The Detroit Lions (1-1) opened Week 2 with a 41-31 Thursday night loss at the Buffalo Bills.
In its loss at Buffalo, the Lions' defense got torched by Bills quarterback Josh Allen. That forced Jared Goff and the Lions' offense to play catch-up all night long. Although Goff finished with a remarkable 327 yards and four passing touchdowns, the Lions' defense couldn't keep the Bills off the scoreboard.
As the Lions drop their first game of 2026, what happened elsewhere around the NFC North?
Here is a breakdown of how the three other NFC North teams fared in their respective matchups and what the division standings look like after Week 2:
NFC North division standings
- Minnesota Vikings | 2-0
- Detroit Lions | 1-1
- Chicago Bears | 1-1
- Green Bay Packers | 1-1
Minnesota Vikings:
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears at a soaking-wet Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, 9-3.
While
the rain played a significant role in slowing their offense (246 yards), the Vikings' defense shined brightest, disrupting Chicago's rhythm and making several key stops at crucial moments.
Although their quarterback situation is still fluid with Carson Wentz playing while Kyler Murray remains in concussion protocol, Minnesota's aggressive defense should keep them in many games this season. Will Reichard booted through field goals of 35, 49, and 39 yards to lead the way for the Vikings.
Chicago Bears:
After an offensive explosion in their 59-37 Week 1 triumph over the Carolina Panthers, Ben Johnson and Chicago (1-1) managed only three points against the Vikings in a 9-3 loss at Soldier Field.
The biggest concern from Sunday's loss was Bears franchise quarterback Caleb Williams suffering a hamstring injury.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Williams is scheduled to undergo imaging on his injured hamstring on Monday, which is when we should hear an update about his prognosis.
Green Bay Packers:
After a fourth-quarter collapse in their Week 1 loss to Minnesota, the Packers did just enough to earn an overtime victory against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Jordan Love passed for 145 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Trey Smack connected on a 26-yard field goal to secure the Packers' first victory in 2026.
NFC North Week 3 schedule:
- Green Bay Packers: Thursday, Sept. 24 vs. Atlanta Falcons (0-2) at 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video
- Detroit Lions: Sunday, Sept. 27 vs. New York Jets (1-1) at 1 p.m. ET on FOX
- Minnesota Vikings: Sunday, Sept. 27 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) at 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX
- Chicago Bears: Monday, Sept. 28 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN / ABC
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: NFC North standings update: Where do Detroit Lions stand?
