NFC North – Week 4 Divisional Recap
Week 4 saw a pair of divisional matchups. The Bears went into Green Bay to renew the NFL’s oldest rivalry and the Lions went into Minnesota in a battle of 1-loss teams.
Detroit Lions 3-1
Green Bay Packers 3-1
Minnesota Vikings 2-2
Chicago Bears 1-3
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Detroit Lions
The Lions went into Minnesota for a divisional battle.
What they did well
The Lions defense stepped up and only allowed a second quarter touchdown. They held the Viking running game to just 87 rushing yards. Anthony Zettel pitched in a couple of sacks to put an exclamation point on the defensive effort. Ameer Abdullah ran for 94 yards and a touchdown and Matthew Stafford avoided turning the ball over.
Where they needed improvement
The Lions only netted 154 yards passing after you take away the yardage from the 6 sacks. Their total offensive output was 251 yards, something that will have to improve if they would like to continue their winning ways. The Lions made 3 trips to the red zone, but only hit pay dirt once. This was their lowest scoring output of the season.
What is Next
The Lions host the Panthers in Week 5.
Green Packers
The hosted the Bears on Thursday night to renew the game’s oldest rivalry.
What they did well
The Packers finally got their offense on track, breaking out for a season high 35 points. Aaron Rodgers only had 179 passing yards, but he threw for 4 touchdowns. Jordy Nelson had 4 catches for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns. Their red zone offense was 5 for 5. The most important thing for the Packers is that they did not have a turnover.
Where they needed improvement
Their red zone defense allowed touchdowns both times that the Bears were in it. Their run defense allowed 103 yards and they only recorded 1 sack. The Packers may have to figure out how to deal with the loss of Davante Adams after the vicious hit he took.
What is Next
The Packers travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys in Week 5.
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Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings hosted the Lions in a divisional battle.
What they did well
The Vikings held the Lions to their lowest point total so far this season. Their defense came up big with 6 sacks, including 2 from Danielle Hunter. Case Keenum did not have a great day, but he did not turn the ball over. Stefon Diggs had 5 catches for 98 yards. Dalvin Cook was averaging 5.1 yards per carry and had a touchdown before coming out with a torn ACL.
Where they needed improvement
The Vikings need to move the ball better. They only made it to the red zone twice all day, and only scored on one of those trips. The Vikings also need to do a better job of holding on to the ball. They lost 3 fumbles, and that led to 11 points for the Lions.
What is next
The Vikings travel to face the Bears in Week 5.
Chicago Bears
The Bears went into Lambeau Field to take on the Packers.
What they did well
The Bears gained 103 yards on the ground, and their offensive line kept Mike Glennon on his feet. They were efficient in the red zone, reaching the end zone both times they made it that far. The Bear defense kept Aaron Rodgers under 200 yards passing and sacked him twice.
Where they needed improvement
The Bears did not hold on to the ball, losing 2 fumbles and giving up 2 interceptions. So, even though they held Rodgers under 200 yards, he was able to throw 4 touchdowns. They gave up 5 touchdowns on Packer trips to the red zone. Jordan Howard led the team with 53 yards, but he averaged just under 3 yards per carry.
What is Next
The Bears host the Vikings in Week 5.
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