NFC North Week 13 Recap

The Vikings are in charge, but the Lions and Packers are sniffing the playoffs.

NFC North – Week 13 Divisional Recap

NFC North Week 13 Recap: The Vikings came back to win their 8th straight, the Lions fell hard, the Packers found a way to win, and the Bears lost again.

Minnesota Vikings          10-2

Detroit Lions                    6-6

Green Bay Packers          6-6

Chicago Bears                  3-9

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Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings scored late a late touchdown to secure their 8th straight win, 14-9 over the Falcons in Atlanta.

What they did well

The Vikings held Matt Ryan to under 200 yards passing and the entire Falcon offense to less than 300 total yards. More importantly, they kept the Falcons out of the end zone. Case Keenum did not have many passing yards, but he did have 2 touchdowns and  no interceptions. His 6 yard touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph proved to be the game winner.

Where they needed improvement

The Vikings had trouble scoring against the Falcons. They took a 7-6 lead into halftime and were down 9-7 at the end of three quarters. The Vikings did score on the first play of the fourth quarter, but they did not score again. They will need to be able to score more effectively if they hope to parlay their good record into some playoff wins.

What is Next

The Vikings travel to Carolina to face the Panthers in Week 14.

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Detroit Lions

The Lions got pummeled in Baltimore as the Ravens won 44-20 in Week 13.

What they did well

Matthew Stafford threw for 292 yards before coming out after having his hand stepped on. Jake Rudock came in and added 24 yards to get the Lions over 300 for the day. They scored touchdowns on three of their first four drives in the second half to get to within 1 score.

Where they needed improvement

The Lions were not able to put any points on the board in the first half. They gave up the first 20 and last 17 points of the game. Stafford fumbled the ball away and both he and Rudock threw an interception. Rudock’s interception was returned for a 45 yard touchdown that sealed the game.

What is Next

The Lions travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers in Week 14.

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Green Bay Packers

The Packers came home and squeaked out a 26-20 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13.

What they did well

Brett Hundley did not throw an interception and the Packers did not turn the ball over. Jamaal Williams ran for 113 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Jones only had one carry, but it was a big one. His 20 yard touchdown run won the game in overtime without having to let Tampa Bay get a chance.

Where they needed improvement

The Packers let a 17-7 lead slip into a 20-7 deficit. Hundley only threw for 84 yards, and it seems clear that he cannot throw the deep ball. Luckily for the Packers, they will be getting Aaron Rodgers back soon. Unfortunately, they will have to depend on Hundley for at least one more week.

What is next

The Packers travel to Cleveland to take on the winless Browns in Week 14.

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Chicago Bears

The Bears fell at home to the San Francisco 49ers 15-14 in Week 13.

What they did well

Tarik Cohen had a 61 yard punt return for a touchdown that gave the Bears a 14-6 halftime lead. The defense kept the 49ers out of the end zone. Kyle Fuller had an interception in the first quarter that led to the first touchdown of the game.

Where they needed improvement

The Bears gained 147 total yards for the entire game. Mitch Trubisky threw for only 102 yards, though he did not throw an interception. The defense did not break, but they did bend a little too much, giving up 388 total yards. The killer was an 86 yard drive that resulted in the game winning field goal with just 5 seconds left in the game.

What is Next

The Bears travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in Week 14.

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