The NFC North is not one of the glamour divisions as the 2023 season prepares to get underway. However, it is one of the most interesting and competitive groupings, as a legitimate case can be made for 3 teams to have a chance at the division title.

However, the most realistic chances go to the defending champion Minnesota Vikings and the resurgent Detroit Lions. The Vikings rolled to the division title a year ago behind first-year head coach Kevin O'Connell, quarterback Kirk Cousins and spectacular wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The Vikings won 8 of their first 9 games before securing the title with a 13-4 record.

The Lions did not get off to a great start last year, but they had a remarkable finish. They won 8 of their last 10 games and finished with a 9-8 record. One of those victories came over the Vikings, and the Lions may have the fire power to take the title away from the Vikings.

In this piece, we look at the odds (courtesy of FanDuel) that are impacting NFC North teams as the season kicks off and make a prediction on the division winner.

Detroit Lions (+145)

Head coach Dan Campbell has gotten this team to buy into his program, and the Lions are a much more demonstrative and aggressive team than they have been in the past. However, they are much more accomplished on the offensive side of the ball than they are on defense.

It starts with quarterback Jared Goff, who brings a streak of 324 consecutive passes without an interception into the start of the season. It may be a huge challenge to get through the season opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs with that streak still intact. Goff completed 382 of 567 passes last year for 4,436 yards with 29 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

His top receiver is Amon-Ra St. Brown, who appears to be on the brink of superstardom. St. Brown gets off of the line of scrimmage with ease and is clearly a dangerous playmaker after recording 106 receptions for 1,161 yards and 6 touchdowns a year ago.

The issue for the Lions is their defense. They ranked 32nd last year in yards allowed, and even though they have a star on the rise in pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson and former Eagle safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, they are still quite vulnerable on defense.

Minnesota Vikings (+260)

O'Connell can play the lack of respect card to his team because the Vikings have to take a back seat to the Lions — at least as far as the oddmakers are concerned.

The Vikings have an explosive offense thanks to quarterback Kirk Cousins and a stellar receiving crew led by Justin Jefferson. The All-Pro wideout had a 128 catches for 1,809 yards and 8 touchdowns last year, and he is supported by rookie Jordan Addison, hard-nosed K.J. Osborn and tight end T.J. Hockenson.

Much like the Lions, their 31st-ranked defense is the Vikings biggest area of vulnerability. New defensive coordinator Brian Flores will employ a more complex scheme than his predecessor Ed Donatell, but the overall talent level of that unit is questionable.

Green Bay Packers (+350)

The Packers are going through a major transition this season as they have said goodbye to their longtime superstar/diva/quarterback Aaron Rodgers and turned the QB1 position over to Jordan Love

The Packers quarterback is largely untested against NFL opponents, but he has looked quite comfortable in training camp and his teammates are very supportive. Head coach Matt LaFleur will try to make things easy on Love by depending on Aaron Jones and the Green Bay running game. Wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are talented and hungry.

The Packers have an edge on their division opponents on defense. They ranked 17th in that area in 2022, and that could give them an opportunity to cause problems for the Lions and Vikings.

Chicago Bears (+430)

The Bears have a long way to go after their 3-14 finish in 2022. However, the belief in the Windy City is that quarterback Justin Fields should come into his own in his third season in the league.

Fields is a brilliant athlete who may be the best running quarterback in the league, but he must improve his accuracy on short- and medium-range passes. He should get quite a bit of help from wide receiver D.J. Moore, who could be a game breaker for head coach Matt Eberflus.

NFC North Predictions

1. Minnesota Vikings — Look for improvement from the Minnesota defense, and wideout Justin Jefferson could make a run at MVP honors.

2. Detroit Lions — The strong offense should keep the Lions in playoff contention all season.

3. Green Bay Packers — There will be some solid moments, but the loss of Rodgers will hurt.

4. Chicago Bears — Too big of a hill to climb this season