NFC North standings, odds: All members of NFL's best division sit over .500 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Going into Sunday's Week 7 games of the 2026 NFL regular season, only one division has all four teams with winning records: the NFC North. From the undefeated 5-0 Minnesota Vikings to the 3-2 Detroit Lions, all four teams are positioned to make the playoffs.
The Vikings would be the No. 2 seed as division champions, while the Green Bay Packers (No. 5), Chicago Bears (No. 6) and Lions (No. 7) would earn all three of the NFC's wild-card spots, in that order. Although the teams have taken advantage of some scheduling breaks early, the degree of difficulty will rise considerably over the final 12 weeks of the season.
Here's a breakdown of where every team stands and where it should stand by the end of the season:
MORE: Where do teh Viking, Bears sit in this week's NFL power rankings?
NFC North current standings
- Minnesota Vikings (5-0, 2-0 in the division)
- Chicago Bears (5-2, 0-2), 1 game back
- Chicago Bears (4-2, 0-2), 1.5 games back
- Detroit Lions (3-2, 0-0), 2 games back
NFC North odds breakdown
Matt Marton - IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
1. Minnesota Vikings (+105)
Remaining strength of schedule: 1st (.572)
The Vikings, before a Week 6 bye, got two key division wins at home against the Packers and on the road against the Bears. They've also beaten the Buccaneers, Saints and Dolphins, who are a combined 3-14. There's one more break against the Colts (2-4) at home in Week 6.
Then the only "easy" games left are against the Commanders, Falcons and Jets. Beyond the rematches with Green Bay and Chicago, Minnesota has to play Detroit twice. Outside of the division, the Vikings still need to play the Bills, Patriots and 49ers.
The hot start was huge in providing an early cushion and some late room for error. It's reasonable for the Vikings to end up 4-2 in division play and lose three times against other foes. That would put them at 12-5, which explains their strong odds to win the division against the field. They can ensure that by getting a little more explosive offense, headlined by the Kyler Murray-Justin Jefferson connection.
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2. Green Bay Packers (+230)
Remaining strength of schedule: 7th (.541)
The Packers lost to the Vikings but beat the Bears. Like the Vikings, they also have the AFC East's two best teams, the Bills and Patriots, left on the slate. They also have key swing games against the Panthers, Rams and Texans outside of the division.
Only the Saints and Dolphins matchups seem like "gimmies" for the Packers. They also are vulnerable from week to week for how dependent they have become on Jordan Love to be so pristine in an aggressive, high-volume passing game. There's real volatility to consider here (see that Falcons loss).
Five more wins seems attainable, with a stretch to six that would allow Green Bay to finish 10-7.
3. Chicago Bears (+325)
Remaining strength of schedule: 8th (.536)
The Bears survived well without Caleb Williams after the ugly Week 2 home loss to the Vikings in which he was injured. They ended up 2-1 in his absence, routing the Eagles and Jets before running out of green luck against the Packers.
Williams' presence was key to beating the Falcons and Patriots back-to-back, momentum that can carry into another big Monday night game at the Seahawks in Week 8. The Bears still need to play the Bills and Jaguars out of the division but get real breaks with the Dolphins, Buccaneers and Saints.
Beating New England with Williams outdueling Maye was critical. As a buzzy team going into the season, Chicago's marquee schedule was front-loaded through its well-timed Week 10 bye. There are at least six more wins for them and they are a near-lock for seven, which would have them finishing at 12-5.
4. Detroit Lions (+350)
Remaining strength of schedule: 6th (.543)
The Lions, like the Vikings, are trying to return to the playoffs after a one-season gap, when both the Bears and Packers made it 2025. In 2024, the Lions were the NFC's top seed after wininng the North, with the Vikings (No. 5) and Packers (No. 7) earning wild-card berths.
The Lions have the most ground to make up after playing only five games so far, like the Vikings. They are finished with the Bills and Panthers outside of their division (their two losses) so far and will play their first of six division games when hosting the Packers on Sunday. Their most difficult interdivision game by far is against the Patriots.
The Lions also draw the Giants, Buccaneeers Falcons, Titans and Dolphins. They will be favored in all five of those games. The Patriots game is at a neutral site in Week 10, in Munich, Germany. For Detroit, it comes down most to dominating division play.
Looking at the overall slate, should the Lions beat the Packers, they set up for nine total wins rather esaily. It would be really surprising if they didn't hit 10-7 as their finishing floor.
NFC North updated prediction
In Sporting News' preseason predictions, the Vikings were once again dismissed being any kind of playoff factor, let alone as a strong first-place team. They got the first half of the season they needed, once again showing the complementary coaching combinaton power of Kevin O'Connell and Brian Flores.
The Bears had lofty expectations and can still get close to living up to them, assuming Williams has no more injury setbacks. The Lions also were picked for a playoff spot as the second NFC North team, but their defense has become a much bigger liability than expected. That said, it will come down to tiebreakers to see who makes it as a wild-card team between them and the Packers, making Sunday's game in Detroit monumental.
Here's a re-picking of the division order of finish, with the top three making the playoffs:
- Vikings (12-5)
- Bears (12-5)
- Lions (10-7)
- Packers (10-7)