Lions Lose to Bears; Packers Have Legit Chance to Win NFC North

The surging Green Bay Packers continue to gain ground in the NFC North with the Detroit Lions getting handled by the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In a remarkable turn of events, the Green Bay Packers have gone from a potential top-five draft pick to in control of a playoff spot to in position to steal the NFC North.

While the Packers were traveling on Sunday for Monday night’s game at New York against the Giants, the Detroit Lions were shocked 28-13 by the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.

The Lions have lost two of their last three games to fall to 9-4. The Packers have won three in a row to get to 6-6 entering Monday night’s game against the Giants, who are 4-8 but have won two in a row and are coming off their bye.

If Green Bay can beat New York, it will improve to 7-6 and move within two games of Detroit. And, after losses by the Seahawks and Rams on Sunday, they would have a one-game lead in the race for one of the playoff spots.

For the division race, the decisive games come in Week 16, Week 17 and Week 18.

In Week 16, the Lions will play at the Minnesota Vikings, who improved to 7-6 by beating the Raiders a 3-0 thriller. In Week 17, the Lions will play at the Dallas Cowboys, who are playing like Super Bowl contenders under Mike McCarthy, and the Packers will play at the Vikings. In Week 18, the Lions will host the Vikings.

If the Packers are going to make up two games during the final month of the season, they might need to sweep their final five games and have the Lions stumble in those back-to-back road games against the Vikings and Lions.

“We know exactly what position we’re in,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. “Every game’s like a playoff game for us. We know the mentality. We’ve got to win out. This team doesn’t need a reminder of that.”

At FanDuel Sportsbook, the Lions opened the week as -1150 favorites to win the North, with the Vikings +1100 and the Packers +2000. Now, Detroit is -650, Minnesota is +750 and Green Bay, which is a six-point favorite vs. the Giants, is +1100.

Detroit hasn’t won a division title since winning the NFC Central in 1993. Is this opportunity, which looked like a slam-dunk just a few weeks ago, slipping away?

The Lions rallied to lead 13-10 at halftime but D.J. Moore caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Justin Field and Fields added an 11-yard touchdown run as the Bears dominated the second half.

The powerful Detroit offense, which was shut down by the Packers in a turning-point game on Thanksgiving, was held to 267 total yards and 1-of-5 on fourth down.

Here are the schedules for the Packers and Lions.

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Lions Final Schedule

Home against Denver Broncos (7-6 beat L.A. Chargers on Sunday)

At Minnesota Vikings (7-6; beat Las Vegas on Sunday)

At Dallas Cowboys (10-3; beat Philadelphia on Sunday night)

Home against Minnesota Vikings (7-6; beat Las Vegas on Sunday)

Packers Final Schedule

At New York Giants (4-8)

Home against Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7; beat Atlanta on Sunday)

At Carolina Panthers (1-12; lost to Saints on Sunday)

At Minnesota Vikings (7-6; beat Las Vegas on Sunday)

Home against Chicago Bears (5-8; beat Detroit on Sunday)

Put simply, the Lions will not play a team that has a losing record through Week 14 and the Packers will play only one team that has a winning record.

While Green Bay has a soft finishing schedule, it has faced a challenging slate of games. Their six victories have come against teams with a .513 winning percentage; their 12 games have come against teams with a .517 winning percentage.

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