NFC North Round-Up: Vikings Win 4th Straight, Packers Get Back on Track, Bears Fall Again
For the most part, Week 9 of the NFL season is now behind us, and it was a very entertaining one to say the least.
The NFC North saw three teams take part in the action this weekend while the Detroit Lions rested up on their bye.
With the dust settling from this weekend’s action, here is a look at how the division fared in Week 9.
Chicago Falls Flat in New Orleans
The Bears defense actually didn’t play a bad game on Sunday. They limited the Saints to just 301 yards of total offense while also getting a couple stops in the red zone.
However, their mistakes proved to be the undoing once again. Chicago was penalized eight times for 71 yards, and they had a ridiculous five turnovers compared to New Orleans’ zero. Tyson Bagent threw three interceptions on the day including two while Chicago tried to mount a comeback in the second half.
Now at 2-7, Chicago has fallen into a deep hole at the bottom of the NFC North. They now have a short week and play a Thursday home game against the 1-7 Carolina Panthers to hopefully get back on track.
Green Bay Ends Losing Streak
Green Bay came into Sunday on a four-game losing streak after their 2-1 start to the season. With Brett Rypien playing QB for the Rams instead of Matthew Stafford, the Packers were able to get back on track this weekend with a 20-3 win.
The most promising thing for Green Bay in this game was how they were able to dominate the running game. They totaled 184 yards on the ground, and Aaron Jones led the way with 73 of them. Meanwhile, the defense proved that Rypien was no match for them, allowing just 130 yards through the air and forcing a pair of turnovers.
Now, the Packers sit at 3-5 as they try to claw their way back into the NFC playoff race. Their next game will be a huge test as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road.
Minnesota Wins 4th Straight
Against all odds, the Minnesota Vikings captured their fourth consecutive win on Sunday by defeating the Atlanta Falcons 31-28. The Vikings went into the game without Kirk Cousins, Christian Darrisaw, or Justin Jefferson, and not long into the game, they also lost both Jaren Hall and K.J. Osborn.
In came Joshua Dobbs, and the rest is history. Dobbs proved that the moment was not too big for him despite being with the Vikings for just four days and being in a hostile environment. It was a bit shaky early on with a couple turnovers and a safety, but when he absolutely needed to come through, the veteran did just that.
Now, Minnesota sits at 5-4 with a firm lead as the NFC’s No. 7 seed with a matchup against the New Orleans Saints looming.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.