Only two teams won in the NFC North this week, and Purple supporters can proudly say, for the second time this year, Minnesota was one of them.
Welcome to our weekly end-of-football-week wrapup that summarizes and updates all the happenings in the used-to-be black and blue division.
Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit were all tied atop the North at 5-3 entering the week, and here’s what Week 10 brought the Norris division.
Detroit 21, Chicago 19:Jay Cutler made his triumphant return to the Chicago lineup under center, then left, with the clash of division leaders going the way of the Lions, who were paced by Matthew Stafford’s three passing touchdowns at Soldier Field.
Cutler completed just 21-of-40 passes in his first game action since tearing a groin muscle in Week 7, and was forced to leave the game early once again, this time saying an ankle injury was to blame for him not finishing the contest.
X-rays on his ankle were negative, but a timetable has not been determined for his return.
Backup Josh McCown, who played the two-plus games Cutler missed, nearly led Chicago to a comeback, but after tossing a touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall late in the fourth quarter to bring the Bears within two, the subsequent two-point conversion to tie was unsuccessful.
Two of Stafford’s three touchdowns were to Megatron, who became the Lions’ franchise leader in touchdown catches, while also passing former Viking Randy Moss for second-most receiving yards through 100 games of a career.
Philadelphia 27, Green Bay 13: It is getting bad for the Packers.
Having already lost Aaron Rodgers to a broken clavicle, backup QB Seneca Wallace had to leave the green and gold’s matchup with the Eagles in the first quarter after injuring his groin.
He did not return, leaving the offensive reigns to former Badger quarterback Scott Tolzien, in what would be his first NFL appearance.
Tolzien was serviceable, completing 24-of-39 passes, but he threw two interceptions, and Green Bay could not stop Philly QB Nick Foles, who tossed three more touchdowns after throwing an NFL record-tying seven last week.
With Rodgers still a few weeks away from returning, Tolzien has already been named the starter for Green Bay’s Week 11 matchup with the New York Giants.
We know the Vikings won, and of course you can find all of our Purple coverage on Vikings gamedays as well as the morning after right here.
Your standings as we move towards Week 11:
DETROIT: 6-3
CHICAGO: 5-4
GREEN BAY: 5-4
MINNESOTA: 2-7
The Vikings are only four games out. Can anyone say playoffs?
