Pick: Lions to win the division (-150 at DraftKings)
Pick: Lions over 10.5 wins (-135 at DraftKings)
Pick: Lions to win NFC (+550 at DraftKings)
– David Bearman, PFN Chief Content Officer
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