2020 NFL Win Total Plays - NFC North
The 2020 NFL season is still expected to start on time, which would mean that the opening Thursday night game would be played on September 10th. Let’s all hope that it plays out as expected. There could be fans in the stands but the NFL is currently considering the idea of having fans sign a COVID-19 waiver in order to get into the stadiums. That would prevent the Owners from getting sued should any fans get sick.
The NFL Schedule was released a couple of months ago and so I will now be going over the Win totals, by division, for each team. Today I will tackle the NFC North and below you can find the other win total previews I have done so far.
All Win Totals & Odds Are Courtesy Of Betonline.ag
Chicago Bears
Win Total - Over 8.5 (+130), Under 8.5 (-160)
The Chicago Bears went just 8-8 last year and I see them having a hard time beating that record this year. The Bears didn’t have a pick until number 43 in the draft and they chose TE Cole Kmet from Notre Dame. He is a solid TE but the issue is that Chicago already had 10 of them on the roster. They didn’t need another one. That’s when I knew Chicago would not be a playoff team this year. They did bring in Nick Foles to battle Mitchell Trubisky for the starting QB role but with a shortened training camp the pair will not get enough reps to be effective this year. The defense will have to carry the Bears this year and it will be a good one but I just don’t see the defense doing enough for them to bag nine wins. The home slate is tough with games against the Colts, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Minnesota, Green Bay, and Houston. Their only two slam dunk wins at home would be against the Giants and Lions. I will call for them to go 4-4 at best at home. On the road, they have pretty easy games against the Lions, Panthers, and Jaguars, but they also have toughies against Atlanta, the Rams, Tennessee, Green Bay, & Minnesota. No better than 4-4 on the road. 8-8 is the best this team can do this year. Prediction: Chicago Under 8.5 (-160)
Detroit Lions
Win Total - Over 6.5 (-130), Under 6.5 (+110)
The Detroit Lions went 0-9 in their last nine games last year to finish3-12-1 overall. They were 2-10 against the NFC, including 0-6 against the division. Detroit did make some improvements this year but they were not enough to put them into the playoff conversation. Matthew Stafford missed the final eight games last year but he is healthy and should be in the running for Comeback Player of the Year. The wide receiver corps is very solid with Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr, and Danny Amendola. They also improved their ground game with the addition of D’Andre Swift. The offense will not be a problem for them. the pass defense was the worst in the league, so Detroit used the 3rd pick in the draft overall on CB Jeff Okudah. He should greatly upgrade their secondary, but Detroit still has other holes on that side of the ball. Their road slate is tough with the only two winnable games being at Jacksonville and Carolina. The rest of their road games include Green Bay, Arizona, Atlanta, Minnesota, Chicago and Tennessee. At best, the Lions will go 2-6 on the road. The home slate has all three division opponents plus Houston, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay. The best they will do at home is 4-4. I can only find six wins at best for the Lions this year. Prediction: Detroit Under 6.5 (+110).
Green Bay Packers
Win Total - Over 9 (-115), Under 9 (-115)
Lasy year, the Green Bay Packers went 13-3 in Matt LaFleur's first season at the helm of the team. It will be very hard for them to duplicate that feat this year. The Packers had a miserable draft, which I ranked as the worst in the league. They used a 1st round pick on QB Jordan Love, who will be the heir apparent to Aaron Rodgers. It was a questionable pick for a team that really needed help at wide receiver. They did not address that need at all in the offseason. The offense will be good this year but not great. The defense could be an issue this year, especially if they can’t stop the run. They were 23rd in that department a year ago and the Packers did not do much to upgrade that area. Green Bay has very winnable home games against Detroit, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Chicago, and Jacksonville, while also playing Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Tennessee. Green Bay should go at least 6-2 in those games but it could be a bit worse if not many fans are allowed in the stands. That would hurt the solid home field advantage that they have. Their first six road games are brutal as they play Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Houston, San Francisco, and Indianapolis. They also have games in Chicago and Detroit. Still, against that schedule, I just can’t see more than three wins on the road. The O/U is set at nine for the Packers this year and that is exactly the amount of wins I expect them to have this year. Prediction: Green bay 9 Wins (Push)
Minnesota Vikings
Win Total - Over 9 (-105), Under 9 (-115)
While the Green Bay Packers were having the worst draft in the league, I ranked the Vikings as having the best draft this year. Minnesota lost wide receiver Stefon Digs but he was quickly replaced by 1st rounder Justin Jefferson (LSU). He will fit in nicely with Adam Thielen, who will look to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2019. Minnesota also has Dalvin Cook, who is developing into one of the best offenses in the land and Kirk Cousins at QB. The offense should be fine this year. The defense will be much improved after finishing 14th overall and 15th against the pass. They addressed their secondary by drafting CB Jeff Gladney (No. 31) and CB Cameron Dantzler (No. 89). They are clearly the most complete team in the NFC North. Now let’s take a gander at that schedule. The road slate is a bit brutal, with games against Indianapolis, Houston, Seattle, Green Bay, Chicago, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and Detroit. Despite that slate of games, I will call for them to go 4-4 on the road with wins against Detroit, Chicago Seattle, and Houston. Call it a gut feeling. That means they need to go just 6-2 at home to get the Over and they should at least do that. Their home slate includes games against Green Bay, Tennessee, Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas, Carolina, Jacksonville, and Chicago. Even if the Vikes go 3-5 on the road, their home slate should see them go 7-1. The Dallas game could be a bit dicey. Still, Minnesota should go 10-6 overall, and even if they go just 9-7, it will be a push. Prediction: Minnesota Over 9 (-105).