NFC North Betting: How Do the Bears Stack Up Against Their Divisional Rivals

When the dust settled on the 2024 NFL season, few divisions screamed uncertainty quite like the NFC North. Heading into 2025, the betting charts reflect a poker table with no clear favorite—no team boasts “odds-on” status with the bookies, a rarity shared only with the volatility of the NFC West. For Bears fans, this isn’t just a statistical quirk—it’s an open invitation. Parity reigns, opportunity knocks, and the divisions’ crown, tantalizingly, feels within arm’s reach for all four franchises.

So why is this division—so often defined by dynasties and dominance—suddenly the league’s high-wire act?  Let’s set the table, dissect the odds, and look closely at where the Bears stand in what promises to be a thrilling race for divisional glory.

Chicago Bears

If you crave drama, look no further than the Chicago Bears. NFL odds providers make them the longest-priced of the NFC North quartet, but they are by no means out of contention. The latest online NFL odds currently price them as a +525 shot to win the division, but there is no shortage of intrigue surrounding the Windy City outfit.

Last year’s 5-12 finish showed moments of promise and moments of agony, as a beleaguered offense sputtered behind a battered number-one overall rookie quarterback. Analytical breakdowns were unsparing: after being outclassed by second-picked 2024 draftee Jayden Daniels in Washington, Caleb Williams finished the season in need of a reset.

Is Caleb Williams the answer to the Bears’ prayers? #BodogSessions2 #DaBears pic.twitter.com/i7Pr4fS1V5

— Bodog (@BodogCA) September 3, 2024

Enter Ben Johnson. The new head coach, renowned for his play-calling acumen in Detroit, brings a fresh vision and a hard edge. The offensive line is no longer an afterthought; with additions like Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson, there’s now steel in the trenches. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III inject talent and dynamism into the receiving corps, giving Williams a fighting chance to silence doubters.

Yet, the ghosts of last season linger. A 1-5 divisional record, persistent red-zone woes, and a schedule that reads more like a gauntlet than a roadmap—all stand as hurdles. The consensus opinion is that the talent infusion makes surprises possible, but this remains a build for the future. The defense, inconsistent in both pass rush and takeaways, must also take a leap if the Bears are to claw their way into serious contention.

Still, in a division with no clear frontrunner, hope and chaos walk hand in hand. Chicago is the wild card—dangerous if the blueprint clicks, but volatile if old demons resurface.

Minnesota Vikings

Don’t mistake the Vikings’ +325 odds for middling ambition. Their 2024 campaign was a fever dream—Sam Darnold guiding Minnesota to a 14-3 record, the second best in the NFC, but still only good enough for fifth seed status in the playoffs, courtesy of the stellar 15-2 exploits. Now, 2025 ushers in a new era under center, and no storyline in the division comes with more raw intrigue.

J.J. McCarthy, the highly touted prospect, takes the reins in his sophomore year after a rookie year spent backing up Darnold. Protection is no afterthought in Minneapolis, with advanced blocking metrics placing their offensive line among the league’s best. With Justin Jefferson as the ultimate safety net, McCarthy’s learning curve may be gentler than most. Add in Kevin O’Connell’s steady hand, and you have a franchise built for sustained relevance.

The warning lights flash in subtle places: a daunting schedule lined with playoff-caliber foes, and last year’s +12 turnover margin—a number ripe for regression, according to preseason predictions. On defense, Brian Flores’ unit found form late, but depth remains a concern.

The final verdict? Minnesota straddles the tightrope between upside and uncertainty—they could soar or stumble. One thing that is for certain, however, is that the 2025 campaign will certainly not be boring at US Bank Stadium.

Green Bay Packers

If any team sniffs the vulnerability in Detroit’s armor, it’s Green Bay. Written off early last year, the Packers flipped the script behind Jordan Love’s stirring late-season charge. His QB efficiency stats detail a steep upward curve—Love finished 2024 as one of the league’s hottest signal-callers, injecting belief and swagger back into Lambeau’s frigid terraces.

Key reinforcements have landed. Nate Hobbs brings sorely needed playmaking to the secondary while Aaron Banks fortifies the trenches. And with Matthew Golden on board, Green Bay’s first first-round wide receiver in 23 years, an additional spark has been added to an offense already brimming with promise. Their 1-5 division record last term was due to several agonizingly narrow losses, and if Lady Luck swings the other way in 2025, the Cheeseheads could be well on their way to the divisional title.

Green Bay’s 2025 schedule offers pockets of relief compared to their rivals, and improved depth on both sides of the ball means they have little margin for excuses. With +250 odds, sportsbook skepticism abounds—but for analysts and die-hards alike, there’s a sense that the Packers are waiting for exactly the right moment to strike.

Detroit Lions

Detroit’s transformation from punching bag to powerhouse is one of the NFL’s most compelling sagas. In 2024, the Lions didn’t just win—they dominated, steamrolling opponents to an NFC-best 15-2 record and a second straight NFC North title. ESPN’s advanced metrics gave their offense near-elite grades, powered by the steely presence of Jared Goff and a bruising, top-10 offensive line.

Even so, however, their regular-season heroics counted for nothing in the postseason. The Motor City outfit was on the receiving end of a shocking upset at the hands of the upstart Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs, and it remains to be seen whether they can recover. Following that defeat, the winds of change have ripped through Ford Field.

With Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn—architects of the offense and defense—departed and center Frank Ragnow retired, questions multiply. Can a line once celebrated for its cohesion reload overnight? Will Goff still command with poise if pressured more often? The defensive secondary, often a patchwork of spare parts, remains an Achilles’ heel, as demonstrated to devastating effect by Jayden Daniels in that postseason blowout.

At +135, the Lions remain the NFC North favorites, but their grip looks less than ironclad. They’re frontrunners with a target on their back, but one wrong step could open the floodgates for chaos beneath.