It took the final game of the 2024 season to decide the NFC North, with the Detroit Lions soundly beating Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings. In a fitting end to a heated race, the Lions held on and secured a first-round bye, sending the Vikings to play in the wildcard round. Now, heading into the 2025 season, there is a reason for concern with all three division rivals.
Being the team expected to lead the pack carries a certain weight that Dan Campbell and this roster are just starting to understand. With this in mind, any possible advantage is going to be welcomed throughout the season.
Before the preseason has fully gotten underway, the Lions are already being handed an early gift with the suspension of Jordan Addison. The Minnesota receiver violated the league's substance abuse policy and will be suspended for the first three games of the season.
The Vikings are slated to play the Bears, Falcons, and Bengals. None of these teams is expected to be easy outs with great offensive talent and every reason to take advantage of Addison's poor decision. Add in the unproven J.J. McCarthy attempting to settle in, and the Lions have been handed a huge opportunity.
The NFL has suspended #Vikings WR Jordan Addison without pay for the first three games of the 2025 regular season for violating the NFL’s Substances of Abuse Policy.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 5, 2025
Addison is permitted to participate in all training camp activities, including preseason games. pic.twitter.com/kUixpBKINH
Lions Handed a Better Chance to Build an Early-Season Lead
It is easy to envision the Vikings going 1-2 or even 0-3 in this early stretch of the season. The Lions have been gifted a better chance to build a lead on the Minnesota and put the division to bed far earlier in the year. Even with each of the trio of rivals making offseason improvements, no roster has close to the proven talent of Detroit. Barring a key injury, it is hard to see the season ending without Detroit remaining on top and remaining a top contender in the conference.
For the Vikings, it is a brutal blow for a franchise already attempting to make a difficult quarterback change. Losing Addison will allow teams to be far more aggressive in their coverage of Justin Jefferson. Having Addison freed up the star receiver to deal with less attention and continue to be one of the league's biggest stars.
The combination of a new quarterback and losing Addison should ensure this season starts out a bit rocky for Detroit's division rival. Creating the perfect opportunity for the Lions to create some early breathing room and avoid the difficult finish that defined the 2024 season.