Around the NFC North 2022 Week 13
Here's what's happening this week and next with the teams in the NFC North.
By Mike Price
And we're back. I missed last week thanks to what can only be described as the Chicago Bears of illnesses. I actually spent a night at a hotel to avoid exposing the whole family. Thankfully, I'm past it now and we can all return to complain about the rest of the NFC North's success (and luck). And there was plenty of luck to go around this week.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings outlasted the Jets 27-22.
Game Notes
- No one wins more games where they were outplayed than the Vikings. The Jets had 200 more total yards than the Vikings and just couldn't pull out the victory. All we can do is wait and hope that he Vikings will be exposed in the playoffs.
- The Jets were led by career backup Mike White's incredible 369 pass yards and 90 rush yards by someone named Zonovan Knight. The Vikings offense was surprisingly not powered by Justin Jefferson (who was held to just 45 receiving yards) and had to rely on 20 semi-productive carries from Dalvin Cook and a few forced turnovers to score.
- Za'Darius Smith still hasn't quite returned to form following his disappointing performance against the Cowboys, but he did have a couple tackles. Harrison Smith led the defense on the day,he had 8 tackles and a pick.
Former Packers
- Chandon Sullivan also compiled two tackles in the game.
Next Week
Next week, the Vikings take on the Lions.
Detroit Lions
The Lions crushed the Jags 40-14.
Game Notes
- The Lions have picked up a little momentum lately and are technically still in the race to win the NFC North. Maybe the only thing funnier than the Vikings inevitably losing in an embarrassing way in the playoffs would be if they didn't even win the division.
- Usually, the Lions build their offense around the run game, but this week Jared Goff was the motor. Goff was 31/41 for 340 yards and 2 TDs. Not much to make fun of in those numbers.
- On the rushing side, Jamaal Williams added another TD. The former Packer now has 14 on the season.
- The Sun God also had an impressive performance, with 114 yards and 2 TDs on 11 catches.
Former Packers
- Jamaal Williams had 35 rush yards to go with his TD.
Next Week.
The Lions are favored against the Vikings.
Chicago Bears
The Bears lost to the Packers 28-19.
Game Notes
- Early in this one, it seems like the Bears had the game locked up. Justin Fields was getting whatever he wanted on the ground, Jaire Alexander was giving up bombs to scrubs, and the Bears led 16-3. The Packers ended the game on a 25-3 run from there, thanks to some timely forced turnovers and Christian Watson's existence. The Packers now have the most wins in NFL history.
- Fields looked great on the ground yet again, especially on a 55-yard TD run where Keisan Nixon had him dead to rights in the backfield and just couldn't make the play. But there was nothing doing in the pass game. Take away two (admittedly good plays) long passes to EB St. Brown and N'Keal Harry when Jaire Alexander seemed to just fall asleep and Fields line on the day was 18/23 for 150 yards with 2 picks and no TDs. The Bears need to study the Eagles offseason roster management hard. Get Fields some help.
- David Montgomery added 61 yards on the ground and 6 yards on 4 catches (what?).
- Defensively, the Bears couldn't pressure Rodgers at all and only did well covering the Packers receivers when grabbing fistfuls of jersey.
Former Packers
-
EQ St. Brown had 85 yards on 3 catches.
-
Former Badger Jack Sanborn led the Bears in tackles with 10.
Next Week
The Bears have a bye.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved form Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
__________________________
Comments (15)
TarynsEyes
December 06, 2022 at 01:28 pm
“No one wins more games where they were outplayed than the Vikings.”
But in Packer land, a win is a win, right?
“Jamaal Williams added another TD. The former Packer now has 14 on the season.”
Detroit knows how to/will use their RBs, consistently. GB, eh!
“EQ St. Brown had 85 yards on 3 catches.”
He made Alexander HIS equal.
PackyCheese500
December 06, 2022 at 01:39 pm
Bears LB Jack Sanborn has been a steal. He was an UDFA who has 50+ tackles and has only been starting since week 9, after the Bears traded Roquan Smith. Sometimes, the best players aren’t always the best athletes (Sanborn had a bad 40), sometimes they’re the players with the best instincts and football smarts.
Sometimes, of course. Good athletes do often become stars, as our friend Dr. Watson is showing.
TarynsEyes
December 06, 2022 at 01:51 pm
So, heart and desire can outplay RAS.
PackyCheese500
December 06, 2022 at 02:22 pm
In some aspects of the game, yes.
PackyCheese500
December 06, 2022 at 02:22 pm
Duplicate
Lphill
December 06, 2022 at 02:41 pm
Jack Sanborn is for real, one thing about the Bears is they know linebackers.
T7Steve
December 06, 2022 at 02:42 pm
The Lions and Vikings need to play to a tie. That will put the Packers in the Super Bowl.
splitpea1
December 06, 2022 at 02:43 pm
The Lions are going to be a team to worry about. I like their GM. One, he was smart enough to trade his starting QB, get a decent starting QB in return, and load up on high draft picks. He's done a good job drafting in his two seasons--and that second first-round pick he received is only going to get higher the more the Rams lose. Jameson Williams was just activated, so we haven't seen what he can do yet.
It's kind of embarrassing that Jamaal Williams has 14 rushing TDs and the Jones/Dillon combo only has five. We need to design (and block) some better running plays in the red zone.
PackyCheese500
December 06, 2022 at 04:49 pm
Lions and Bears will both be good teams in the coming years. The reason for Jamaal Williams' red-zone success, I think, is because the Lions' offensive line is one of the best in the league. A good O-line makes all areas of the offense more effective; its importance cannot be understated. That is one of the reasons I like Gutey; he's done an excellent job of drafting and developing O-linemen. Same goes for the D line on defense.
We need to follow the rebuild approach that the Lions (and Bears) are using so that we can get back to Super Bowl contention. Trade away our expensive veterans and stock up on 2023 draft picks that will lay the foundation for the next era of Packers football. This times out very well because 2023 is expected to have one of the highest-quality draft classes in a long time. If it all goes well, the Packers could be contending as soon as 2024.
T7Steve
December 07, 2022 at 07:10 am
Add to the Lions' bulletin board; Think how the Sun God St Brown is going to try to go after Alexander after his "scrub" comment about his brother.
LeotisHarris
December 06, 2022 at 03:37 pm
Quite frankly, Dee-Troit seems to be stacking successes and benefiting from paw-sah-tives on both sides of the ball. Remember, though, the LOLion is a crafty creature that will soil itself at the most inopportune time.
My hope for the NFL franchise from Minnesota is that they continue to blow smoke up their own rear ends all the way to the NFCCG only to watch the dream slip away in an excruciatingly painful manner (wide left) or a sudden jolt (wide right / Intercepted!), and of course that they lose by at least two scores at Lambeau.
PackyCheese500
December 06, 2022 at 04:50 pm
The only two times Minny has played any real SB contenders, they have been blown out.
Packerlifer
December 06, 2022 at 05:40 pm
Minisota is headed either for another disappointing playoff or NFCCG elimination or to become the NFL's first 0-5 Super Bowl franchise.
Packerlifer
December 06, 2022 at 05:41 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbw45wVEDWI
BirdDogUni
December 06, 2022 at 10:16 pm
So, you're saying there's no chance...