Packer Central

NFC North Power Rankings: Lions, Packers Are One-Two

With the NFC North season kicking off on Friday in Brazil with Packers-Eagles, here’s our first NFC North power rankings and a look at the opening games.

Bill Huber

Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) pressures Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) during their Thanksgiving game last year.
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) pressures Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) during their Thanksgiving game last year. / David Reginek-Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the Green Bay Packers set to kick off the 2024 NFL season against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, here are our NFC North power rankings.

On SI NFC North Rankings

As selected by the On SI team publishers: Bill Huber from Green Bay, John Maakaron from Detroit, Gene Chamberlain from Chicago and Joe Nelson from Minnesota.

1. Detroit Lions: The unanimous No. 1 pick. The Lions are third in our Consensus NFL Power Rankings.

2. Green Bay Packers: The unanimous No. 2 pick. The Packers are fifth in our Consensus NFL Power Rankings.

3. Chicago Bears: The Bears received three third-place votes. They are 18th in SI.com’s power rankings.

4. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings received the other third-place vote. They are 23rd in SI.com’s power rankings.

Bill Huber’s NFC North Rankings

1. Lions: Detroit addressed its only real weakness, cornerback, by acquiring Carlton Davis and drafting Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. However, is there a legit No. 2 receiver opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown?

2. Packers: Can Green Bay stop the run? And are the Packers good enough at cornerback to stop teams with two elite receivers? Both questions could be answered against the Eagles, whose offense is as good as any in the NFL.

3. Bears: Caleb Williams is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the first million-yard passer in NFL history. In all seriousness, he’s probably going to be really good but can the hype train slow down just a bit?

4. Vikings: The Vikings have a lot of weapons on offense, and Aaron Jones is feeling strong and healthy entering Week 1. Is Sam Darnold good enough to make it go?

Best team in the NFL: Kansas City Chiefs.

Worst team in the NFL: New England Patriots.

NFC North Week 1 Games

As written by our NFC North team publishers.

Packers vs. Eagles (Sao Paulo, Brazil, 7:15 p.m. Friday)

How favorable is the matchup?: Not very. The Eagles won the NFC in 2022 and seemed on their way back to the Super Bowl when they started 10-1 in 2023. In response to a late-season collapse, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni replaced both of his coordinators, with Kellen Moore taking over the offense and Vic Fangio running the defense. But this is a great measuring stick because the Packers think they have a powerhouse, too. Can the Jordan Love-led passing game take advantage of the Eagles’ young cornerbacks?

What is the biggest Week 1 concern?: The Packers have a new defensive coordinator, with Jeff Hafley leaving Boston College to replace Joe Barry. What a test he’ll face right off the bat. The Eagles’ offense is loaded. Even without Jason Kelce, the offensive line is a powerhouse. Saquon Barkley will boost what already was a superb running game. And dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts has a pair of 1,000-yard receivers, indomitable A.J. Green and speedster Devonta Smith, along with tight end Dallas Goedert and new slot receiver Jahan Dotson.

Bears vs. Titans (at Soldier Field, noon Sunday)

How favorable is the matchup?: Not many teams would have been a better matchup for Caleb Williams in his regular-season debut. The Titans are a team rebuilding with a new coach and a new defensive system. With the Titans moving to a 3-4, they might not enjoy some of the advantages defenses normally have over a rookie quarterback because they could be as confused as he is in their new approach. The Titans' strength is their receiver group of veterans Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and DeAndre Hopkins, but they're going against the secondary that tied for the NFL lead in interceptions.

What is the biggest Week 1 concern?: The blitzing that the Titans likely will use against Williams could be an issue, as he said that’s an area where he needs to improve. It probably rates just above stopping running back Tony Pollard, who chewed up the Bears for 131 yards and three TDs last time they saw him with Dallas.

Vikings at Giants (MetLife Stadium, noon Sunday)

How favorable is the matchup?: The money line making the Vikings a one-point favorite tells the story, but let's elaborate on the matchup a bit more. Daniel Jones going up against what should be an improved, aggressive Minnesota defense should make Giants fans worry. Add in the fact that defensive coordinator Brian Flores has had an entire offseason to prepare for this game and it could be a confusing Sunday for Jones and the Giants.

What is the biggest Week 1 concern?: Sam Darnold struggles against pressure and the Giants have two strong edge rushers in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux to go along with Dexter Lawrence likely bullying the interior of Minnesota's offensive line. Darnold could find himself in a lot of shrinking pockets. There's a ton of pressure on the Vikings to win the opener because the juggernaut 49ers and Texans are waiting in Weeks 2 and 3. 

Lions vs. Rams (Ford Field, 7:20 p.m. Sunday)

How favorable is the matchup?: The Lions being at home gives them as big an advantage as any team in the NFL. On paper, this game is evenly matched. As a result, the Lions' fans could give them a huge leg up in what could be a game that goes down to the wire. The Rams have several playmakers on offense, and their defense will still be strong despite the loss of Aaron Donald. 

What is the biggest Week 1 concern?: Who steps up at wide receiver? The Lions have an All-Pro in top wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and another solid option in tight end Sam LaPorta but, outside of them, the group of pass-catchers is largely unproven. Former first-round pick Jameson Williams is expected to take a big leap in 2024, and Sunday will be his first opportunity to show off his growth. If Williams doesn't succeed, the Lions will need more from the likes of Kalif Raymond, Isaiah Williams and practice squad wideouts Tim Patrick and Allen Robinson.

More Green Bay Packers News

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Bill Huber

BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packer Central, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.