NFL 2025: NFC North Predictions

My 2025-26 NFL Predictions continue with a storied division currently filled with young talent and legitimate contenders: the NFC North.

Competition within the NFC North will be fierce. I have at least one team winning six games or less in seven of the NFL’s eight divisions: all of them except this one.

The Detroit Lions roared their way through the regular season to a 15-2 clip last year, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the NFL. But what looked like a crash course with the Chiefs for the Super Bowl 59 title was quickly derailed as injuries piled up for Detroit, ultimately resulting in a one-and-done early playoff exit despite winning the NFC’s number one seed for the first time in franchise history. Some of those injuries still linger, and the question is, can Detroit’s talented young offense run the NFC again?

Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers are also always a threat, and Green Bay is 18-14 over the last two seasons with Love under center. The Packers themselves finished 11-6 last season, only good for third place in the NFC North, and also faced a prompt playoff exit at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl 59 Champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The Minnesota Vikings had a Cinderella season with Sam Darnold, a resurgent offense, and a solid defense. Minnesota went 14-3, somehow only good for second place in the NFC North: indeed, 14 wins was the most ever for a non-division winner. But just like the Lions and Packers, the Vikings failed to win a playoff game, losing to the Los Angeles Rams at home in the Wildcard Round. Minnesota totaled four losses across the postseason and regular season, and each one came at the hands of the Detroit Lions or Los Angeles Rams.

This year, expectations must be tempered for Minnesota. Following Darnold’s incredibly successful year (which followed six years of Kirk Cousins at quarterback) the Vikings must rely on J.J. McCarthy, a “red shirt” rookie if you will, after the 2024 first round pick missed all of last season.

We can’t forget the Chicago Bears, who have been building something with their slew of draft capital for a few years now. The pieces might just finally be ready to come together, but is this the year Chicago finally meets or even exceeds expectations? Typically, Chicago is an offseason darling, but last year’s 5-12 finish (even more mind-boggling after a 4-2 start) left much to be desired.

How will the division play out in the 2025-26 season? Read on for my 2025-26 NFC North Predictions, and if you’d like to debate or discuss any predictions, join the conversation with @SakSports on Twitter/X, on Facebook, or by commenting directly on this post!

2025-26 NFL Predictions

AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West

NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, NFC West

1. Detroit Lions (12-5)

Last Year’s Prediction: 12-5, 1st Place NFC North

Last Year’s Actual: 15-2, 1st Place NFC North

The Detroit Lions entered the 2024-25 season as a rising NFC contender with something to prove, and within the confines of the regular season, they absolutely blew even the highest expectations away en route to a 15-2 finish.

The core is back in action for 2025: quarterback Jared Goff, head coach Dan Campbell, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, third-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs. The Lions offense should be firing on all cylinders and pushing the limits of what’s possible in today’s NFL on a weekly basis.

The Lions soft spot is their defense, specifically their pass defense. While some needs were addressed in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Lions secondary won’t become elite overnight.

My expectations for the Lions this season is 12 to 14 wins, but I went with a 12-5 record just because following up such an elite record is hard to do, especially in a division that’s competitive from top-to-bottom.

And after last season’s early playoff exit, the Lions may need to focus on health and player availability towards the end of the season, even if it costs them a win or two.

2. Green Bay Packers (11-6)

Last Year’s Prediction: 10-7, 2nd Place NFC North

Last Year’s Actual: 11-6, 3rd Place NFC North

The Green Bay Packers were already a strong team, featuring a well-rounded roster that has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Jordan Love is the star of the show on offense, but even in his two-game absence last season, the Packers went 2-0, a testament to that strong roster and system.

In a rare move, the Packers went heavy on offense in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting a wide receiver in the first round (Matthew Golden, Texas) for the first time since 2002. A second round offensive tackle and another wide receiver (Savion Williams, TCU) in the third round really shows an emphasis on giving Love playmakers in the passing game, all while keeping it locked down in the trenches.

The Packers can hang with the best teams in the NFL, which will come in handy playing in the NFC North, where an 11-6 record only earned Green Bay third place last season. This year, I predict the same record for the Packers, but a much more comfortable finish in doing so.

3. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)

Last Year’s Prediction: 6-11. 3rd Place NFC North

Last Year’s Actual: 14-3, 2nd Place NFC North

The Minnesota Vikings had one of the best regular seasons of any team in the 2020’s last year, achieving a 14-win threshold that is pretty rare even in a 17-game season. The transition from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold went swimmingly, the offense clicked for a consistent 23-30 points per game, the defense held opponents at bay, and Minnesota had little to complain about besides a two-game losing streak early in the season that ruined their 5-0 start.

But roster turnover might hit the Vikings hard in 2025, starting first and foremost with Darnold moving on to be the next quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. This leaves J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback, a year after being taken by Minnesota in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. McCarthy missed the entire 2024-25 season due to injury, and will now be expected to pick up where a seasoned NFL quarterback left off.

Of course, McCarthy could have a worse situation. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson might just be the best in the game at his position, and Jordan Addison will be back from suspension by mid-season to bolster the offense. Cam Akers is out, but Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason could provide steady hands at running back. T.J. Hockenson is one of a group of just four or five tight ends that can still be considered game-breakers.

The defense saw some departures as well, but overall has tons of talent.

Minnesota has a wide range of potential outcomes, from a crash-and-burn five or six win season, to a flowery 12-5 finish where they don’t quite meet the level they hit in 2024, but still qualify as a strong playoff contender. Bet MGM has the Vikings over/under for wins at 8.5, which feels fair: I’ll take the slight over at 9-8.

4. Chicago Bears (7-10)

Last Year’s Prediction: 5-12, 4th Place NFC North

Last Year’s Actual: 5-12, 4th Place NFC North

The Chicago Bears over/under is also set at 8.5 wins, which feels a little high for me based on what this team has shown on us the field so far.

Caleb Williams will just be entering his second season, so progression should be expected. The cast built around Williams is becoming increasingly impressive, with running back D’Andre Swift, wide receivers D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, and rookie Luther Burden III, as well as tight end Cole Kmet.

But last year’s 27th-ranked defense also needs to improve in a big way if Chicago wants to get over the hump this season.

The Bears are a trendy team to make some noise as a fringe wildcard contender: think, 9-8 or 10-7 finish, maybe even an unlikely first round upset to make some noise in the playoffs. And if Chicago becomes an offensive juggernaut, the defensive side of things might not even be as important (ala Detroit-style.)

However, I see this season as one more step up the ladder for the Bears: after nailing last year’s 5-12 projection, I see a two-win improvement in 2025.

Previous NFC North Predictions

2023, 2022, 2021

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