In The NFC North, The Vikings Aren’t The Best (Or The Worst)

We’re five games into the 2017 NFL regular season, and the NFC North has shaken out a lot like most probably envisioned it thus far. The Green Bay Packers currently sit atop the division with a 4-1 record, the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions are both at 3-2, and the Chicago Bears are bringing up the rear at 1-4.

All of the SB Nation NFL blogs have been doing a different theme each week, and this week’s theme is who the best and worst in your division are. Given the circumstances. . .and as much as it pains me to say it as a Vikings fan. . .there really isn’t much of a rationale for deviating from what the standings have borne out to this point.

On Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings have a chance to upset that mix a little bit when they host the Packers. If the Vikings should emerge victorious on Sunday, then they probably can make the claim that they’re the NFC North’s best, but there will still be plenty of season remaining. However, until that happens, we probably have to admit that Green Bay is the NFC North’s best. I know that they’ve had injuries, but in the NFL, everyone has injuries to deal with. Not every team has injury “problems.” Unless and until that guy that lines up behind center for the Packers on every play goes out for an extended period, the Packers don’t have injury problems. . .they just have injuries like everyone else. Frankly, I’m surprised that Aaron Rodgers isn’t already hurt, given the fact that he’s had to carry Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson on his back for a decade now.

(Let me be clear that I’m not hoping for anyone to get injured. What do you think this is, New Orleans?)

When it comes to the worst. . .well, as loathe as I am to call anyone the worst, it’s probably the team that the Vikings just beat on Monday night. Yes, even though quarterback Mitchell “Don’t You Dare Call Me Mitch” Trubisky had his moments of promise in his debut, he and the Bears are going to have some lumps to take. And, if we’re being honest with ourselves, after this season they’re probably going to be taking them with a new coach, because John Fox hasn’t been the answer in Chicago so far. Trubisky and Jordan Howard are a nice pair for Chicago to build around going forward, and they have some solid pieces on the offensive line, but they need some more pieces before they can climb out of the cellar.

Those are my thoughts on the NFC North’s best and worst. Is there any reason to believe anything different than what the standings have shown us thus far?