The AFC South blew a chance to help out the Green Bay Packers during the team’s Week 10 bye. More specifically, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans blew an opportunity to give Matt LaFleur’s team an assist in the standings.
Both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions — the two teams ahead of the Packers in the NFC North — were on the ropes on Sunday but the AFC South failed to close the deal.
The Vikings trailed the Jaguars deep into the fourth quarter, but three second-half turnovers from Doug Pederson’s team allowed Minnesota to escape the upset bid and improve to 7-2 with a 12-7 win in Jacksonville.
The Lions trailed the Texans 10-0 after the first quarter, 23-7 at halftime and 23-13 entering the fourth quarter, but Dan Campbell’s team scored 10 points in the final quarter and then completed the comeback with a 52-yard field goal from Jake Bates as time expired — securing an improbable 26-23 win and improving to 8-1.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold threw three interceptions, had another dropped and another negated by penalty. Lions quarterback Jared Goff actually threw five interceptions. Yet both the Vikings and Lions escaped upset bids.
The only team to lose in the NFC North in Week 10 was the Chicago Bears.
Here’s the updated standings entering Week 11:
NFC North standings
Detroit Lions (8-1, beat Houston Texans)
Minnesota Vikings (7-2, beat Jacksonville Jaguars)
Green Bay Packers (6-3, bye)
Chicago Bears (4-5, lost to New England Patriots)
The Packers will go to Chicago to play the Bears in Week 11. Matt Eberflus’ team lost 19-3 to the Patriots on Sunday in a disappointing performance at Soldier Field.
The AFC South is now 2-11 against the NFC North this season. The only losses by the NFC North were by the Bears (vs. Texans, Jaguars).
