Niner Noise
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NFL power rankings: Breaking down each division heading into 2018

By Peter Panacy

NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 24: The Atlanta Falcons play the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 24, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 24: The Atlanta Falcons play the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 24, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 15: Latavius Murray #25 of the Minnesota Vikings runs past Clay Matthews #52 of the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of the game on October 15, 2017 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 15: Latavius Murray #25 of the Minnesota Vikings runs past Clay Matthews #52 of the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of the game on October 15, 2017 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /

Like the No. 1 division in our NFL power rankings, the NFC North could legitimately send three teams to the playoffs this season.

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We expect the Green Bay Packers to be there this year, as long as quarterback Aaron Rodgers stays healthy. But he and the Packers will receive some stiff competition from the Minnesota Vikings this year, who only got better under center with the free-agent addition of quarterback Kirk Cousins.

A year after making it to the NFC Championship game, the upstart Vikings still have their league-best defense from a year ago intact. And that spells problems for the rest of the NFL, let alone the NFC North.

One should expect these two teams to be atop the division. But the Detroit Lions, under first-year head coach Matt Patricia, could follow a similar trend the Vikings managed last year. And with former Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson picked up in this year’s NFL Draft, quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s life should get much easier.

But the X-factor in the division is the Chicago Bears.

Second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky saw his offense improve dramatically, on paper, after picking up wide receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel.

It’s going to be fun watching rookie Bears linebacker Roquan Smith too.