The Bears didn’t score an offensive touchdown and still found a way to beat the Titans. The Packers lost their starting QB for the short term, but showed they can play with the big boys in a loss to the Eagles. The Vikings may have created the blueprint for success with Sam Darnold. And the Lions are tough. Let’s take a look at our first impressions of the NFC North after Week 1…

Darnold has never had an offensive line that can protect him as consistently as it did Sunday against the Giants. Sure, Dexter Lawrence bullied right guard Ed Ingram for a sack on the second offensive play of the day, but Darnold was largely able to work comfortably in the pocket. He completed 12 straight passes to start the game and looked more than capable of making any throw needed.

The big honors go to Minnesota tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, who made New York’s talented edge rushing duo Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux non-factors. The pressure will ramp up in Week 2 against Nick Bosa and the 49ers.

Williams makes Minnesota’s decision to trade with Detroit in the 2022 draft look worse than it already did when the Vikings fired safety Lewis Cine before the start of the regular season. Williams tore up the Rams with five catches for 121 yards and a long touchdown in the season opener. He looks extremely legitimate and could trouble Minnesota for years to come.

When all is said and done, Cine might not make it in the NFL and Williams could be a star for Detroit. Oh, and don’t forget that the Vikings going from No. 12 to No. 32 with Detroit also meant passing on safety Kyle Hamilton, who has become a star for the Ravens.

Chicago came back to beat the Titans, but the No. 1 overall pick in the draft didn’t look great. Williams completed 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards and no touchdowns in his debut. That’s a negative first impression, especially since the Bears did everything they could to give him weapons by signing Keanan Allen and drafting Rome Odunze to team up with DJ Moore. Remember, Belichick said just before the season started that he wasn’t impressed with Williams’ accuracy in the preseason.

The job gets even tougher in Week 2, as Williams and the Bears take on the Texans in Houston. Sunday night football.

If Love misses 3-6 weeks with an MCL injury, the Packers need to win with Malik Willis at quarterback. It’s a daunting proposition for a Packers team that looked capable of hanging with the best of the best in their loss to the Eagles in Brazil. Can Willis keep the Packers afloat in upcoming games against the Colts, Titans, Vikings, Rams and Cardinals?

The Packers had a hell of a time stopping Saquon Barkley and the Eagles, allowing 410 yards of total offense and giving up 34 points. We have to believe that Green Bay is better than they showed on the grass field in Brazil, which was compared to an ice rink.

In Detroit, Aidan Hutchinson was a monster against the Rams, but the Lions gave up 304 yards through the air. Strong against the run, poor against the pass. That was their weakness last season when they were 29th in passing yards allowed, and it hasn’t started great in 2024.

The Bears were fortunate enough to play a Titans team that has little to offer on the field. They won thanks to a blocked punt touchdown return and then sophomore QB Will Levis attempted one of the most ill-advised passes you’ll ever see, which was run to the house for a touchdown. We’ll see how the Bears do against CJ Stroud, Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, Joe Mixon and the Texans before we get any sense of how good they are.

Minnesota was given Daniel Jones, who was booed from start to finish in a miserable performance at MetLife Stadium. Jones couldn’t hit the wide side of a barn, but the Vikings deserve credit for playing an aggressive defense that consistently applied pressure with speedy edge rushers Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner. There are reasons to be optimistic about Minnesota’s defense, but the truth will likely be revealed in the coming weeks against the 49ers, Texans and Packers (if Jordan Love plays).