I wasn't expecting great things from the Green Bay Packers in 2020. Last season they had a trip to the NFC championship game but they got crushed by the 49ers. Also their 13-3 record last season was a bit of mirage. They needed to have a strong offseason to boost a team that can contend for a championship. Instead they used their 1st round pick on third-string QB, their 2nd round pick on a third-string RB, and their two big free agent signings were an inside linebacker and a third-string offensive tackle. In Week 1, ILB Christian Kirksey did lead the defense in tackles, and RT Rick Wagner played well in the second half (after both starting guards Lane Taylor and Lucas Patrick were hurt) but replacing one free-agent starting inside linebacker with another isn't a big change.
But after watching the rest of the NFC North in Week 1 it doesn't look like the other teams have done enough to catch up. While the Packers don't have any glaring positional issues each of the other NFC North teams have things to work out.
Did the Packers prove the NFC North still goes through Green Bay? pic.twitter.com/Af2QnyIQCs
— GMFB (@gmfb) September 14, 2020
Vikings. Their revamped defense surrender 43 points. However they were without their top two pass rushers (Danielle Hunter was hurt and Yannick Ngakoue didn't play much in the 2nd half). Also their re-vamped secondary (which was terrible in 2019) isn't ready for prime time as CBs Holton Hill and Mike Hughes were constantly getting beat in coverage. Hill's probably not a long-term starter (I'm sure they're hoping rookie 1st round pick CB Jeff Gladney moves ahead of him soon). The Vikings need to sort out their defense but they could be better by season-end.
Lions. Their late game collapse against the Bears was one for the ages. With 18 minutes left in the game they were leading 23-6 but then they allowed three unanswered touchdown to lose 27-23. Their defense deserves most of that blame but QB Matthew Stafford had a brutal INT that led to a touchdown on a short field, and rookie RB D'Andre Swift dropped a game-winning touchdown pass with a few seconds left in the game. WR Kenny Golladay will return eventually (but those hamstring injuries can linger) and he'll provide a play maker that their offense desperately needs. This is Year 3 of Matt Patricia's re-build of the Lions' defense but it's surrendering three 4th quarter touchdown drives and he's pointing fingers at others for the collapse. The Lions still have everything to sort out.
Bears. They still have a Mitchell Trubisky problem. He did throw three TD passes in the 4th quarter against a struggling Lions' defense but he couldn't lead the Bears' offense anywhere for three quarters. He also had a 28 yard fumble-sack in the third quarter that deserved the yakety sax treatment. The Bears aren't going anywhere until they find a good QB.
Packers. What do they have to sort out? Nothing. I thought they might become a run heavy team but they threw the ball 44 times and rushed only 32 times. Aaron Rodgers again made some incredible passes and he's still the best QB in the NFC North. The defense is average at best and Mike Pettine doesn't appear to be the DC needed to turn them into a Top 10 unit, but this is what they are. They don't have any positional battles to sort out. It doesn't look like anyone is going to emerge either. For all the talk about how awesome Rashan Gary was in camp the last couple months (and he did end up with 2 QB hits) the Vikings' backup RT didn't have too much trouble with him and he looked like a liability holding the edge on run defense. This isn't an awesome world beating team but it's better than anything the NFC North has to offer.