2019 NFL Preseason Rankings – NFC North Power Rankings: We are heading into the final week of the preseason, and the 2019 NFL season is less than two weeks away from beginning. I’ve been breaking down the pecking order of each division, and the next stop is the NFC North. In terms of top-to-bottom depth, a strong argument can be made that this is the deepest and toughest division in football. Not only do I see three teams capable of winning the division crown, but I could see three teams contending for playoff spots. I have the Detroit Lions as the fourth wheel in this equation, but even they have a puncher’s chance against almost anyone if Matthew Stafford and his cannon arm get hot. Check out how I see the NFC North stacking up heading into the 2019 season.
2019 NFL Preseason Rankings: NFC North Power Rankings
1. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings entered last season with Super Bowl aspirations but ended up being one of the biggest disappointments. The good news is that they still have one of the top receiving tandems in the NFL, and explosive running back Dalvin Cook should be fully healthy nearly two years removed from knee surgery. Minnesota also upgraded its offensive line in the draft, so a more balanced offense seems inevitable. You know that head coach Mike Zimmer is going to have the defense locked in, and an improved run game should only help keep the unit fresh. I’m expecting the Vikings to make amends for last year’s debacle by grabbing the NFC North title.
2. Green Bay Packers
As Aaron Rodgers goes, so go the Packers, and some promising young receivers to pair with Davante Adams and a new head coach should help the future Hall of Famer bounce back from a couple of injury-marred seasons. The defense is always a work in progress, but the Packers were actually aggressive this offseason, adding Za’Darius Smith, Adrian Amos and Preston Smith. Rodgers has to stay healthy, but with better depth on both sides of the ball, the Packers should return to the playoffs while pushing for the division crown.
3. Chicago Bears
Chicago won this division a year ago, and while the Bears are very much a player in what should be a three-horse race, I have them slipping a bit. Granted, Khalil Mack is still around to lead one of the most talented defenses in the league, but the unit loses coordinator Vic Fangio, and regression to the mean makes it unlikely the Bears can generate as many turnovers as they did a year ago. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is going to have to make sure the offense shoulders more of the load, and I’m not convinced he is ready to do that. Chicago still contends for a playoff spot, but I don’t see back-to-back NFC North titles in the cards.
4. Detroit Lions
The Lions welcome back a healthy Kerryon Johnson to the backfield and added tight end T.J. Hockenson in the draft, but in a loaded division, Detroit is the team that just doesn’t have enough in its arsenal to make a playoff run. Matthew Stafford will have games when he looks like a star, but consistency has always been an issue. Throw in what figures to be an average defense, and the Lions are destined for another season of mediocrity.
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