The NFC North is about to become the NFL’s toughest division

Nicely, official. No one from the NFC North will probably be representing the division within the Tremendous Bowl … once more.

The Detroit Lions had an amazing likelihood however blew a 17-point halftime result in the San Francisco 49ers within the NFC Championship recreation. Sound acquainted, Packers?

Sure, the Lions’ have been the North’s finest shot this season and had they not fallen aside in San Francisco, they might have been the primary NFC North crew to make the Tremendous Bowl since Inexperienced Bay received it in 2011 (however shout out to former NFC Central member Tampa Bay for profitable Tremendous Bowl LV in 2021).

It was a bitterly disappointing end for the Lions and for the NFC North by proxy, however concern not followers of midwestern, blue-collared NFC soccer — the North very effectively could rise once more in 2024-25.

Frankly, the division is ready to be stacked.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell is aware of a repeat of this season will be tough, however Detroit ought to nonetheless be a playoff crew subsequent yr because it returns all of the items of its younger core. With some extra expertise through the NFL Draft and free company, it is smart that Detroit can enhance its leaky protection. 

The massive query is whether or not or not the presumed lack of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to a head teaching function elsewhere will derail Detroit’s offense. In any other case, the Lions might very effectively be a Tremendous Bowl contender once more subsequent season.

Talking of, Jordan Love went a good distance towards establishing himself as Inexperienced Bay’s third-straight franchise quarterback after throwing for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns (11 interceptions) in his first yr as a starter post-Aaron Rodgers. 

Love led an especially younger crew to the playoffs and he has large solid of expertise round him with a number of budding stars at wideout and tight finish. If the Packers hit on their subsequent defensive coordinator, there is a reasonable likelihood they’ll take again the NFC North and make one other run by means of the playoffs.

In fact, there’s additionally the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears to think about as effectively. Minnesota will not be going wherever if Kirk Cousins comes again as a free agent and the Bears as soon as once more have the No. 1 total choose at their disposal. Whether or not they persist with Justin Fields or go together with a brand new beginning quarterback like Caleb Williams, Chicago has the belongings to change into very aggressive in a short time.

The lengthy and wanting it’s that the NFC North has two potential Tremendous Bowl contenders within the Lions and Packers, and no one would blink an eye fixed if the Vikings and Bears joined them within the playoff race subsequent season.

At instances, the division has been amongst the worst in soccer, however that may now not be the case so long as every of the 4 groups progress as anticipated subsequent season.