NFC North Week 7 Recap: Packers continue to slip

Oh how much can change in just two weeks.

Two weeks ago, the Packers looked unbeatable. Aaron Rodgers and the Pack were a near guarantee to win the division. Two weeks and a likely season ending broken collarbone later, the Packers find themselves with a tough road ahead.

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The Packers have lost back-to-back weeks after Rodgers injury, while the Bears and Vikings have both won back-to-back games during that span.

While Rodgers could return as soon as Week 15, the Packers are doomed for a struggle in the meantime. The Vikings will be getting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater back soon, and the Bears look to have found their guy in Mitch Trubisky.

With the Lions well-rested coming off a bye week, and the Bears and Vikings surging, the NFC North is once again up for grabs.

Green Bay Packers

Week 7 Result: Saints 26, Packers 17

The Packers again struggled with Rodgers on the sideline, dropping a very much winnable game to the New Orleans Saints.

Quarterback Brett Hundley struggled mightily, completing 12 of 25 passes for just 87 yards and an interception. Hundley did run for 44 yards on 3 carries, but could not make any sort of impact against the Saints defense.

The emergence of Aaron Jones continues to be a bright spot, as the rookie totaled 131 yards on the ground and a touchdown. The Packers will continue to lean on Jones amidst the struggles of Hundley.

The Packers will have a much-needed bye week on Sunday. The break will give running back Ty Montgomery a chance to get healthy, and will give the Packers time to solve their quarterback dilemma. Green Bay stills sits in second place at 4-3, but will have some work to do if they want to return to first place anytime soon.

Minnesota Vikings

Week 7 Result: Vikings 24, Ravens 16

The Viking have been the definition of grinding out games. This one certainly wasn’t pretty, but yet again the Vikings came out on top to remain in first place.

Quarterback Case Keenum struggled again, but with Teddy Bridgewater not far away from a return, the Vikings won’t have to worry about Keenums play.

The real story of the game was the performance of kicker Kai Forbath– who nailed a career-high 6 field goals in the win, totaling more points (18), than the entire Ravens team.

The Vikings get a big break this upcoming week, as they will travel to London to take on the winless Browns. A win would be the Vikings 4th straight, and would further pad onto their lead in the North.

Chicago Bears

Week 7 Result: Bears 17, Panthers 3

The Bears were the biggest surprise of week seven, dominating the Carolina Panthers in a 17-3 win.

The offense didn’t show up, as quarterback Mitch Trubisky completed just 4 of 7 pass attempts, while both Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard were held to under 100 yards on the ground combined.

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The offense didn’t need to show up however, as the defense had a spectacular showing against Cam Newton and the Panthers. Safety Eddie Jackson had a pair of touchdowns in the first half, credited with 2 of the 3 takeaways for the Bears defense.

The Bears should see the same outcome with the same defensive performance against the Saints on Sunday, as the Bears have a chance to win their third in a row. The Bears look to be much more dangerous than anticipated, especially once both the offense and defense play to their potential.