NFC NORTH MIDSEASON REVISTED

CHICAGO BEARS

The Chicago Bears finished the first half of the season with a 5-3 record. Here’s a look at how they have fared and what’s ahead:

First-half rewind: Coming off four straight last-place finishes, the Bears were not a trendy pick to contend in the NFC North. But Chicago surprised by winning three of four to open the season. Plus, in losses to Green Bay, New England and Miami, the Bears were competitive. New coach Matt Nagy has been a breath of fresh air. The Bears were ultra-stale in the forgettable John Fox era, but under Nagy, Chicago’s offense has been reborn. It has also helped that Bears general manager Ryan Pace managed to acquire all-world pass-rusher Khalil Mack from the Raiders prior to Week 1. The Bears just wrapped up their most enjoyable first half of the season since Lovie Smith’s final year in 2012. 

Grade:  A.

What’s the biggest factor in the Bears making a deep playoff run? Mack has to be healthy. The defense struggled for a couple weeks after Mack suffered a right ankle injury on Oct. 14 in Miami. On offense, the Bears need consistency out of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The 24-year old had some really good moments in the first half -- most notably his six-touchdown performance versus the Bucs in Week 4 -- but he struggled at times with accuracy and decision-making. Trubisky is a tremendous athlete. He has all the tools to be successful, but he has to put it all together.

Here's how I see the rest of the Chicago Bears season playing out.

DATE	OPP.	W-L
Nov. 11	vs. Lions	W
Nov. 18	vs. Vikings	L
Nov. 22	at Lions	L
Dec. 2	at Giants	W
Dec. 9	vs. Rams	L
Dec. 16	vs. Packers	W
Dec. 23	at 49ers	W
Dec. 30	at Vikings	L

FINAL SEASON RECORD 9-7

MVP: Mack. He dominated the first four games, winning NFC Defensive Player of the Month in September with five sacks, four forced fumbles and a pick-six. The Bears wisely rested Mack’s ankle in Week 8 against the New York Jets and the following week against the Bills. As long as Mack’s ankle is close to 100 percent for the final eight games, the Bears have a chance to finish with a winning record.

Biggest surprise: Rookie Bilal Nichols. The fifth-round defensive tackle out of Delaware has opened eyes in recent weeks. Nichols not only earned a role in Chicago’s defensive line rotation, but he has also become a playmaker. It’s still early, but right now, Nichols looks like a late-round steal.

Hurdle to overcome: The schedule. The Bears play five of their final eight games against their division rivals. Chicago has a stretch of three straight NFC North games (Detroit, Minnesota and Detroit) from Nov. 11-22. The Bears also have a tough home game versus the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 9.

DETRIOT LIONS

The Detroit Lions finished the first half of the season with a 3-5 record. Here’s a look at how they have fared and what’s ahead:

First-half rewind, with grade: It couldn’t have started worse, and then it couldn’t have gotten much better. And just when things seemed to be leveling off, the franchise traded Golden Tate to Philadelphia for a third-round pick, coach Matt Patricia and defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson got into tiffs with reporters and the Lions were soundly beaten by Seattle and Minnesota. Then they fired special teams coach Joe Marciano on Monday because Patricia wasn't happy with the overall production and performance of the unit. Detroit rebounded from the season-opening calamity that was the blowout loss to the Jets to beat the Patriots and Packers, arguably the Lions’ two toughest opponents to date. A run game led by Kerryon Johnson has been a surprise, as has the play of the (mostly) healthy offensive line -- at least prior to the 10-sack, 17-hit outing against the Vikings. Detroit’s defense has struggled, particularly against the run, and the special teams have been worse than expected. Overall, though, things are going a little bit worse than anticipated. 

Grade:  D

What needs the most improvement? The roster has some holes, particularly at linebacker and the outside cornerback spot opposite Darius Slay now that Nevin Lawson has moved into the slot when necessary -- and Lawson had one of the better games of his career Sunday against Minnesota shadowing Adam Thielen. The defensive line could use some playmakers and the offensive line, with T.J. Lang's continued injury history, is likely going to need a new piece sooner or later. But more than that, it's the coaching. Patricia's team has been handled pretty easily in four of the five losses and he admitted inconsistency has been an issue. The offense, be it through play calls or its play, has struggled to move the ball the past two weeks and the defense still has the same issues against the run. There are a lot of problems and this team is one that appears to be trending downward. Fast.

Here's how I see the rest of the Detroit Lions season playing out.

DATE	OPP.	W-L
Nov. 11	at Bears	L
Nov. 18	vs. Panthers	W
Nov. 22	vs. Bears	W
Dec. 2	vs. Rams	L
Dec. 9	at Cardinals	W
Dec. 16	at Bills	W
Dec. 23	vs. Vikings	W
Dec. 30	at Packers	L

FINAL SEASON RECORD 8-8

MVP: General manager Bob Quinn devoted so many resources to the Lions’ run game and offensive line the past two offseasons, and that has finally come to fruition. Much of that is due to Johnson, who might be Detroit’s best back in 20 years. When he’s in the game and given the ball a reasonable amount of times, Detroit’s offense moves better than it has in years. It eats up clock, sells Matthew Stafford’s play-action even better and keeps defenses from focusing too much on the Lions’ receivers. All of that runs through Johnson, who is on pace for a 1,000-yard season. He also has been the benchmark for success. Through the first seven weeks, when Johnson had 12 or more carries and rushed for 70 or more yards, Detroit won. When he didn’t, the Lions lost. But he has been a revelation that has changed the Lions' offense -- and if that continues, Detroit has a chance to be relevant in the second half of the season.

Biggest surprise: The offensive line (at least prior to the Vikings game, which for now we'll call an aberration but will be worth watching). Detroit’s defense was always going to be a work in progress. But the offensive line really struggled to open holes for backs and protect Stafford the past two seasons. This year? The Lions have a run game ranked in the top half of the league (104.3 yards per game, 4.48 yards per attempt) and have protected Stafford well enough for him to have time to find open receivers and not be beat up every week. That’s huge for any success the Lions will have the rest of the way.

Hurdle to overcome: Being unable to stop the run. The addition of Harrison should help -- it showed in his debut against Seattle -- but the Lions are still allowing 142.5 yards per game rushing and 5.14 yards per attempt. Both numbers are in the bottom five of the league. As much as Harrison can help in the middle, outside runs are where Detroit has been poor all season long and that’s more on the linebackers and edge-setters to make sure backs can’t get to the outside. If Detroit can't figure it out, it's tough to expect the Lions to win more than six games.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

The Green Bay Packers finished the first half of the season with a 3-4-1 record. Here’s a look at how they have fared and what's ahead:

First-half rewind: Everything was set up for the Packers to go into their toughest stretch -- four road games in five weeks starting in Week 8 at the Rams -- with a near flawless record. They had three of their first four at home and seemingly winnable road games at Washington and Detroit. It had all the makings of a 5-1 or even 6-0 start heading into their Week 7 bye. But on the way to that fast start, Aaron Rodgers banged up his knee and expressed his unhappiness with the offense, all while the defense took longer than expected to adapt to new coordinator Mike Pettine’s scheme. Had they been able to hold on and knock off the Rams instead of losing in the final minutes or upset Tom Brady and the Patriots this past week, the perspective at this point might be much different. 

Grade:  C

Here's how I see the rest of the Green Bay Packers season playing out.

DATE	OPP.	W-L
Nov. 11	vs. Dolphins	W
Nov. 15	at Seahawks	L
Nov. 25	at Vikings	L
Dec. 2	vs. Cardinals	W
Dec. 9	vs. Falcons	W
Dec. 16	at Bears	W
Dec. 23	at Jets	W
Dec. 30	vs. Lions	W

Final season 9-6-1

MVP: Even slowed somewhat by his ailing left knee, Rodgers has produced some magical moments -- the comeback against the Bears after the injury in Week 1 and the game-tying and winning drives against the 49ers among them. By themselves, his numbers (15 touchdowns and just one interception) are what’s expected of a two-time NFL MVP, yet the offense still remains somewhat of a question mark. Part of that could be due to his completion percentage (60.6, which is on pace for the lowest of his career). Rodgers may have to continue to carry the Packers if they’re to make a run at the playoffs. The good thing is he has one of the most productive receivers, Davante Adams, on his side.

Biggest surprise: That Aaron Jones has not had the ball in his hands more. Coach Mike McCarthy messed around with a running-back-by-committee approach even after Jones came off his two-game suspension to start the season. Yes, Jones has limitations in pass protection and McCarthy wanted to keep him fresh for the long haul, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone around the league who didn’t think Jones should have played more given how effective he has been. With Ty Montgomery traded away, Jones should get the bulk of the work supplemented by some Jamaal Williams on third downs.

Hurdle to overcome: The road woes. Losses at the Redskins, Lions, Rams and Patriots have forced the Packers to play catch up away from Lambeau Field. And they still have to go to Seattle on a short week plus division games at Minnesota and Chicago in addition to the Jets. They're 3-0-1 at home and they might have to run the table there just to stay above .500 this season. If they can't, look for another offseason of major organizational change after last year's coordinator and general manager purge.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Minnesota Vikings finished the first half of the season with a 5-3-1 record. Here's a look at how they have fared and what's ahead:

First-half rewind: Quarterback Kirk Cousins and his skill players have been quick to point out that stats, no matter how good they look on paper, don't tell the whole story. Minnesota ranked in the top 10 in both total offense and defense during the first half of the season but experienced ups and downs along the way. It took the Vikings' defense the first four weeks to work out the areas where it struggled (allowing explosive gains, biting on misdirection plays, struggling to establish a pass rush) before reclaiming its identity. Offensively, the line has been a constant work in progress and hindered production on the ground until Latavius Murray broke through in Week 5 with the team's first rushing TD of the season. Those issues have forced the Vikings to rely on their passing attack, which is one of the best in the league. It's no coincidence that Cousins and Adam Thielen are on pace for record-setting seasons based on how aggressive the Vikings have been through the air, which is something expected to remain a constant throughout the second half. 

Grade:  B

What's the biggest factor in the Vikings making a deep playoff run? Minnesota’s defense needs to continue playing at this level where by remaining dominant on third down, pulling out big stops in the red zone and scoring off turnovers. The Vikings also need Cousins, who has performed well on the road and under pressure, especially in prime-time games at the Bears, home against the Packers and at New England. He has proven to be the upgrade Minnesota needed at quarterback in a handful of areas, but eliminating costly fumbles could be the measure between making a deep playoff run and an early exit. The Vikings also don't need to force the run game, though they're hoping Dalvin Cook (hamstring) will be able to add an element they've been missing with his explosive ability. Until then, Cousins continues to make the most of one of the best receiving duos in the NFL.

Here's how I see the rest of Minnesota Vikings season playing out.

DATE	OPP.	W-L
Nov. 18	at Bears	L
Nov. 25	vs. Packers	W
Dec. 2	at Patriots	L
Dec. 10	at Seahawks	L
Dec. 16	vs. Dolphins	W
Dec. 23	at Lions	W
Dec. 30	vs. Bears	W

Final season record 8-7-1

MVP: Thielen. The Pro Bowl receiver is setting team and league records every week and has been the most consistent part of the Vikings' attack with a record eight consecutive 100-yard receiving games to start the season. Leading the league in receiving and on pace to break the single-season record for receptions, Thielen is a major part of what Minnesota does offensively, and offensive coordinator John DeFilippo keeps finding new, creative ways to get the ball to him. Thielen's ability in the slot has dismantled defenses all season. When Thielen has the chance to show what he can do with his footwork and route running when facing man coverage, it's usually game over for his opponent.

Biggest surprise: The Vikings have a talented roster but haven't consistently performed like a team destined to win a title. They've won important road games but also lost head scratchers such as at home to Buffalo. They played the Rams and Saints -- two of the NFC's best -- close, but not close enough. One week the offense is firing on all cylinders while the defense stumbles, and the other week it's the opposite. Minnesota's brutally hard stretch continues in the second half, opening things up at Soldier Field, a place they haven't consistently performed well in years past.

Hurdle to overcome: Minnesota's offensive line has struggled to overcome injuries and its lack of depth, and that's probably going to remain a consistent theme. Cousins' ability to maneuver at times and get rid of the ball quickly has helped the Vikings rise above tough situations, but he also has struggled with pocket awareness and trying to save himself from incurring negative plays. Many will place the blame on Cousins in those instances, and some of that is a fair assessment, but overcoming issues with the offensive line is an ongoing process.