Here's a look around the NFC North heading into week 7 of the regular season.

Chicago Bears

The Bears enjoyed a bye week after getting home from their London loss to the Oakland Raiders.

-The Bears would probably have liked to have had a quiet bye week in terms of news, but that didn't happen. Yesterday the team announced it placed pro bowl defensive tackle Akiem Hicks on injured reserve with an elbow injury. It is possible Hicks would be able to return later this season, but the soonest he'd be allowed to do so is Week 15, when the Packers and Bears meet for the second time this season. By that point, the Bears may or may not have anything left to play for.

-The Bears also placed starting guard Kyle Long on injured reserve on Monday with a hip injury. The Bears have already been having troubles up front on their line, and the loss of Long (who hasn't been having his finest season, but is still a starter on the taem) will certainly not help matters.

-One of the biggest reasons the Bears were able to win the NFC North last year was because they had remarkable luck with injuries, staying extremely healthy all season long. The loss of Hicks is a big one, and could reverberate through that defense. The team certainly has enough talent on that side of the ball to get past it, but there should be no underplaying what Hicks means to that team when healthy.

-The Bears certainly don't get any favors from their schedule coming out of the bye. They have to take on New Orleans at home, and all the Saints have done is gone 4-0 on the absence of starting quarterback Drew Brees. 

Detroit Lions

The Lions lost on Monday Night to the Packers at Lambeau Field 23-22 despite not traiing for a single second of regulation. Their fans then flooded the internet with tears and complaints about the referees.

-The Lions are going to be sick with themselves this week for settling for five field goals. Sure, Matt Prater had himself a great game and did everything the team asked of him, but there are several situations in which the Lions could have been more aggressive and put more points on the board. Even the one touchdown the team did score was one they had to go for on fourth down from the goal line to get, and even the legitimacy of that touchdown is dubious.

-Despite the loss, the Lions continue to play well against strong competition, so don't expect them to fade away any time soon. The team has to have liked what it saw out of its pass defense. Sure the Packers were playing a bunch of nobodies and a washed up Jimmy Graham out wide, but the team's much maligned pass defense was not the reason they lost the game for once.

-The Lions were held to very little yardage in the second half, one of many reasons they left Green Bay with a loss. Early on it looked like the Lions would run away with the game, as they kept opening up wtih big plays, but the offense would falter down in Packer territory. They're going to have to figure out a way to solve that issue if they're going to have a chance at competing for a wild card spot.

-With the loss, the Lions' game this weekend at home against the Vikings suddenly takes on extra meaning. They're currently sitting in last place in the division, a game and a half back from Minnesota, and need to start racking up some divisional wins if they're going to claw back into the race. The way the NFC North is looking this year, a loss to the Vikings at home could begin spelling doom for the team.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-20.

-It's hard to believe that we're just two weeks removed from rampant trade speculation surrounding Stefon Diggs. Diggs had a second consecutive strong outing, putting up seven catches for 167 yards and three touchdowns and adding another two carries for 18 yards. The Eagles didn't have an answer. It's probably safe to say (just as it was a couple weeks ago) that Diggs isn't going anywhere.

-It was another sharp outing for Cousins, who's needed to string together a few good games in a row after being rightfully lambasted by critics for playing poorly against good competition. The Eagles may be banged up, but they're still feisty and capable of hanging with good teams, so it was a positive sign for the Vikings that Cousins was able to keep the momentum going and fuel the offense on a day where Dalvin Cook really didn't get a whole lot done.

-The tough Vikings defense is back after taking a year off in 2018. Once Cousins returns to being bad Kirk (because you know it's going to happen), this defense is going to be able to keep the Vikings in games against tough competition. This is a team that's going to be hanging around until the end of the season and competing for a playoff spot. Expect them to be the Packers' top divisional competition the rest of the way.

-The Vikings head to Detroit this weekend for a game that has big stakes in the NFC North. A win by the Lions brings them right back into the picture, and also could potentially result in the Packers taking a two-game lead in October (assuming they handle their business against Oakland). A win by the Vikings buries the Lions even farther down at the bottom and keeps them in the hunt for a division title. Gonna be a big one.