It was a cold piss type of week in the NFC North for Packers fans. The Lions embarrassed the Packers, the Vikings won, and the Bears got one step closer to two top 4 picks. Ugh.

Lions

The Lions beat the Packers 34-20.

Game Notes

• It was like the script for this game was designed to make fun of this article. All the guys who I've made fun of over the past year for the Lions played well. David Montgomery had 32 carries for 121 yards. Alim McNeil was resetting the LOS on almost every run. Brian Branch had 7 tackles and even played after being carted off. Jared Goff played well after an early pick. Aidan Hutchinson had a sack and a half. Really, the only guy who didn't play well was Jahmyr Gibbs who had 51 yards on 12 touches. I'm sure he'll have 150 yards in the next matchup. 
• Of course, the Lions' strong performance wasn't because NFL script writers are finally ready to let Lions fans have a little fun, they're just well coached, they've drafted well, and they're ahead of where the Packers are in the rebuild. It makes sense when they had top-ten picks for about 60 years. 
• Not only is the team doing better, the fans came close to outnumbering Packers fans in the game on Thursday night. As someone who went to the game and sat next to a Lions fan, let's just say it wasn't a great look. 
• Unfortunately, the Lions are a good team. They dominated the Packers on both lines and gave Goff the space to do just enough to complement the run game. Right now, they look like the clear number 3 or 4 team in the NFC and it's hard to imagine them not winning the division. 

Former Packers

The current Packers played so poorly that the Lions were probably overjoyed to not have any former ones on the roster. 

Next Week

The Lions play the Panthers. 

Bears

The Bears choked against a team that lost by 50 last week. 

Game Notes

• Justin Fields started out hot, completing 22 of his first 23 passes. He finished cold, going 6/12 with a pick against the worst defense, over the first four weeks, in DVOA history (guess who coordinated the second worst). 
• That hot streak was enough to finally get DJ Moore going. Moore had 131 yards and a touchdown. Cole Kmet also had a nice game with 7 catches for 85 yards and Khalil Herbert had over 100 yards on the ground. Can't wait for the Packers to play this Broncos defense. 
• In can it get any more awkward news, Chase Claypool, who the team traded the 32nd overall pick for last year, was a healthy inactive and apparently was told to go home and not come back. The Bears are likely trying to convince another team to trade a defensive coordinator or a Polish sausage or something for him.  
• The defense looked fine until commencing the choke job in the second half. TJ Edwards led the team in tackles again and they even had a sack in the game. 

Former Packers

• EQ St. Brown and Bobby Tonyan finally got on the stat sheet for the year with 21 yards and 18 yards, respectively. 
• Edwards had 8 tackles and Jack Sanborn had 5 in former Packers news. 

Next Week

The Bears play the Commanders on Thursday night. Amazon has got to be asking for a refund for that game. 

Vikings

The Vikings pulled off a 21-13 win over the Panthers. 

Game Notes

• Cousins tried to blow this game with an early pick six, but the Panthers just aren't good enough. Cousins ended up 12-19 for 139 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 picks. His most impressive play of the day was probably sprinting 65 yards at a terrible angle after his interception and getting nearly decapitated by a block.
• Justin Jefferson had an insane 65% of the team's pass production, though that was only 85 yards. Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers played well, combining for 135 rush yards on 22 carries. 
• On defense, Brian Flores finally took a chill pill, reducing the team's blitz rate from over 80% to under 40%. This was probably because primo free agent acquisition Marcus Davenport (who the Saints once traded up with the Packers to take) made his debut and recorded a sack. 
• The Vikings' defense beat up the Panthers' bad o-line and undersized QB all day. Harrison Smith had 3 sacks, six players had at least one TFL, and they held Carolina to just 232 yards.

Former Packers

• Dean Lowry had 2 tackles and his first PFF grade over 50 on the season. 

Next Week

The Vikings play the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon.