After having arguably one of the most successful regular seasons as a whole for the NFC North, it is considered that the 2025 season will be a tough campaign based on each team’s respective schedules.
The Packers, Lions, Vikings, and Bears all face top-10 strength of schedule rankings. Last season, three out of four teams hit the over based on their win projections (Lions, Packers, Vikings) with the lone Bears hitting the under after losing 10 consecutive games. Granted, it was a much easier schedule last year.
Are the Bears going to claim the crown as the “offseason champs” again just to have an underwhelming season? Will the Vikings have another lucky season of winning majority of one possession games? Can the Packers rise to the occasion and win games that matter most? Will the Lions win their third consecutive NFC North crown for the first time in franchise history? In chronological order of highest win projection, time to play the over/under prediction game for the 2025 season, NFC North edition:
Prediction: The Lions, tied for the 3rd toughest schedule, will hit the under in 2025 with a record of 10-7. Detroit has a tough slate of road games to start the season with trips to Green Bay, Baltimore, and Cincinnati followed by a date with the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in week 7.
Only three home games in the first seven weeks is challenging, but Detroit’s real test will come in its final 6-week stretch with a Thanksgiving game against Green Bay and a Christmas game at Minnesota. Throw in the Cowboys, Rams and Steelers all in December.
The Lions signed 19 free agents in the offseason including key additions CB D.J. Reed, LB Derrick Barnes, and DT Levi Onwuzerike while losing CB Carlton Davis III as well as offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Bonus prediction is that Detroit will not win the NFC North division for a third straight year.
Prediction: The Packers, tied for the 5th toughest schedule, will hit the over in 2025 with a record of 11-6. Emotional bias aside, in order for Green Bay to hit the over they can not afford to go a disappointing 1-5 in the division again (same division record as da Bears, yikes).
After their week 1 matchup against Detroit, Green Bay does not play a division opponent again until week 12 against Minnesota. It is unlikely the Packers will go 10-1 against non-divisional opponents again especially with facing the tough AFC North, so the final seven weeks of the season and facing five division opponents in that stretch will make or break this over prediction.
The Packers key offseason additions include drafting WR Matthew Golden in the first round, signing CB Nate Hobbs and G Aaron Banks as well as re-signing clutch kicker Brandon McManus and LB Isaiah McDuffie. Bonus prediction is that Green Bay will sweep Detroit reclaiming the NFC North crown.
Prediction: The Vikings, tied for the 5th toughest schedule, will hit the under in 2025 with a record of 7-10. Minnesota hitting the under feels like a safe bet. Why? Last year with QB Sam Darnold putting up numbers like prime Brett Favre in the regular season was not on anyone’s bingo card, but his departure gives the keys to QB J.J. McCarthy, who is coming off of two knee surgeries from a torn meniscus as a first year starter.
Traveling to London to play in two international games and also holiday games down the stretch will truly test their depth. They did not necessarily have the most impressive draft and this is coming off a season where they went 9-1 in games decided by one score. Overall, they went 5-1 in games decided by a field goal which screams flukey fool's gold season.
Key additions for the Vikings include DT Jonathon Allen, DT Javon Hargrave, and G Will Fries along with re-signing veteran RB Aaron Jones. Bonus prediction is that Minnesota finishes last in the NFC North with a 1-5 division record.
Prediction: The Bears, tied for the 3rd toughest schedule, will hit the under in 2025 with a record of 8-9. Chicago does start off with an easier schedule compared to the rest of the teams in the division. However, 7 out of their final 10 games are against opponents who finished with an above .500 record in 2024 including 4 division games (two against Green Bay in weeks 14 and 16).
Chicago’s offense struggled statistically last season finishing with the lowest total yards per game (284.8) and ranking fifth-worst in scoring (18.2 points per game). Their passing offense ranked 31st (181.5 ypg) and their rushing offense ranked 25th (102.0 ypg). New HC Ben Johnson has a lot of hype to live up to with coaching expectations to elevate QB Caleb Williams in his second year.
There will be progression, but at the end of the day da Bears will still be da Bears. Bonus prediction is that Chicago will lose its final 3 games of the season against Green Bay, San Francisco, and Detroit which will ultimately be the reason why they do not hit the over and miss the playoffs. Congrats on another offseason championship though.