NFC North race remains tight as Lions, Vikings, Packers all win in Week 11

The Vikings are still one game behind Detroit and one game up on Green Bay.

Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears place kicker Cairo Santos (8) has his field goal blocked at the end of the game as the Green Bay Packers celebrate at Soldier Field. / David Banks-Imagn Images

The NFL's best division by winning percentage this season stayed hot on Sunday. The Lions, Vikings, and Packers all won their Week 11 matchup, meaning things remain tight in the NFC North standings heading into next week.

NFC North standings after Week 12. / NFL GSIS

The Lions showed once again why they're arguably the best team in the league, improving to 9-1 in a 52-6 demolition of the Jaguars in Detroit. They scored touchdowns on each of their first seven drives, never punted once, and racked up an absurd 645 total yards of offense, including 412 passing yards and 4 touchdowns from Jared Goff. They held Mac Jones and the Jaguars to 170 yards. In other words, they did what the Vikings couldn't do a week ago in Jacksonville, when they only scored 12 points.

Speaking of the Vikings, they completed their sweep of the AFC South with a 23-13 win over the Titans in Nashville. It wasn't a dominant or overly convincing win, but Sam Darnold had three total touchdowns without any interceptions and Minnesota took advantage of 13 Titans penalties (some more controversial than others). Kevin O'Connell's team is 8-2.

In Chicago, the Packers blocked a Bears field goal attempt as time expired on a 20-19 Green Bay win. The Bears led for much of the second half, but Jordan Love's rushing touchdown with three minutes left put the Packers on top and they held on for the win. Christian Watson's 150 receiving yards were a difference-maker for Green Bay, who moves to 7-3. It's a brutal loss for Chicago, who has lost four in a row and is looking unlikely to make the playoffs.

The Packers have won 11 in a row against the Bears and 26 of their last 29 games in that rivalry.

PACKERS BLOCK THE FIELD GOAL FOR THE WIN.#GBvsCHI pic.twitter.com/gq8zbz965C

— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024

The Lions remain the heavy favorites to win the division and go into the playoffs as the NFC's top seed. They're just one game up on the Vikings, but they're so good that it's hard to see them losing more than a couple games the rest of the way. Detroit can complete its own AFC South sweep next week against the Colts. There's a very small margin for error for the Vikings if they're going to remain in striking distance when the Week 18 rematch against the Lions rolls around.

The Packers are lurking one game back of the Vikings and two back of the Lions, so they're still in the mix, but their upcoming schedule — vs. SF, vs. MIA, at DET, at SEA — is fairly tough.

There could be some very important games between the Lions, Vikings, and Packers down the stretch.