Where do the Vikings stand in the NFC North after their latest loss? – InForum

Suddenly the Vikings start to skid and try to get back on the pavement, desperate for a win. They currently sit in third place in the NFC North heading into an important game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night at US Bank Stadium.

It’s a complete departure from a couple of weeks ago, when they were undefeated and seemed to be in control of their own destiny in the division.

That’s how quickly things can change in the NFL.

Returning home from a 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night at Sophie Stadium, the Vikings got some time to relax while the rest of the NFC North was in action. The results were mixed: the Detroit Lions won convincingly, the Green Bay Packers won in the final seconds, and the Chicago Bears lost in heartbreaking fashion.

Here’s what happened after the Vikings lost to the Rams:

To say the Lions are an all-rounder would be an understatement. They’ve become the most impressive team in the NFL this season and don’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon.

The way the Lions absolutely demolished the Tennessee Titans in Sunday’s 52-14 win at Ford Field seemed more like a statement than anything else. They dominated on offense, defense and special teams en route to the victory.

The numbers are staggering at first glance: The Lions somehow scored over 50 points while gaining just 225 yards from scrimmage. A closer look reveals that the Lions intercepted a couple of passes, returned a couple of plays and got a punt return for a touchdown from speedy receiver Kalief Raymond.

It all added up to an impressive win for the Lions as they remained atop the NFC North heading into the showdown with Green Bay.

Either way, it wasn’t pretty. However, the Packers held on for a 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Everbank Stadium.

It was the second straight game for the Packers in which veteran kicker Brandon McManus kicked a field goal as time expired.

The most pressing issue for the Packers in the game was the health of junior quarterback Jordan Love. He suffered a groin injury midway through the game, although he reportedly avoided anything too serious.

In Love’s absence, backup quarterback Malik Willis did just enough to help the Packers beat the Jaguars. It remains to be seen whether Love or Willis will play when the Packers take on the Lions for the top spot on the line.

A quick look at the box score will show the Bears were defeated by the Washington Commanders 18-15 on Sunday at Northwest Stadium. That doesn’t even tell the story of how devastating the loss was for the Bears.

On the final play, the Bears simply had to knock down a Hail Mary pass attempt to keep up in the division.

Instead, freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels threw a pass into the sky, veteran receiver Noah Brown caught the ball for a 52-yard touchdown, and the Commanders walked away with a memorable victory that will be talked about forever.

A series of errors doomed the Bears in this decisive game. It’s no worse than seeing junior guard Tyreek Stevenson taunt the crowd during a Hail Mary attempt instead of getting into position to play the ball. Accordingly, Stevenson received instant karma when the ball left his fingertips and then landed in Brown’s waiting hands in the back of the end zone.

The Bears must ensure that the loss does not linger. This is easier said than done.