NFC North odds: Lions favored; Can Packers, upstart Bears supplant them?
The Detroit Lions are coming off their first NFC North title since 1993 and made quite a playoff run, coming within one win of reaching the Super Bowl. They enter 2024 as the division favorite (+135), followed by the Green Bay Packers (+225), Chicago Bears (3-1) and Minnesota Vikings (9-1).
The Lions are tied with the Ravens at 10-1 for the third-shortest odds to win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Packers (18-1 to win the Super Bowl) are trending up following an impressive campaign in Jordan Love's first full season starting under center. The Green Bay quarterback has the sixth-shortest odds to win MVP (14-1).
Chicago is entering a new era after moving on from Justin Fields and selecting former USC star Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in April's draft. No Bears QB has ever thrown for 4,000 yards or 30 TDs in a season. Will the new face of the franchise be the first to reach those numbers in his rookie campaign? ESPN BET has him at +325 and 6-1, respectively, to reach those marks.
The Vikings already suffered a bad break with rookie QB J.J. McCarthy suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee and have the longest odds in the division (9-1).
Here are all the odds for the NFC North teams and our thoughts on potential wagers.
Odds as of publication. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET.
2023:Lions (12-5), Packers (9-8), Vikings (7-10), Bears (7-10)
Coming up:NFC South (Sunday) | AFC East (Monday) | AFC West (Tuesday) | AFC North (Wednesday) | AFC South (Sept. 5)
Did you know?
Courtesy ESPN Stats & Information
- The NFC North is one of two divisions with three teams (Lions, Packers, Bears) with a 40% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN Analytics. The other is the AFC East.
- The Lions have the third-best chance to reach the Super Bowl at 17.6%, per ESPN Analytics. All other NFC North teams have a 12.4% chance combined.
- Two of the division's four head coaches are in the running for Coach of the Year, per ESPN BET: Chicago's Matt Eberflus (10-1, second) and Green Bay's Matt LeFleur (12-1, fourth).
- Jordan Love had 32 passing TDs in his first season as a starter, which was second-most in the NFL. He also had nine games with at least two passing TDs and no INTs, the most of any player.
- ESPN BET has Caleb Williams' O/U passing TD total at 22.5. That's more than twice the record for a Bears rookie QB, held by Charlie O'Rourke in 1942. Williams (+140) is the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
- The Vikings have a 14% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN Analytics. If that holds, it would be their lowest preseason playoff chances in the last 10 seasons.
Staff bets
Packers to win division (+225), OVER 9.5 wins (-135)
Love developed into one of the league's top quarterbacks last season, really hitting his stride starting in Week 10. He had Green Bay's offense soaring, as the Packers ranked in the top five in points per drive and third in yards per play from Week 10 on.
Green Bay also made noise in the playoffs, trouncing the Dallas Cowboys in the first round before falling short to the 49ers in the divisional round, offering a potential glimpse of what could come this season. The Packers improved their offensive line with the addition of No. 25 overall pick Jordan Morgan and have a young, very talented core of players on both sides of the ball. They will challenge the Lions to be king of the NFC North. -- Anita Marks
