Around the NFC North: Conference Championships
Maybe hold onto your QB.
By Mike Price
Sadly, no NFC North teams made the Conference Championships round. The Bears' luck ran out, and the Packers never had any to begin with. The Lions and Vikings couldn't be bothered to make the playoffs. We don't have anything to talk about with the losers division today, but we can at least revisit some familiar names.
Sam Darnold
When the Vikings had to choose between Darnold, McCarthy, and maybe even Aaron Rodgers last year, I made fun of them in advance for potentially overpaying Darnold when he choked away home-field advantage in the final regular-season game and then lost the playoff game. This year's Darnold sitll hasn't seen ghosts.
Darnold was 25/36 for 346 yards, 3 TDs, and no picks, and a 127.8 QB rating. An incredible performance against one of the league's top defenses.
If Darnold played like this last year, the Vikings' trophy case would exist right now.
Matt Stafford
I actually had a similar reaction to Darnold when the Rams gave up a bunch to trade for Stafford. There were these stories about how the Rams only got him because Shanahan wasn't awake or something when the trade happened, otherwise the 49ers would've done the trade. Stafford put up a lot of stats in Detroit, but a lot of TDs, too. I didn't think he was a QB worth this level of freak-out.
Wrong again. Stafford's performance, 0.2 QB rating points lower than Darnold's with 374 total pass yards against the league's best defense, was arguably even more impressive. Obviously, we all knew already that Stafford was amazing now. The Rams won a super bowl with him and he's going to win MVP this year. But it's fun to talk about how the Lions and Vikings both pissed away a championship-level QB.
Davante Adams
Davante's decision to ditch the Packers for the worst QB in the league has to be one of the worst in NFL history. Jordan Love was substantially better than peak Derek Carr in his first season starting. Have to think the Packers would have a Super Bowl if Adams had stayed.
He's been chasing the super bowl and has now been to five championship games and lost each one. Not his fault necessarily, Davante had four catches for 89 yards and a tud in this one. Just not enough.
A lot of Packers fans were rooting for Davante in this game, but I can't do it. Maybe I'm too sensitive, but ditching the team that drafted him and boosted him up during the Dropvante years for Derek Carr is insane to me, and I can't get over it.
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Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved from Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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Comments (34)
splitpea1
January 27, 2026 at 10:25 am
Noting how Seattle lined up JSN all over the place to maximum advantage and he had a BIG game...Can you see Golden being able to do that one day? Maybe being a little optimistic, but I can.
Noting some of the excellent CBs we saw in both conference championships like Surtain, Gonzalez, and Witherspoon...These guys are elite, and the Packers will need CBs with similar talent if they're thinking of advancing further. Of course we had a chance to draft Gonzalez, but Gute gifted us with LVN instead.
LambeauPlain
January 27, 2026 at 10:40 am
When Adams took the same money to go play with his good buddy, Derek Carr, he left because he didn't know what Rodgers was going to do as he was currently starring in his soap opera. DA even stated he felt Carr had an even greater chance to win a SB than Rodgers in the future.
That really surprised me. But then to reunite with Rodgers a few short years later with the mangled Jets...I don't really know what motivates DA more...money, the stats, or a SB.
WestCoastPackerBacker
January 27, 2026 at 11:30 am
I think Adams wants to make the Hall of Fame and max out his earnings along the way. He should have known what a sh..show the Raiders would be, even with Carr. Yeah, I’m over DA..And yes even though GB lost to the hated Bears in the post season, it is fun to see former DET and MIN QBs get to the Super Bowl. Wonder what Titans fans are saying about the coach they let go who took a 2nd year QB to the title game.
Also celebrating the Bears QB throwing 5 picks in 2 playoff games. Though CHI fans have all kinds of excuses.
LaFleur and Gutey better up their game because the NFC north finally has some good coaching. We’ll see if they can sustain it in CHI with lower draft picks and a tougher schedule. The Lions were last in the division after winning it two years in a row.
TarynsEyes
January 27, 2026 at 11:50 am
Detroit finishing in last place doesn't make GB finishing a 1 1/2 game better sound very good either.
WestCoastPackerBacker
January 27, 2026 at 05:24 pm
True. Just making the point that as hard as it is to be successful in the NFL, it’s much harder to sustain it. SEA had a lot of down years and now they’re good again. We’ll see how the Bears sustain.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 27, 2026 at 02:40 pm
The Bears have done an excellent job of drafting the past 2 in particular. 4 impact players from each class.
This year's draft isn't looked at as all that strong, with the 27 draft shaping up to be one of th strongest in years.
I can definitely see Poles trading their first round pick for an impact defensive player. May be the best way to utilize it
WorseWisconsin
January 28, 2026 at 10:51 am
"This year's draft isn't looked at as all that strong"
Certainly the top of the draft doesn't have a lot in the way of true blue-chip prospects; IMHO only Styles and Reese would count as blue-chip in the previous 2 drafts. There's definitely talent, but with noteworthy concerns (Bain's injury and arm length, for example).
But the upside is that it seems fairly deep in 2nd&3rd-round-quality talent. And there are quality defensive players in this draft, even if they're not clear-cut blue-chip.
It's a good year to be in the bottom quarter of the draft.
LambeauPlain
January 27, 2026 at 10:48 am
Other recent "news" in the North:
Packers QB coach Sean Mannion is getting interviews for the Eagles open OC position.
Nixon had been selected as a CB replacement for the farce formerly known as the "Pro Bowl".
dobber
January 27, 2026 at 10:52 am
Mannion has done good work with Love and Willis. I'd hate to see him get away. If Stenavich is hired as an OC elsewhere, Mannion would be an internal candidate for that opening.
"Nixon had been selected as a CB replacement for the farce formerly known as the "Pro Bowl"."
Just like the MLB AS game, any accolades that come so significantly from fan voting can't mean very much. I hope he gets a chance to play some flag football.
egbertsouse
January 27, 2026 at 02:06 pm
Maybe he can get a taunting penalty in the flag football game.
MitchAnthony
January 27, 2026 at 11:20 am
So you're saying there's a chance that someone gets a 15 yard personal foul or unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in a ridiculous flag football game?
BobWellhoefer
January 28, 2026 at 10:20 am
I think everyone needs to temper their expectations regarding a GB super bowl. It will simply not happen with this regime. Is getting to the SB a realistic expectation? Of course. Take a look at New England, who have been to the SB going on SIX times since the Pack sniffed one in 2010. Is getting to the SB realistic for the Pack? If past is prologue, no. There are a myriad of reasons why the Pack hasn't been to a SB, and they all stem from decisions made by this staff. Obviously, the Patriots made more correct decisions than the Pack and every year there is always another team that makes more correct decisions than GB. This is a pattern, and year after year, the staff seems incapable of making enough correct decisions. It's really that simple.
WorseWisconsin
January 28, 2026 at 11:16 am
"I think everyone needs to temper their expectations regarding a GB super bowl."
I think all 4 NFC North teams have enough flaws that their rosters as currently constructed are not quite SuperBowl caliber.
But all 4 are close enough that a solid draft that successfully addressed their biggest issues could vault any one of them into superbowl contention, though the Vikings clearly have the hardest problem to solve: the QB. But even with their poor QB play, they finished with a winning record.
Leatherhead
January 27, 2026 at 11:07 am
The two best offensive teams in the NFC were in the Championship game. New England was the top scoring team in the AFC. And how far behind them was Green Bay?. About 100 points. As it is, the Packers offense is 3rd in the NFC North, behind Detroit and Chicago. We just lost our offensive coordinator. Our best WR might be leaving in FA. Our excellent backups, Willis and Wilson, are probably leaving in FA.
I'm still searching for signs that we'll be better on offense in 2026.
WestCoastPackerBacker
January 27, 2026 at 11:36 am
Kraft back. Watson healthy to begin the year. Golden and Belton with some experience. Morgan in the right position. Maybe some better luck with health. Savion Williams healthy and with some experience.
Leatherhead
January 27, 2026 at 12:44 pm
OK. I feel better now. Not 100 points better, but better.
Leatherhead
January 27, 2026 at 12:51 pm
Did we play even one snap last year with Watson, Reed, and Kraft on the field at the same time? I don't believe we did.
egbertsouse
January 27, 2026 at 12:44 pm
The offense will get better when Gute fixes the havoc he created by screwing with the OL and the Packers get a QB that’s better than a C+.
Leatherhead
January 27, 2026 at 01:04 pm
OK, I'm hoping for an explanation. Love threw 4 TDs, 0 Ints, and over 300 yards of offense....despite the havoc......and he's only a C+???
One thing we should have clearly learned by now is that Love isn't the problem.
When you lose guys like Jenkins and Tom, it doesn't help. These are hard guys to replace, even with good depth. Every season ends with our backup offensive linemen on the field.
You draft a guy you have him for 4 years. That means every year, you have to resign or replace two guys if you dress 8 OL, . and these guys have to avoid injury. It's expensive to replace good linemen and so you're almost forced to use the draft.
WorseWisconsin
January 28, 2026 at 11:36 am
"Love threw 4 TDs, 0 Ints, and over 300 yards of offense....despite the havoc......and he's only a C+???"
I'm not a Packers fan, and even I think that rating is unfair to Love.
Love is a very GOOD QB; the Packers have things that need to be better to be a true SuperBowl contender, but the QB position is not on that list IMHO.
He's definitely not a top-5 QB and IMHO not top-8, but the Packers can win a superbowl with Love at QB.
Lambeaustu
January 27, 2026 at 11:29 am
Leatherhead. Do you mean DC?
Or is Steno leaving now and I missed it?
Leatherhead
January 27, 2026 at 12:48 pm
I'm premature on Stenavich, apparently. He's not completely gone yet.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 27, 2026 at 02:47 pm
Titans hired Daboll instead. A much better hire IMO. Josh Allen credits him with his development. Cam Ward could do much worse.
LeotisHarris
January 27, 2026 at 03:10 pm
In the meantime, everyone (even Charlie Weiss Jr!) is backing away from the Philly OC job. No one wants to hitch their wagon to poor Nick. It's a zany, wacky, mixed-up, who-ya-know world in the NFL.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 27, 2026 at 03:18 pm
The only job people seem to want less, is the Brown's HC, which bodes well for Schwarz getting it.
LeotisHarris
January 27, 2026 at 05:25 pm
Read an article today that described Schwartz as "having the haunted look of a zombie mailman." Can't disagree with that.
Brewcity_BearsFan
January 27, 2026 at 09:40 pm
Dude is looking to follow 0-16, with an 0-17.
TarynsEyes
January 27, 2026 at 11:31 am
The success of Darnold over the last couple of seasons puts a magnifying glass of HCs and ORG as a whole. It certainly appears that is what made him seem like a bust from his start with the Jets, to Carolina to what and where he is now, a possible MVP and SB winner. This sure adds some credibility for those wanting a change in GB away from MLF, who it seems isn't getting the most from Love, though I believe Love has hit his ceiling, and the ORG structure. Too many young QBs and previously assumed as lesser talents than Love are having greater success, and the separation is growing with alarming speed. Even the old guy is achieving more than our, ahem, beloved Love. Why does the failure of a Burrow, Allen, Jackson, Stroud, and a couple others, still seem more successful than Love?
The moment a player leaves the Packers, for whatever reason, they are no longer a concern for me, until we play against them. Players have no loyalty to a team, hence I have no loyalty to them. Wishing them well elsewhere is bs, say it out loud, you're pissed they left for more money, and that's the only reason any player leaves. Own your disgust, it's natural. Also, stop feigning love for the overpaid player that remains, as your disgusted about that equally, Gary is a perfect example.
I see many pundits are blaming 4th down decisions for losses, the Rams lost that game on their last possession of the first half, where instead of running and forcing timeouts by Sea, they sacrificed the lead, and never had it again.
WestCoastPackerBacker
January 27, 2026 at 11:48 am
To be fair, Darnold did lead the league in turnovers, with 14 interceptions and 11 fumbles (six lost). So I’m not sure that it’s the old guy doing that much better than Jordan love. He had a world class defense and a few other pieces that don’t exist in Green Bay.
TarynsEyes
January 27, 2026 at 11:52 am
Stafford is the old guy, not Darnold, he's 28.
egbertsouse
January 27, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Dream on, dude, dream on.
Strat
January 27, 2026 at 01:06 pm
I'll give Darnold credit. The Rams are probably the last team he wanted to see in the NFC Championship. The Rams literally knocked him out of Minnesota when they sacked the hell out of him in that playoff game. But the Vikings had never really bought in on Darnold. They were saying all the right things, but that was just BS talk, and it proved out.
I never doubted that Stafford would win a Super Bowl with the Rams. Obviously there's no guarantee, but it certainly wasn't a surprise. The guy is 37 but throws the ball like he's 25. Without that muffed punt at the beginning of the third quarter, I think they're in. He could easily play for three more years if he wants. He should. They're going to be back, as well as Seattle and a healthy 49ers team. Three Super Bowl caliber teams in the NFC West.
Funny thing about the Adams move to the Raiders to play with Carr. I've got a buddy at work that is a Raiders fan. It gave him something to cheer about. But I told him the Raiders had already talked about moving on from Carr. Watch them play together one season and Carr will be gone.
And then there's Jordan Love...
harleycops
January 27, 2026 at 05:21 pm
The North - who cares what the other teams are doing. What we see so far is that many Packer coaches/staff are leaving due to hirings by other teams. Who is LaFleuzy or Gannon hiring? All I hear are crickets! Several coaching studs are getting picked up by other teams while we sit by and watch them go? Or at there so many candidates that we don't have to sweat it out yet. Bears, Lions, Viqueens - hate 'em all and don't care what they do. But Packers? Yea, let's hear a little coaching noise to fill the vacancies we have left on the Packers staff.
Nixon on the Pro Bowl? That's how far down that game has gone; can't stop chuckling at that. Guess the NFC must be hard up for players.
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January 29, 2026 at 11:42 am
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