Packers loss means NFC North is officially up for grabs

The Green Bay Packers are no longer undefeated in the NFL, which means the NFC North is up for grabs.

One week ago, the Green Bay Packers entered their bye with an undefeated record. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been playing at an MVP-caliber level despite the team’s lack of action to provide him with a better supporting cast. Simply put, the NFC North was Green Bay’s to lose.

On Sunday, the Packers got their doors kicked in by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by the score of 38-10 to earn their first loss of this NFL season. To make that defeat even more demoralizing for the Packers, they will find that the Chicago Bears now own sole possession of first-place in the division, after they defeated the Carolina Panthers 23-16.

Don’t sleep on the Bears

The Packers started off their Week 6 matchup in Tampa Bay on a strong note, as they took an early 10-0 lead following a touchdown run by Aaron Jones. The Packers crumbled shortly afterwards, as they surrendered 38 unanswered points to the Buccaneers on 324 offensive yards. It certainly didn’t help that Rodgers threw back-to-back interceptions. Overall, it was a poor showing for Green Bay, as they looked like a team that need to make a move at the trade deadline.

Meanwhile, the Bears improbable run up the standings continues. No one thought that this team would be capable of competing for the division, let alone have a winning record!

On Sunday, they faced a Panthers team on a three-game winning streak. Matt Nagy’s decision to start Nick Foles over Mitchell Trubisky has paid off. Sure, Foles doesn’t light up the stat-sheets like a Patrick Mahomes or Russell Wilson, but he makes the big plays when it matters. Even though Foles completed 23-of-39 pass attempts for 198 yards, one touchdown and one interception, he extended Chicago’s lead to 20-6 on a goal-line rush.

Foles only has to play “good enough” so to speak, because Chicago’s defense can do the rest. That’s what they did against Carolina, as they sacked quarterback Teddy Bridgewater four times while forcing two interceptions, one of which was the game-ender.

The Bears didn’t live up to their “Monsters of the Midway” moniker from last season, but it seems like their newly adopted “lovable underdog” persona has been a winning formula thus far. Look out Packers, because the Bears are going to be a problem for you this season.