Pro Football: NFC North Update

The (9-3) Green Bay Packers are pretty big favorites to win their first NFC crown since 2010. Last week “G.B.” prevailed (26-21) vs the New England Patriots as 3 point home favorites.

In the NFC North the Packers are one game ahead of the (8-4) Detroit Lions, who overcame an early deficit to win (34-17) vs (5-7) Chicago (Bears) in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit.

Since the Lions own a home victory over the Packers in week 3, they get to play for the NFC North crown in Green Bay, likely in an NBC telecast night game with freezing conditions on December 28th, if they stay within a game of the Packers.

Detroit, which lost games down the stretch last year as big favorites, are 10 point favorites vs (4-8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week and will be nice favorites at home the following week vs the (5-7) Minnesota Vikings at home.

After that the Lions go to Chicago where they would be about a field goal favorite if the game were played this week.

My prediction at this point is that somehow, likely with each team going (2-1), the Packers/Lions game on December 28th will decide the NFC North. NBC hopes I am right since that would likely be their so called “flex” telecast in the season’s final week.