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Chris Meaney
I spent many summers with my family down at the shore.
There was always one day, once a year, where my uncle, his sons and I would erupt into loud arguments on the public beach in Beach Haven, New Jersey. The center of the argument was something all NFL fans do at barbecues, birthday parties or even by themselves late at night.
We project our favorite NFL win totals for the upcoming season.
So, instead of aimlessly yelling “WIN,” “LOSS,” or “TOUGH GAME” in the middle of a crowded beach surrounded by thoroughly annoyed families, I’ve decided to bring that practice to FTN Fantasy. Here is the sixth of my eight-part series where I project every team’s win total for the upcoming season. We already previewed the AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West and NFC East. Today, we project the NFC North.
(All odds from DraftKings Sportsbook)
2024 NFC North Win/Loss Predictions
Detroit Lions
2023 Record: 12-5
2024 Projected Win Total: 10.5
Week 1 (LA Rams, Win): Lions roll in home opener on Sunday Night Football.
Week 2 (Tampa Bay, Win): Close game with strong defensive Buccaneers front, but Goff hits Amon-Ra St. Brown for a late score to clinch the win.
Week 3 (at Arizona, Win): You aren’t beating the Lions without a strong defense.
Week 4 (Seattle, Win): Monday Night Football win sends the Lions into their bye week at a perfect 4-0.
Week 5: Bye
Week 6 (at Dallas, Win): Lions exact revenge for chaotic Week 17 loss last season.
Week 7 (at Minnesota, Loss): Lions swept the Vikings for the first time since 1991 last season. Minnesota ensures that doesn’t happen again.
Week 8 (at Tennessee, Win): Lions back on track at home against weak Titans pass defense.
Week 9 (at Green Bay, Loss): Detroit will split with Green Bay.
Week 10 (at Houston, Win): Lions nab big road win on Sunday night.
Week 11 (Jacksonville, Win): Jaguars lose third time in four games. Lions move to 8-2.
Week 12 (at Indianapolis, Loss): Lions win a competitive game against a fellow dome team.
Week 13 (Chicago, Win): Detroit will split with an improving Chicago team.
Week 14 (Green Bay, Win): Split with Packers, but will meet again this season.
Week 15 (Buffalo, Loss): This game will mean too much to Detroit to lose at home.
Week 16 (at Chicago, Win): Bears earn impressive split with Lions.
Week 17 (at San Francisco, Loss): Tough late-season matchup at San Francisco on Monday Night Football.
Week 18 (Minnesota, Win): Lions win easily to secure home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs.
Lions Final Record: 12-5
Lions follow up with a repeat 12-5 season and earn NFC North title and No. 1 seed in the conference.
Green Bay Packers
2023 Record: 9-8
2024 Projected Win Total: 9.5
Week 1 (Philadelphia, Win): Great win in Brazil to start the season.
Week 2 (Indianapolis, Win): Packers are better all-around team.
Week 3 (at Tennessee, Win): Love wins a close game on the road.
Week 4 (Minnesota, Win): Perfect 4-0 start to match Lions.
Week 5 (at LA Rams, Loss): Packers stumble on road to tough Rams passing game.
Week 6 (Arizona, Win): Packers offense simply too much for limited Cardinals defense.
Week 7 (Houston, Loss): Packers win potential Super Bowl matchup.
Week 8 (at Jacksonville, Win): No bye week after two games in London causes a letdown at home to the Packers.
Week 9 (Detroit, Win): Detroit will split with Green Bay to enter bye week at 7-2.
Week 10: Bye
Week 11 (at Chicago, Loss): Bears shock rival Packers coming off bye week.
Week 12 (San Francisco, Win): Huge bounceback for Green Bay against NFC nemesis.
Week 13 (Miami, Win): Fantastic Thanksgiving matchup goes to Green Bay. Packers stop a Miami express train that enters this game 9-2. Headliner game for Thanksgiving night.
Week 14 (at Detroit, Loss): Packers will split with Lions.
Week 15 (at Seattle, Loss): Sunday night game at Seattle always very tough.
Week 16 (New Orleans, Win): Packers crush Saints after two straight home losses.
Week 17 (at Minnesota, Loss): Vikings pull late-season upset over Packers behind monster game from Justin Jefferson.
Week 18 (Chicago, Win): Packers split with Bears to earn top Wild Card spot.
Packers Final Record: 11-6
Green Bay gets beat by Detroit for division but will meet their division rival again in the playoffs.
Minnesota Vikings
2023 Record: 7-10
2024 Projected Win Total: 6.5
Week 1 (at NY Giants, Loss): Close road loss to Giants to start the season.
Week 2 (San Francisco, Loss): 49ers win at home.
Week 3 (Houston, Loss): Tough back-to-back games against elite opponents.
Week 4:(at Green Bay, Loss): Packers start year undefeated and roll Vikings.
Week 5 (NY Jets, Loss): Bye comes at the right time as Minnesota goes to 0-5.
Week 6: Bye
Week 7 (Detroit, Win): Lions swept the Vikings for the first time since 1991 last season. Minnesota ensures that doesn’t happen again.
Week 8 (at LA Rams, Loss): Sam Darnold turnovers cost Vikings road win at Rams.
Week 9 (Indianapolis, Win): Two evenly matched teams give edge to the home team.
Week 10 (at Jacksonville, Loss): Jaguars among AFC’s elite teams.
Week 11 (at Tennessee, Loss): Second win in three games for Tennessee.
Week 12 (at Chicago, Loss): Chicago scalding hot with four straight wins.
Week 13 (Arizona, Win): Two get-right spots for Vikings.
Week 14 (Atlanta, Win): Second straight win.
Week 15 (Chicago, Win): Vikings split with Bears for third-straight win.
Week 16 (at Seattle, Loss): Seahawks defense stifles Vikings.
Week 17 (Green Bay, Loss): Vikings pull late-season upset over Packers behind monster game from Justin Jefferson.
Week 18 (at Detroit, Loss): Lions win easily to secure home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs.
Vikings Final Record: 5-12
Minnesota fans hope J.J. McCarthy is the answer at quarterback next season.
Chicago Bears
2023 Record: 7-10
2024 Projected Win Total: 9.5
Week 1 (Tennessee, Loss): Titans pull surprising upset against rookie Caleb Williams.
Week 2: (at Houston, Loss): Houston wins Sunday night matchup with Bears.
Week 3 (at Indianapolis, Loss): Colts win as 0-2 home team.
Week 4 (LA Rams, Win): Bears get on board with a nice home win over the Rams.
Week 5 (Carolina Panthers, Win): Caleb Williams gets offense clicking for second straight win.
Week 6 (Jacksonville, Loss): Game is in London. Advantage? Jaguars.
Week 7: Bye
Week 8 (at Washington, Loss): Washington wins fifth straight game.
Week 9: (at Arizona, Win): Bears offense too much for struggling Arizona defense.
Week 10 (New England, Win): Close home win for Bears in challenging lookahead spot with Green Bay on the horizon.
Week 11 (Green Bay, Win): Bears shock rival Packers coming off bye week.
Week 12 (Minnesota, Win): Chicago scalding hot with four straight wins.
Week 13 (at Detroit, Loss): Detroit will split with an improving Chicago team.
Week 14 (at San Francisco, Win): 49ers too tough at home.
Week 15 (at Minnesota, Loss): Vikings split with Bears.
Week 16 (Detroit, Loss): Bears earn impressive split with Lions.
Week 17 (Seattle, Win): Nice home win for the rising Bears team.
Week 18 (at Green Bay, Loss): Packers split with Bears to earn top Wild Card spot.
Bears Final Record: 8-9
Bears fall short of lofty 9.5 projected win total but set up for a playoff run in 2025.
