After being the best division in football last season, the NFC North is once again projected to be the toughest division in the league in 2025. With the offseason splurge of the Chicago Bears, led by new head coach Ben Johnson, the division could produce four teams with winning records.
Despite the regular-season wins the division racked up last season, the postseason success didn't follow. The Lions, Packers, and Vikings all lost their first postseason game, while the Eagles went on to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Yet, one NFC North coach still doesn't believe in the Eagles. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur spoke to Kay Adams on Wednesday and declared the Lions as "the class of the NFC".
Matt LaFleur Has Unexpected Praise for the Lions
In the conversation, LaFleur has a fascinating comment, calling the playoffs "March Madness", which suggests randomness as to who ends up winning the Super Bowl. He essentially argues that the Lions were the best team in the NFC last season despite the Eagles winning it all.
While many Lions fans will tend to agree, this is still surprising coming from Detroit's biggest rivals. It highlights the level of respect Dan Campbell and the Lions have amassed around the league over the last few seasons.
Even though LaFleur believes that the Lions are the team to beat, they rank behind the Eagles in betting odds. FanDuel Sportsbook has Philadelphia as the favorites to win the NFC next season at +330, with the Lions right behind them at +500. Green Bay follows the Rams and the Commanders in fifth place with +1000 odds.
It's nice to have the respect of your rivals, to be sure, but the Lions need to prove that they can win at the highest level. Finding at least some postseason success next season will be the most important measure for where Detroit is as a franchise.
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