NFC North rivals falter as Lions fans cheer division shakeups. Rodgers eyes a comeback win to further shake up the standings.
As this sunny Sunday progresses, your body and head bounce back from all of yesterday’s blue or green Jell-O shots. A stress-free seven hours of RedZone football is exactly what the doctor ordered.
For Lions fans, it’s been a rare, relaxing Sunday. No heart rate spikes, no Dan Campbell 4th-and-3 anxiety. After surviving the chaos of Michigan vs. Michigan State last night, attention turns north and west — to the NFC North rivals who do have to play today.
Vikings Flatline Against Harbaugh’s Chargers
The Minnesota Vikings kicked off the week early — and poorly. Carson Wentz and company looked lifeless against ex-Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.
The Chargers moved the ball with ease, leaning on their tight ends and wide receivers. Running back Kimone Vidal gashed the Vikings defense for 117 yards on the ground, and Los Angeles cruised to an easy win.
The early loss dropped Minnesota to 3-4 — and gave Lions fans an early reason to smile heading into the weekend.
Bears’ Hot Streak Snapped in Baltimore
Then came the Sunday slate — and a chance for the Bears to keep rolling.
A 1 o’clock showdown between Caleb Williams and Snoop Huntley saw the Bears enter on a scorching four-game winning streak. With Ben Johnson steering the ship, Chicago looked poised for a strong inaugural season. But this is the NFL — and anything can happen on any given Sunday.
The Bears moved the ball early with the Williams-Odunze connection but stalled in the red zone, settling for two field goals. A 6-0 lead doesn’t last long in this league. Derrick Henry punched in the first of his two touchdowns in the second quarter, giving the Ravens a 7-6 lead.
Three unanswered field goals from Tyler Loop stretched the Ravens’ advantage to 16-6. Then D’Andre Swift finally found the end zone to bring the Bears within three.
But on the next drive, disaster struck. After starting at their own three-yard line, Caleb Williams forced a throw into a tight window — picked off deep in his own territory. A few plays later, Huntley found backup tight end Charlie Kolar for a game-sealing touchdown. Henry added another for good measure, and Baltimore closed the door.
Final: Ravens 30, Bears 16.
NFC North Standings
Team Record
Green Bay Packers (4–1–1)
Detroit Lions (5–2)
Chicago Bears (4–3)
Minnesota Vikings (3–4)
Two division losses in the books — one to go.
Rodgers vs. Packers: A Strange Night for Lions Fans
Now comes Sunday Night Football, where things get weird. The Green Bay Packers travel to Pittsburgh to face a very familiar face: Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers has found new life under “Just Win” Mike Tomlin, with the Steelers sitting atop the AFC North at 4-2. The Packers, meanwhile, are 4-1-1 — good record, shaky résumé. They’ve squeaked out wins against bad teams and dropped games to worse ones.
The best-case scenario for Detroit? A full division collapse while the Lions rest. We’re just one Rodgers win away from that happening.
Oh, how the world changes. From hating Rodgers with a passion to cheering for him on national TV.
Let’s go, Steelers.