The Viking Age
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NFC North Week 12 Report: Bears, Packers, and Lions fall but Vikings roll

By Adam Carlson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 1: Ameer Abdullah #21 of the Detroit Lions is tackled with the ball by defender Xavier Rhodes #29 of the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter of the game on October 1, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 1: Ameer Abdullah #21 of the Detroit Lions is tackled with the ball by defender Xavier Rhodes #29 of the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter of the game on October 1, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Week 12 was a rough one for the NFC North, with three of the four teams in the division suffering a loss and only the Vikings emerging victorious.

The NFC North can be a very competitive place. The Green Bay Packers have been strong for so long, the Detroit Lions were a playoff team last year, the Chicago Bears has a new franchise quarterback, and the Minnesota Vikings are attempting bounce back after a disappointing 2016 campaign.

Coming into Week 12, every game seemed like a huge challenge for the teams in the division. Every single team was taking on a squad with a winning record and would need to play their best football to come away with a win.

Sadly, three of the four teams in the division suffered losses this week, but that doesn’t mean there is no hope for them yet. Here is a rundown of the action from the NFC North in Week 12:

Vikings at Lions

This is the game that fans of Minnesota’s team likely got to watch while enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with their loved ones.

The contest was an important one, with the Vikings falling to the Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium earlier this year and Detroit being their closest competition in the division heading into Week 12 of the season.

Minnesota led through the entire contest on Thursday, November 23, 2017, and never really looked back.

  • Final score: 30-23
  • Winner: Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
  • Loser: Detroit Lions (6-5)
  • Key Performance: Kyle Rudolph – 4 catches for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns

Bears at Eagles

The Bears were put in a tough spot in Week 12, as they were tasked with heading into Philadelphia to take on the team with the best record in the NFC and hope for a big upset to stay relevant in the North.

However, this game was an absolute massacre. The Eagles had their way with Chicago, scoring at will and even resting their starters in the 4th quarter since the game was so far out of reach at that point.

  • Final score: 24-3
  • Winner: Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
  • Loser: Chicago Bears (3-8)
  • Key Performance: Carson Wentz – 23/36 for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns

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Packers at Steelers

You know how the Bears were facing a tough task? Well, the Packers took on another one of the best teams in the league on the road in the hopes of getting a big upset and trying to stay within striking range of Minnesota.

Surprisingly, quarterback Brett Hundley put together the best performance of his career in Week 12 against Pittsburgh and kept up with the high-powered Steelers offense until the final moments of the game.

It took a last-second field from Boswell to defeat Green Bay, but if this is a flash of who Hundley can be, Packers fans have to feel somewhat good about this game despite the loss.

  • Final score: 31-28
  • Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers (9-2)
  • Loser: Green Bay Packers (5-6)
  • Key Performance: Ben Roethlisberger – 33/45 for 351 yards and 4 touchdowns

NFC NORTH STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 12

  1. Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
  2. Detroit Lions (6-5)
  3. Green Bay Packers (5-6)
  4. Chicago Bears (3-8)

Next: Week 12 Ups and Downs vs Detroit

As a whole, the NFC North didn’t fare well in Week 12, but Packers, Bears, and Lions can justify their loss since their opponents only had 5 combined losses through the first 11 weeks. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings continue to distance themselves from the others by extending their lead to 3 games.

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