Those odds are again so favorable because of the presence of Aaron Rodgers. The Packers’ star quarterback remains one of the best players in the NFL and will always have his team in contention. The Vikings have some talent but don’t have stellar quarterback play, while the Lions would really need to surprise to be in the race.
The Packers have the best odds to win the NFC heading into the season, so it would be a disappointment if they don’t claim the division for the sixth time in the past seven years.
NFC North Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Green Bay Packers -245
Minnesota Vikings +365
Detroit Lions +550
Chicago Bears +2500
Why the Green Bay Packers Will Win the NFC North
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and having an elite player at the position always gives a team a leg up. Rodgers threw for 4,428 yards and 40 touchdowns a season ago against seven interceptions. At age 34 he will be old for an NFL player’s standard, but quarterbacks have shown they can continue to play for a long time.
Green Bay finished with the fourth-best scoring offense in the league last season to help it go 10-6 in the regular season and the expectation will be another similar outcome. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are back to lead the receiving core, while Martellus Bennett was signed to play tight end.
The Packers have a great offense, and if the defense can get better there is no reason to think the group cannot once again win the NFC North. Green Bay drafted cornerback Kevin King with its top pick, and if he can team with Damarious Randall and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to give the defense a trio of effective players in the secondary, it would be a big boost.
Clay Matthews is a Pro Bowl pass-rusher and even though the team lost Julius Peppers, there are some players waiting in the wings to pick up the slack. The Packers are really helped by the fact that there aren’t a lot of challengers in the division. The Vikings seem to have the best shot to knock them off, but their offense is a big question mark.
Why the Green Bay Packers Won't Win the NFC North
While a deep playoff run helped erase the memory of a rocky regular season, it wasn’t a smooth journey for the Packers. They were just 4-6 after 10 games but were able to win out in order to rally back to claim the division.
Rodgers is great, but the running game is only mediocre. Eddie Lacy never lived up to his billing last season and the hope is that Ty Montgomery will be more consistent. The pass defense was one of the worst in the NFL and the cornerbacks are still a work in progress.
Green Bay is still likely to overcome its issues to win the NFC North, but the schedule isn’t easy. The Packers start with back-to-back games against the Seahawks and Falcons, while also seeing the Cowboys, Steelers, Packers, Bengals and Saints in addition to their divisional foes.
If Green Bay loses a few toss-up games, it could be enough of an opening for the Vikings or Lions to take advantage. There is also the concern of an injury to Rodgers. While he has been durable during his career, any ailment that knocks him to the sideline for a significant length of time would be a huge blow to Green Bay’s chances at another NFC North championship in 2017.
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