NFC North Round-Up: Lions Stun the Champs, Vikings Disappoint, Packers Demolish Bears

Sep 10, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) warms up before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season is officially in the books for all four NFC North teams.

At the end of the week, we saw a bit of a mixed bag in the division that saw two victorious teams and two losers. With the first week of the season in the books, here is a look at how all four teams fared to begin the season, and what we learned about each group.

Lions Stun the Champs

NFC North Round-Up
Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) celebrates Lions’ 21-20 win over Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.

The NFL regular season kicked off on Thursday night with the Detroit Lions taking on the reigning Super Bowl champions in Arrowhead. Detroit had a few questionable decisions from the coaching staff in this game, but ultimately, they were able to pull off a stunning upset against the champs, 21-20.

Detroit’s defense stepped up in a big way during the second half, holding Kansas City to just six points. Of course, Kansas City didn’t have either Chris Jones or Travis Kelce in this game, but still, this is a very impressive win for an up-and-coming team.

Vikings Disappoint Against Tampa Bay

Sep 10, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) leaves the field after the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings went into the regular season with what seemed like a game they should’ve won against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their ability to move the ball up and down the field, particularly in the first half, suggested as much too.

However, some big mistakes from Minnesota ultimately cost them the game, and they lost 20-17. Kirk Cousins threw a poor interception in the red zone, Jay Ward lined up offside on a Tampa Bay field goal, and a pair of fumbles prematurely ended Minnesota drives.

Now, they get a tough turnaround as they have to travel to Philadelphia for a Thursday night game against the Eagles. This team is in serious danger of falling behind the 8-ball if they don’t pull off a win in that game.

Packers Demolish Bears Again

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) celebrates a victory against the Chicago Bears as he leaves the field during their football game Sunday, September 10, 2023, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. Green Bay won 38-20.

Aaron Rodgers who? That’s probably what a lot of Packers fans were saying after Week 1 in Chicago. In what became the norm during Rodgers’ tenure in Green Bay, the Packers went on the road to Soldier Field and beat the brakes off the Bears, 38-20.

Jordan Love completed just 15-of-27 passes, but it amounted to a Rodgers-esque statline of 247 yards, 3 TDs, and zero turnovers.

Meanwhile, despite a decent start from Chicago’s defense, the floodgates opened in the second half as the Packers were able to score 28 points in the final 30 minutes of the game. A pair of turnovers from Justin Fields did not help the Bears’ efforts.

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.