There is only one division in the NFL that can make an argument that all of their teams can compete for the playoffs in 2026. That is none other than the NFC North.
While other divisions like the NFC West and AFC North have multiple SB contenders, they also have teams like the Browns and Cardinals dragging them down.
From top to bottom, the NFC North has two teams that made the playoffs last year (Bears and Packers), a team that had the best record in the NFC the year prior (Lions), and a team that upgraded
their QB after missing the playoffs by one game (Vikings).
Meanwhile, the Bears are gearing up to defend their division crown, and while there is a great deal of optimism in Chicago, there are three teams that could make Bears fans nervous about that defense.
Which NFC North rival makes you most nervous?
Each team makes me nervous to a degree. If I remove my Bears colored glasses, it’s hard to ignore teams with talents like Micah Parsons/Jordan Love, Jahmyr Gibbs/Aiden Hutchinson, and Justin Jefferson/KOC/Brian Flores.
However, one team makes me extremely nervous, and not in the conventional manner of this question. That is the Minnesota Vikings.
I am the maker of questions, so I also get to choose how to answer them. Argue with me all you want. If my question were “who has the best chance of dethroning the Bears?” it would not be the Vikings.
But the Minnesota Vikings are being remarkably overlooked in a division with some other heavyweights. I get it — Quarterbacks start and end most conversations. But we cannot overlook the fact that they are two years removed from a 14-3 season that was led by Sam Darnold. They also won 13 games in the 2022-23 season with Kirk Cousins. So counting out Minnesota because they won 9 games last season feels suspect.
The discounting of the Minnesota Vikings feels eerily similar to the discounting of Kyler Murray. Murray is coming off a disappointing tenure in Arizona, but it’s fair to question if that’s entirely due to Murray’s merits. The Cardinals have not had a consistently good starting quarterback since Kurt Warner’s time in the late 2000’s. Save an outlier of Carson Palmer under Bruce Arians, and the Cardinals have had a more difficult time developing QBs than even the Chicago Bears.
Kevin O’Connell, however, is pretty well known for developing QBs. His hit list is impressive, with successful stints from Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, Sam Darnold, and even Nick Mullens. Heck, even Daniel Jones revived his career after KOC’s tutelage.
So assuming that Murray is going to flop after not succeeding in Arizona and because JJ McCarthy has shown the limit of KOC’s magic, is presumptive. Murray will be throwing to an A1 tier WR in Justin Jefferson, a legit #2 in Jordan Addison, an above average TE in TJ Hockenson, and a good pass catching back in Aaron Jones.
Beyond the offense, you can never rule out a defense with Brian Flores at the helm. While losing Jonathan Greenard hurts, having players like Caleb Banks, Dallas Turner, and Dominique Orange ready to step in will soften the DL blow.
So why does this make me nervous? Excellent question WCG lurker.
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It’s because the Bears have a realllllly tough schedule in 2026, and too many people are penciling in two wins against the Minnesota Vikings. I think that’s a mistake. The Vikings are going to be very competitive, and shouldn’t be ruled out of making a run for the NFC North title. But at the very least, they cannot be overlooked, because if they can win with JJ McCarthy, who knows what they are capable of.
