Green Bay Packers Own NFC North Edge Over Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions After Week 2

The NFC North might have been the toughest division to predict before the start of the 2019 NFL season. After Week 2, the Green Bay Packers have a clear advantage over their three rivals.

Green Bay took sole possession of first place in the NFC North Sunday with a 21-16 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Packers have an early 2-0 record in the division. Green Bay defeated the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in the season opener.

As the only NFC North team with two wins, the Packers are the betting favorites to finish the season in first place. Bovada gives Green Bay +150 odds, putting them ahead of Minnesota (+225) and Chicago (+250).

The Detroit Lions are still considered a long shot with +800 NFC North odds.

The Packers should be favored to win their next two games since they’ll both be played at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won’t play Chicago or Minnesota again until Week 15.

It’s been Green Bay’s defense, not Aaron Rodgers, that has carried the Packers in the early going. Twenty-one quarterbacks have thrown for more yards than Rodgers, and he isn’t one of the 11 signal callers that have started the year with a triple-digit passer rating through two weeks. The Packers rank first in the NFC, allowing 9.5 points per game.

Minnesota was held to 16 points Sunday at Lambeau Field as Kirk Cousins played one of his worst games as a Viking. He completed just 43.9 percent of his passes and threw a red-zone interception in the fourth quarter when Minnesota had a chance to take a lead over Green Bay. Cousins only had to attempt 10 passes when the Vikings dominated the Atlanta Falcons in their home opener.

Chicago narrowly avoided falling to 0-2 Sunday when Eddy Pineiro hit a 53-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bears a 16-14 road win against the Denver Broncos. The Bears’ defense looks as dominant as ever, allowing fewer than 300 yards per game. The offense is a different story, ranking dead last in the conference in points scored.

The Bears and Vikings are both favored in Week 3. They’ll meet in a key Week 4 matchup at Soldier Field. Chicago and Minnesota have the same NFC North odds at various New Jersey sportsbooks.

Detroit is undefeated and alone in second place with a 1-0-1 record. The Lions defeated the Los Angeles Chargers at home 13-10 in Week 2. Detroit blew an 18-point fourth-quarter lead in Week 1, playing to a 27-27 tie with the Arizona Cardinals.