Reinforcements for the #Vikings are on the way 👀 pic.twitter.com/TWZy4lK7QK

— SKOR North - Minnesota Sports (@SKORNorth) October 16, 2026

StickierBuns wrote:

https://x.com/UpAndAdamsShow/status/2111150177658532255?s=20

Better steer clear if Phil Simms is recommending him. Better strategy would be to ask Spielman who he likes then draft someone else!

hogjowlsjohnny wrote:

The 2016 team were pretenders from the start. Easy to see they weren't going anywhere if they had made the playoffs.
The 2026 team appears to be the real deal and are the polar opposite. They are a team with potential beyond making the playoffs.

Actually the 2016 team was pretty good but were derailed by multiple injuries.

Brian Flores has the Vikings’ defense playing a different sport than everyone else. https://t.co/BjD4G0C7Rc

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) October 17, 2026

The Vikings’ defense has been on the field for a total of 84 plays and 41 minutes combined over the last two games https://t.co/i9yq3P81mY

— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) October 17, 2026

https://t.co/cN9YGtOFac

— SleeperVikings (@SleeperVikings) October 17, 2026

5 NFL Rookies Starting to Leave Their Early-Season Struggles Behind Them

Caleb Banks, DT, Minnesota Vikings

After his early-season struggles, the Minnesota Vikings have downgraded Caleb Banks' role with each passing contest. From Week 2 onward, he's played fewer snaps every game. The Vikings knew they were getting a raw prospect in Banks, and they've begun showing more patience with his development. The 18th selection took advantage of his reps versus the New Orleans Saints in Week 5, putting some impressive run-stopping reps on tape.

“The Vikings' relentless approach and rugged style make them a nightmare to play for 60 minutes, especially with Flores calling unique blitzes that put free rushers right in the quarterback's face. With constant punishment and harassment leading to negative plays (sacks, tackles…

— SleeperVikings (@SleeperVikings) October 17, 2026

The impact our backers have had cannot be understated.

Game. Breakers. #SKOL pic.twitter.com/P6XkQNh6ux

— Vikes\/erified (@VikesVV) October 16, 2026

Next week is going to be special teams cinema pic.twitter.com/eVo4dfVjhy

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 17, 2026

Kyler Murray’s stats through 3 full games:

• 68% Completion
• 662 Pass Yards
• 93 Rush Yards
• 2 TD
• 2 INT
• 84.7 Passer Rating pic.twitter.com/s2YJWhmrEX

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 17, 2026

When non football fans had to answer football questions on Jeopardy. It went exactly how you thought it would. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/5GpUXP2V4y

— Vikeologist™ (@Vikeologist) October 17, 2026

I’m so bummed we didn’t get to see him play this season. https://t.co/MEf9q7Z6Qa

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) October 17, 2026

Got together with the great @sambruchhaus to attempt to understand what the numbers tell us about the Vikings’ hot start. Fun conversation

What does a football data analyst think of the Vikings' 5-0 start? https://t.co/byfd6zoh3m via @YouTube

— Matthew Coller (@MatthewColler) October 17, 2026

Getting peppered w/ "WhoShouldTheVikesTradeFor" queries. And to all I have no answer because I really like this group. Too, it's an improving team.
Plus, I want GM Teasley to have a big chance to make his mark with drafts. If they trade, they trade, but 5-&-0 Radio has been fun.

— Paul Allen (@PAOnTheMic) October 16, 2026

NFC North rankings: How do Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings stack up in highly competitive division?

Published: Oct 16, 2026 at 4:40 PM

Presented By

Bucky Brooks

Two seasons ago, the Lions (15-2), Vikings (14-3) and Packers (11-6) all made the playoffs with impressive win totals. Last year, the NFC North was the only division in which all four teams finished above .500. And this year, heading into Sunday of Week 6, the North boasts FOUR playoff squads, with Minnesota (5-0) owning the NFC's No. 1 seed, and Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago (3-2) all holding wild-card spots. 

With the undefeated Vikings on a bye and the Lions enjoying a week off after a 45-point road show, all eyes are on the Packers (hosting the Cowboys in a potential shootout on Sunday Night Football) and Bears (visiting an interesting Falcons team that's starting to hit its stride).

This division battle promises plenty of entertainment -- and likely many twists and turns -- in the coming months. So, how do the four teams stack up against each other?

After taking some time to really dig into each squad's All-22 tape on NFL Pro, here is my current pecking order for this deep and talented division.

Rank

1

Minnesota Vikings

5-0

If defense wins championships in 2026, it's hard to bet against these Vikings, with DC Brian Flores beating opponents into submission via a barrage of Cover 0 pressures and complementary blitzes that force quarterbacks and play-callers to crash out by game's end. The Vikings' relentless approach and rugged style make them a nightmare to play for 60 minutes, especially with Flores calling unique blitzes that put free rushers right in the quarterback's face. With constant punishment and harassment leading to negative plays (sacks, tackles for loss and turnovers), Minnesota's defense routinely sets up Kyler Murray and Co. for prime scoring chances. As the former No. 1 overall pick settles into a Kevin O'Connell offense that plays complementary football with a dominant defense, the Vikings are getting more comfortable winning ugly while making a run at the NFC's No. 1 seed.

Rank

2

Green Bay Packers

3-2

This has been a highly volatile squad, but Green Bay can knock off any heavyweight with a talented roster brimming with emerging blue-chip talent. Jordan Love, Christian Watson, Matthew Golden and Tucker Kraft show chemistry that should remind longtime fans of the franchise's vintage squads from the mid-1990s and early 2010s. The offense's individual and collective talents can produce fireworks and 40-burgers when the line provides enough protection for Love to toss the ball around the yard without obstruction. And while the ground game has been the league's worst to start the season, running back Josh Jacobs will be removed from the Commissioner Exempt List on Monday and be eligible to play in the Packers' Week 7 game against the Lions. The defense remains a work in progress under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon, but the crafty play-caller is starting to match his best plays with his top players' talents. And superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons is working his way back from last December's ACL tear. With the Pack starting to put it together on both sides of the ball, the Lombardi Trophy could make its way back to Titletown by season's end.

Rank

3

Chicago Bears

3-2

Credit Ben Johnson for keeping the Bears squarely in this race without his franchise quarterback on the field for the past three games. The loss of Caleb Williams (who's officially questionable for Week 6 with his hamstring injury) might have slowed Chicago's momentum, but the offensive wizard found a way to scheme things up for a pair of wins with Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent under center. When healthy, D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai could be the league's most lethal 1-2 punch at RB, with both backs excelling in Johnson's run schemes. If this entire group can get right at the same time, watch out. Defensively, Dennis Allen has work to do as the play-caller of a unit that lacks star power, relying on turnovers and timely stops to get the job done. Sporadic defensive efforts ultimately could make the Bears a one-and-done squad in the playoffs, but their takeaway prowess could also spark a Super Bowl run with a potent offense built to cash in on extra possessions.

Rank

4

Detroit Lions

3-2

Dan Campbell is trying to bring back the grit-and-grind vibe that electrified the Motor City when the Lions nearly made their first Super Bowl a few years ago. Combining blue-chip players with a blue-collar mentality, Detroit aims to be the biggest and baddest bully on the block. While the offense remains an explosive unit with the talent, tactics and tenacity to impose its will on any opponent, the overmatched defense has struggled to hold up its end of the bargain. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard is working to address the unit's issues, but a depleted secondary is hard to overcome. Safety Brian Branch could return to action after the bye, which would be a major boost. Unfortunately, his star running mate on the back end, Kerby Joseph, remains sidelined by a lingering knee issue. Perhaps the Lions can shift to a "bend, don't break" approach that focuses on eliminating big plays and forcing red-zone field goals, instead of pushing the envelope as a unit that wants to harass quarterbacks and playmakers on the perimeter. Although Jared Goff and Detroit's high-powered offense can mask some of the defense's woes, the team is playing with one hand tied behind its back until the stop unit can at least compete with potent attacks.