NFC North Recap: Week 7
Josh Frey
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The Vikings were on bye for week 7, but the rest of the NFC North took the field on Sunday afternoon. The results of each game this week pretty much went as expected, but there is still plenty of news to talk about as we head into Week 8’s slate of games. Here’s a quick rundown of everything that happened across the division this week.
Chicago Walks the Plank in Tampa
It was an ugly game for the Bears as they headed down to Tampa Bay to take on the defending Super Bowl champs. Chicago had a chance to take sole possession of second place in the NFC North with a win, but they did no such thing. Justin Fields and the offense turned the ball over five times. They fell down 21-0 in the first quarter and just never recovered, losing 38-3.
The one silver lining for the Bears, if you can even have one, was that once again Khalil Herbert had a great game on the ground. he cracked 100 yards rushing, and he contributed as a receiver. It looks like the Bears found a great weapon for the their backfield. Next week brings a date with the 49ers.
Detroit Pulls Out the Madden Playbook
In Detroit’s face off with their former QB, Matthew Stafford, they may have taken a loss, but they made it exciting at least. The Lions pulled off two fake punts and an onside kick, making this one of the more exciting games they’ve played this season.
Stafford certainly outperformed Jared Goff at the QB position, but D’Andre Swift continues to be an impact player out of the backfield. The second year RB scored a touchdown in his third consecutive game and put together his fourth 100-yard game of the season. Next week Detroit will host the Philadelphia Eagles as they again try to get into the win column.
Green Bay Wins Sixth Straight
The Packers handled their business against the Washington Football Team, extending their lead in the division as well as their winning streak. Despite a very limited performance out the Aaron Jones/A.J. Dillon duo at RB, Aaron Rodgers was able to put together another strong game, tossing three TDs.
The Packers now lead the NFC North by 2.5 games over the Minnesota Vikings, but they have a short week in Week 8 before traveling to Arizona to face the 7-0 Cardinals.
Vikings Make a Business Decision on Their Bye
The Vikings did not play any football this weekend, but they were still active in the trade market. During the week, they traded away veteran DE Stephen Weatherly and a 2023 seventh-round pick to Denver in exchange for a 2022 seventh-rounder. Weatherly has been buried in the depth chart to this point in the season, so the move was expected with the trade deadline approaching. Minnesota will face the Dallas Cowboys this weekend in an attempt to make up ground on the NFC front runners.