– Last Updated on November 30, 2022 9:13 am
NFL HANDICAPPING: THE NFC North
Looking for 2021 NFC North Predictions? Ready to bet on NFL Futures odds namely the NFC North teams’ lines? Green Bay remains the cream of the crop in the division, but Minnesota has a talented offensive team and Chicago may have finally found their QB of the future. Plus Detroit has moved on from Matthew Stafford which has to be addition by subtraction. Click for updated futures odds plus grab your 50% bonus up to $1000 now at MyBookie.ag.
2021 NFL Handicapping Insight – Divisional Futures
Green Bay is a favorite not only to win the division, but a trendy Super Bowl pick at 13:1. That all rests on the right-arm of #12 though, and with Aaron Rodgers’ interests seemingly moving away from football, this division could find itself wide open.
2021 NFC North Predictions: Chicago Bears
Bears Odds to Win 2021 Super Bowl: 65/1
Bears Odds to Win NFC Conference: 25/1
Bears Odds to Win NFC North Division: 5.5/1
Chicago finished 8-8 last season and were in the mix for a possible playoff berth before falling short. Their offense looked much better in the 2nd half of the season after Bill Lazor took over play calling duties, putting up 30+ points in 4 of the last 5 games.
Lazor, the former Bengals offensive coordinator, gets reunited with Andy Dalton who was signed in the offseason. Dalton needs to prove himself right out of the gates, because it’s only a matter of time before the #11 pick in the draft Justin Fields takes over the reins at QB.
Chicago could be a dark horse team to win this division depending on how Dalton and/or Fields performs. They have a great wide receiver in Allen Robinson, a couple of solid TEs in Jimmy Graham and Cole Kmet, and a RB who came into his own last year in David Montgomery.
The Bears’ biggest weakness is their secondary, which can be covered up a bit if Robert Quinn, Khalil Mack, and Akiem Hicks can rediscover their pass rush. Chicago also has the third hardest strength of schedule based on 2020 win percentages.
2021 NFC North Predictions: Detroit Lions
Lions Odds to Win 2021 Super Bowl: 180/1
Lions Odds to Win NFC Conference: 100/1
Lions Odds to Win NFC North Division: 28/1
When Detroit has 28/1 odds just to win the North division, you know a tough year can be expected. The Lions were just 5-11 last year and had only one win at home, but will have a fresh look this season as Jared Goff comes over from L.A in the Stafford trade.
Is Goff just Stafford-Lite though? The former #1 pick threw for 20 TDs and 13 INT in 2020 and that’s while playing in Sean McVay’s offense. Anthony Lynn has only served as an OC for one season with the Bills in 2016, and QB coach Mark Brunell is in his 1st season in that role.
Detroit also lost WRs Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones in the offseason, and their current WR core might be the worst in the NFL. D’Andre Swift averaged 4.6 yards/carry in his rookie season, and that should continue (if he stays healthy) with the Lions taking Penei Sewell with the 7th pick in the draft. Some are saying Sewell, the OT out of Oregon, could have went as high as 2nd.
Look for a breakout year from TJ Hockenson as well, as new coach Dan Campbell was TEs coach for the Saints the last five years and played the position in the NFL for a decade.
2021 NFC North Predictions: Green Bay Packers
Packers Odds to Win 2021 Super Bowl: 13/1
Packers Odds to Win NFC Conference: 6/1
Packers Odds to Win NFC North Division: -160
Will the possible swan song for Aaron Rodgers be special? The oft-disgruntled QB seems to be in high spirts as Green Bay makes another push towards a Lombardi Trophy. Rodgers has restructured his contract to essentially be on a one year deal so the pressure is on in Titletown.
Rodgers and Davante Adams have great chemistry, as Adams set a career high with 115 catches last season. Rodgers is also reunited with Randall Cobb who spent his first 8 seasons in Green Bay. RB Aaron Jones has also rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons, and has 30 TDs in his last 30 regular season games.
One major area of concern for Green Bay is their offensive line, which loses all-pro center Corey Linsley to the Chargers and has uncertainty with David Bakhtiari tearing his ACL in the offseason. The 37-year-old Rodgers doesn’t need to take any extra hits.
Due to some collapses in crucial times, Green Bay has moved on from defensive coordinator Mike Pettine and replaced him with Joe Barry. Barry has never lasted more than 2 seasons as a DC, and his defenses have never ranked better than 28th so it’s an interesting hire for sure.
2021 NFC North Predictions: Minnesota Vikings
Vikings Odds to Win 2021 Super Bowl: 50/1
Vikings Odds to Win NFC Conference: 17/1
Vikings Odds to Win NFC North Division: 2.5/1
Minnesota has the elite receiving corps and one of the best RBs in the game, so why are they striving just to hit .500 instead of fighting for conference title games? The obvious answer would be the QB, but Kirk Cousins threw for over 4,200 yards last year with 35 TD to 13 INT.
The Vikings were 7-9 last season, and not much has changed on the offensive side of the ball. Christian Darrisaw was drafted in the 1st round to help shore up the offensive line while TE Kyle Rudolph is off to the Giants handing over the reins to Irv Smith, Jr. Smith had more catches, yards, and TDs than Rudolph in 2020.
Where Minnesota really hopes to improve is on the defensive side of the football. Danielle Hunter is back after missing all of 2020 with a neck injury while Michael Pierce returns after a COVID opt out last season. The team also signed Patrick Peterson and Dalvin Tomlinson.
Cappers Picks 2021 NFC North Predictions
Is this division really Green Bay and everybody else? The Packers definitely have the offense to hang with anybody this year but they may find out that firing Pettine was a mistake.
Detroit is in a rebuild, although they’ll be a trendy upset pick every week the way Dan Campbell can fire up a team. Chicago could be something if Fields is indeed the real deal, but their secondary is going to be an Achilles heel all season.
Ultimately it looks like Minnesota is the most complete team in the North. The fact they are +250 to win the division despite being 7-9 a season ago says as much too.
2021 NFC North Free Betting Pick — Minnesota +250
What do you think about our 2021 NFC North Predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in the 2021-2022 NFL Season!
CappersPicks.com has NFL Futures Odds up on a ton of 2021 Super Bowl futures, and you will also find DAILY NFL Football lines up as well.