NFC North Rundown, Week 11: Lions beat Bears in thriller, Vikings win weirdest game of 2022

All three wins by NFC North teams on Sunday came in thrilling, high-scoring fashion.

The Green Bay Packers weren’t the only team in the NFC North to win in thrilling fashion in week 10. In fact, the division went 3-1 overall — the only loss coming in an intra-division game — and all three games involving teams from the division were exciting, high-scoring contests that came down to the wire.

The Packers’ 31-28 victory over the Dallas Cowboys kept them in second place in the division, improving their record to 4-6. That came after a big comeback by the Detroit Lions, who, like the Packers, were down by 14 points heading into the fourth quarter. Detroit put down the Chicago Bears with a comeback that was aided by a missed extra point from Chicago, allowing Detroit to win in regulation instead of going to overtime.

It took extra time for both the Packers and Minnesota Vikings to win, however. Minnesota’s victory over the Buffalo Bills will surely go down as one of the weirdest games in the NFL in recent memory, but it came with another legendary performance from the Vikings’ top wideout. Justin Jefferson is certainly staking a strong claim as being the best receiver in the NFL today, and his game in Buffalo only added to the evidence in his favor.

Here’s a look at how the Packers’ divisional rivals fared this week.

Minnesota Vikings (8-1)

Week 10: won at Buffalo Bills 33-30 (OT)
Week 11: home vs. Dallas Cowboys

Where we gather most of the absurdities from the win over the Bills – Daily Norseman
One is that the Bills had a 99.9% win expectancy when the Vikings failed on their QB sneak at the goal line on fourth down. Furthermore, one analyst says that Josh Allen’s fumble on the next play is the worst offensive play in the NFL in 15 years!

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson bolsters claim with career-best performance in win over Bills | NFL.com
Jefferson outdid even his big game against the Packers from week 1, and he gave football fans the sure-fire catch of the year in the fourth quarter.

NFL power rankings: Chiefs overtake sliding Bills atop AFC; Vikings, Dolphins, Bucs make big gains for Week 11 | Sporting News
The Vikings climbed into the top three of most power rankings this week, jumping the Bills after that ridiculous game.

Detroit Lions (3-6)

Week 10: won at Chicago Bears 31-30
Week 11: away at New York Giants

Detroit Lions Week 10 report card: Defense, Jared Goff thrive in clutch moments vs. Bears – Pride Of Detroit
POD breaks down the key contributors to the Lions’ comeback victory, led primarily by a good day from Jared Goff and a few timely plays on defense.

A ‘very proud’ Dan Campbell thrilled with his Lions closing out wins | Lions Wire
The Lions have now won back-to-back division games after beating Green Bay a week ago, and their head coach is very pleased with the performance of his defense during that span.

Chicago Bears (3-7)

Week 10: lost vs. Detroit Lions 31-30
Week 11: away at Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears continue searching for a way to close – Sports Illustrated
Some Bears fans are harping on Justin Fields’ late-game performance, with the Bears seemingly unable to finish off a victory. Fields struggled throwing the football, getting pick-sixed in the fourth to tie the game, but he continues to be a dangerous threat with his legs now that Chicago is letting him loose.

The hyperbole problem with Justin Fields analysis – Windy City Gridiron
Among Bears fans, however, Fields’ inconsistency has led to many taking strong positions on the quarterback, either in favor or strongly against him. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle — he’s still young and needs to develop, but there are ways to build around him now to help him be effective.