The Big Lead

The NFC North is historically good this season

By Max Weisman

The division has three nine-win teams and its only Week 13
The division has three nine-win teams and its only Week 13 / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
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The NFC North is home to three of the best teams in football: the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. All three teams have nine wins already this season, and if the Vikings beat the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, they'll join Detroit with 10 or more wins. The Packers joined their division rivals with nine or more wins after winning 30-17 over the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving night. The win marked the first time since 1985 that three teams in a single division have nine or more wins through Week 13.

The last division to do so was the AFC East in 1985, when the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and New England Patriots were all 9-4 through 13 weeks.

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What's more impressive about the North having three nine-win teams through 13 weeks is each team has had their bye week, which means they've secured nine wins in 12 games, whereas the AFC East teams had 13 games to reach nine wins.

A Minnesota win on Sunday would make each team separated by one game in the standings, with the Lions on top followed by the Vikings and then the Packers. Each team plays each other one more time this season. Detroit will host Green Bay on Thursday for their second matchup of the year before playing Minnesota at home in the final week of the season. The Vikings will play the Packers at home the week before.

Not for nothing, the 4-7 Chicago Bears have played all three of their division rivals once so far this season and each game has been a one possession game. If a few bounces went their way, the Bears could be in the mix for the playoffs, but playing in the toughest division in football has not helped them.

If the football gods are listening, please make the Lions-Vikings game in Week 18 a winner-take-all for the division. Us football fans deserve it.

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