Around the NFC North 2022 Week 11
Here's what's happening this week and next with the teams in the NFC North.
By Mike Price
Much of the same this week in the NFC North. Jamaal Williams getting TDs, the Packers underperforming, and the Bears looking exciting in a loss. However, to the joy of almost everyone, we were able to watch the fraudulent Vikings get stomped by the Cowboys. After the loss, the Vikoings are now the first team in NFL history to get 8 wins over the first ten games and have a negative point differential. It would be hilarious if it weren't so annoying.
Detroit Lions
The Lions upset the Giants 31-18.
Game Notes
- Former Packer Jamaal Williams was the star of this one. The running back added three touchdowns to his now league-leading season total of 12. He also had 17 carries for 64 yards. D'Andre Swift added 20 yards and Justin Jackson had 66.
- Jared Goff was fine. He had just 6.3 YPA and no TDs or picks. Close to half his yards went to the Sun God.
- The story of the game was the Lions' defense performing well again. Rookies Kerby Joseph and Aidan Hutchinson both had interceptions and Saquon Barkley had 22 yards on 15 carries. Yikes.
- The Lions seem to have broken through and could be a scary match-up for overrated teams like the Vikings.
Former Packers
- Williams had another great game and may be the rare non-elite running back to get a third contract soon.
Next Week
The Lions play the Bills on Thanksgiving.
Chicago Bears
The Bears lost to the Falcons 27-24.
Game Notes
- Justin Fields was the story of the game again. His performance wasn't as strong as it has been (4.5 YPC running and 84 QB rating) but toward the end of the game, he separated his shoulder and is now considered day-to-day. Even if he plays through the injury, it could force Luke Getsy to move away from the designed run plays for a while and take away the only reason anyone has watched the Bears on purpose in like 10 years.
- David Montgomery led the team in receiving yards and had the second most rush yards after Fields. The team's WR corps may be worse than the Packers is and it's starting to get worrisome that Chase Claypool can't seem to get involved.
- Defensively, rookie Jaquan Brisker had an impressive 11 tackles and former Badger Jack Sanborn had 9. The team had no sacks or interceptions in the game.
Former Packers
- Joe Thomas and the Penneltientiary both got involved with a few tackles and EQ had 24 yards on 2 catches.
Next Week
The Bears play the Jets with who knows at QB for both teams.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings were molly walloped by the Cowboys, 40-3.
Game Notes
- The Vikings franchise left tackle, Christian Darrisaw, went out with a concussion for the second game in a row and Kirk Cousins was stuck on his first read all game. The Vikings just couldn't make anything happen on either side of the ball.
- Cousins was sacked 7 times and had just 105 yards on 23 attempts. Justin Jefferson typically bails Cousins out in games like this but he could only muster 33 yards on 3 catches. Micah Parsons, who was stymied by the Packers in a mostly off-ball role, was back to rushing the passer and accounted for two of those sacks. He was pressuring Cousins constantly the whole game.
- Outside of Tony Pollard (80 rush yards and 109 receiving yards) the Cowboys didn't have any real outstanding performance on offense. Dak was 22/25 for 276 yards and just didn't need to throw much. 10 Cowboys had at least one reception and six had 20 or more receiving yards.
Former Packers
- One of the most annoying parts of this season has been Za'Darius Smtih's all-pro performance in Minnesota. Until this week, Smith was kept off the stat sheet completely against the Cowboys. No tackles, no sacks, no nothing. Chandon Sullivan did have 2 tackles.
Next Week
The Vikings play the Patriots on Thanksgiving. They lost a game last week, if they lose on Thanksgiving that's called two in a row. If they lose again after that, it's called a losing streak!
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Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved form Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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Comments (10)
TarynsEyes
November 22, 2022 at 02:02 pm
It seems McCarthy's plan focused on beating Rodgers, and not the Packers, and it also seemed that the Cowboys bought into that plan, by the beat down they inflicted on the Vikings. The handout made no difference for the Packers the following game.
I give Fields another season, and his demand to be traded gets momentum.
The Lions really are Knee Biters. I sense a Buffalo Leg Buffet come Thursday.
The Skoal boys appear unable to blow their own horn, as the opponents have been doing it for them often, with the Packers starting it off in week one.
T7Steve
November 22, 2022 at 03:11 pm
Is that a turbuffan? LOL
Leatherhead
November 22, 2022 at 04:36 pm
Or, Rodgers played his best game of the year against McCarthy.
croatpackfan
November 22, 2022 at 02:14 pm
Well, if Lions start to collecting wins (they beat 7-2 team!) Packers will be out of play offs for sure.
Bears, ah, Bears...
Viking game showed one thing. Packers DL and LBs playing well vs run - compare Dallas run stats vs Packers and vs Vikings.
I wonder why MLF and ACR did not use Packers RBs to win over Vikings? Must be that Mike McCarthy is not good coach as MLF (+ACR). He made teriblle plan to run over the Vikings, but MLF (+ACR) knew Vikings can only be beated by passing game...
Ah, thank God we replace Mike McCarthy with 2 geniuses (MLF & ACR)!
Thanks for the report, Mike...
PackyCheese500
November 22, 2022 at 02:34 pm
At least Packers fans can take some solace in McCarthy’s Cowboys blowing out the Vikings in this otherwise lost season. The Lions and Bears both have bright futures as organizations, and Detroit just got Jameson Williams back in practice. At least we have a core of players we can build around for the future (Quay Walker, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, AJ Dillon, Rashan Gary, Jon Runyan Jr, Kingsley Enagbare, Yosh Nijman, Kenny Clark, Jaire Alexander, and [hopefully] Jordan Love).
As for the upcoming rebuild, I think management should follow what the Bills did to transform their organization from a consistent failure to a contender. The Bears are following that method (read this article: https://www.sportsmockery.com/chicago-bears/nfl-gm-says-chicago-bears-re...), and their future is extremely bright.
This is what I think our rebuild should look like. We should trade/cut all of the players who aren’t part of our future, and if necessary, take on a portion of a cap hit for the next couple of years (when we will still be rebuilding) that would make the players more trade-able. I am talking about players like Aaron Jones, David Bakhtiari, Preston Smith, and Aaron Rodgers. Elgton Jenkins, I think, if he had a long term deal, it would limit our future as an organization too much. In addition, the Packers have been excellent at finding quality Offensive linemen in the draft. There are many prospective suitors in potential trades. For example, the Chiefs are a win-now team who likely won’t have either of their starting Tackles now next year. Bakhtiari has been amazing when on the field, and for a day 2 pick, the Chiefs could be happy to get him with a cap hit of just under 6 mil. Rodgers I think could be traded to the New York Jets, a team with an amazing roster but a terrible QB who is holding them back from contending. We keep around only a select few veterans (the Bears kept Eddie Jackson, I see Kenny Clark and Yosh Nijman staying), try to stockpile draft picks, and rebuild by drafting smartly. When we are decently good again, that is the time to make big free-agent signings that will push it’s over the top, signings that perhaps would have won us a ring from 20-21, but didn’t happen. The Bills got Von Miller this year, for example.
Hopefully the rebuild is swift and we are contending again soon! GPG!
ricky
November 22, 2022 at 03:04 pm
Remember at the start of the season, Packers fans were upset the team was "winning ugly"? So are the Vikings. The difference being that one team is now losing, and has a record of 4-7. The other had a bad game, but are 7-2. The Lions with a three game winning streak? And the defense is getting better? Is it a coincidence that the Campbell, the Lions HC, fired the defensive backs coordinator? And that the defense improved? Thank goodness, there is no thought of making any defensive coaching changes in Green Bay. Because, of course, we have to stick with Joe Barry. Because.
PackyCheese500
November 22, 2022 at 03:14 pm
I was not upset. I thought it showed that the defense was good. I was sorely mistaken….
Hopefully we will find a better option at DC next year. Brian Flores (former Dolphins HC), Dennis Allen (Saints HC), Brandon Staley (Chargers HC), and Vic Fangio are som potential candidates
Leatherhead
November 22, 2022 at 04:41 pm
Yes, we should be more like Detroit........
LeotisHarris
November 22, 2022 at 05:25 pm
....and follow the plan the Bears are using to return to, erm, where they were once upon a time?
Packerlifer
November 23, 2022 at 09:28 pm
The Vikings were winning lucky almost the entire first half of the season. They were thoroughly and undeniably exposed by Dallas in one of the most complete and sudden "ripping off the covers" ever seen.
They not only lost 40-3 at home they "got the hook" on their network coverage with an entire quarter to go and got hilariously pranked on their salute to veterans. https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2022/11/21/vikin...
They really are a .500 team but with the rest of the division stumbling and fumbling around no one is going to take advantage to run them down in the second half. But their playoff future has been seen.