2021 NFC North betting preview: The Pack are back

The Green Bay Packers are the odds-on favorite to reign atop the NFC North for the third straight season, now that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has seemingly mended his relationship with the franchise's front office.

Once the three-time MVP reported to training camp at the end of July — following an offseason standoff — the outlook of the NFC North became much clearer.

Although the Packers are a legitimate Super Bowl contender and share the third-lowest odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, coming out on top of the NFC North will be far from a cakewalk.

The Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Detroit Lions each made a number of moves in the offseason that could alter the fortunes of their franchises.

Let’s examine each NFC North member ahead of the 2021 NFL season and predict which team has the best shot to upset Green Bay in the division.

Green Bay Packers

2020 record: 13-3
Key additions: WR Randall Cobb, CB Eric Stokes, WR Amari Rodgers
Key departures: C Corey Linsley, RB Jamaal Williams, LB Christian Kirksey

Off a 13-3 regular-season record for the second straight year, the Packers drew the fourth-most difficult schedule for the NFL's first 17-game season.

Games against New Orleans, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Washington, and Chicago during the front half of the season will present a steep test for Green Bay's offense, which ranked first in scoring (31.8 points per game), fifth in yards per game (389), eighth in rushing (132.4 YPG), and ninth in passing (256.6 YPG).

Much of that offense is back in 2021, though Green Bay lost center Corey Linsley, and David Bakhtiari's knee is a concern.

The dynamic quarterback-wide receiver tandem of Rodgers and Davante Adams will continue to cause headaches for defenses, while Aaron Jones (1,104 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns), who signed a four-year deal in the offseason, will do his usual damage on the ground.

The biggest question mark is the defense, which ranked in the bottom 10 in pressure percentage and total takeaways.

New defensive coordinator Joe Barry, a former assistant with the Los Angeles Rams, will attempt to remedy those issues and look to match the intensity and consistency of Green Bay's offense.

In the meantime, the offense has enough going for it to hit the Over on 10.5 wins and make a deep run in the playoffs.

Chicago Bears

2020 record: 8-8
Key additions: QB Andy Dalton, QB Justin Fields, LT Jason Peters,
Key departures: WR Cordarrelle Patterson, QB Mitch Trubisky, CB Kyle Fuller

Chicago snuck into the 2020 postseason with an 8-8 record but was quickly ousted by the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round.

In Matt Nagy's third year as head coach, his offense was again the weak point, but 2021 could bring promise of a better future, with the arrival of rookie Justin Fields. 

The Bears also signed veteran Andy Dalton to a one-year, $10 million contract in the offseason, after Dalton spent much of last season as the starter in Dallas.

In 2020, Chicago ranked in the bottom 10 in points per game (23.3), yards per game (331.4), rushing (102.9 YPG), and were 22nd in the league in passing yards per game (228.4).

The defense was a bright spot but far from the elite level of dominance Chicago is accustomed to.

Safeties coach Sean Desai, a Vic Fangio disciple, has replaced Chuck Pagano as defensive coordinator and will work to reclaim the tenacity Fangio's defenses exhibited while he was a coordinator in Chicago.

Even if the unit takes a step forward, the offense will likely struggle in the first half of the season.

The Bears own the third most difficult schedule in the league, which doesn't bode well for their win total.

Expect the franchise to take a slight step backward in 2021, as it breaks in Fields at quarterback and builds toward the future.

Minnesota Vikings

2020 record: 7-9
Key additions: CB Patrick Peterson, CB Bashaud Breeland, S Xavier Woods 
Key departures: TE Kyle Rudolph, S Anthony Harris, DT Jaleel Johnson

In head coach Mike Zimmer's seventh season in Minnesota, he suffered his first losing record since 2014.

Injuries upended the defense and sent the team into a tailspin, but the group should snap back in 2021, with the addition of cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland, along with safety Xavier Woods.

On offense, Justin Jefferson set an NFL rookie record for receiving yards (1,400) last season and was one of two rookies named to the Pro Bowl. He and Adam Thielen will continue to shine in Minnesota, alongside running back Dalvin Cook, who rushed for a career-high 1,557 yards and 16 scores in 14 games last season. 

Veteran franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins will need more help from his offensive line, after he faced his highest pressure rate in 2020.

Despite all of Minnesota's issues last season, it narrowly missed the postseason, with a 7-9 record.

The Vikes will play the fifth-toughest schedule in the league but will bounce back in a big way and give Green Bay trouble in the division.

Detroit Lions

2020 record: 5-11
Key additions: QB Jared Goff, RT Penei Sewell, RB Jamaal Williams, WR Breshad Perriman
Key departures: QB Matt Stafford, WR Kenny Golladay, WR Marvin Jones, RB Adrian Peterson

Following a three-year stint, in which the Lions finished last in the NFC North under Matt Patricia, the team is projected to bottom out the division in Dan Campbell's first season as head coach.

This is a franchise in full-blown rebuild mode. In the offseason, Detroit sent quarterback Matthew Stafford to a playoff contender, the Rams, in exchange for quarterback Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round selection, plus 2022 and 2023 first-round draft picks.

The Lions also let go of leading receiver Marvin Jones, veteran wideouts Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola, and seven-time Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson.

The offense ranked 10th in passing yards, 20th in yards per game, and 30th in rushing yards per game last season, while the defense was abysmal across the board.

The unit surrendered a league-worst 32.4 points per game and 419.8 yards per game.

With the sixth-most difficult schedule and a depleted roster, the Lions have a long way to the top and a low shot to collect five victories in the regular season.