Sportsnaut
The Green Bay Packers play in the best division in the NFL, with all four teams capable of winning the North and making a deep playoff run all the way to the Super Bowl. It’s why there are split opinions on who wins the NFC North this year.
Let’s dive into our list of reasons why the Packers will win the NFC North this season.
It’s certainly possible that Caleb Williams could be the best quarterback in the NFC North by the end of the 2026 season. Right now, though, we believe that title belongs to Jordan Love. In 2025, Love ranked seventh among qualified quarterbacks (15-plus starts) in On-Target Rate (77.4 percent), fifth in Success Rate (51.4 percent) and second in EPA per Play (0.289). Mind you, Tucker Kraft missed nine games and Christian Watson missed six in his first season back from an ACL tear. Having the best quarterback in the division doesn’t mean the Packers will win the NFC North, but Love’s performance in 2026 will be one of the reasons why Green Bay reclaims its title as kings of the north for the first time since 2021.
Related: Key Packers Players Who Could Be Entering Final Year with the Team
We really only saw glimpses of the Packers’ offense firing on all cylinders in 2025. From Weeks 1-8, Green Bay averaged 27.6 points and 359.1 total yards per game with a 5.9 yards-per-play average, and they ranked second in EPA per Play (0.195) and fourth in Success Rate. Then, tight end Tucker Kraft suffered his season-ending ACL tear and right tackle Zach Tom had to play through injuries. From Weeks 9-18, the Packers’ offense fell to eighth in Success Rate and the team averaged just 19.8 points per game. Kraft is a mismatch and one of the most dangerous YAC threats in the NFL at his position. Watson, who averaged 65.7 receiving yards per game in the final five weeks, also proved he can be a ceiling-raiser for this passing attack. Having Watson and Kraft both out there in 2026, paired with a second-year leap from Golden, should allow this Packers’ offense to be one of the most effective units in the NFL.
Related: Predictions for Green Bay Packers Training Camp
Kraft, Tom, and Devonte Wyatt are all recovering from surgeries that impacted their offseason and may limit their readiness for Packers’ training camp. That could result in three of Green Bay’s top starters coming out of the gate slower to open the regular season, and that’s not even factoring in the absence of Micah Parsons. Fortunately, the schedule works out pretty favorably for the team. They should be favored in four of their first six games (at New York Jets, vs. Atlanta Falcons, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and vs. Dallas Cowboys), and beating either...
