From Underdogs To Favourites - Minnesota Vikings Climb the NFC North Division Odds

Before the season started, we covered the NFL division winner odds available at betting sites like bet365. As we approach Week 4, many divisions have largely followed preseason expectations, but a few teams have already shifted the season outlook considerably.

The most notable movement has come in the NFC North, where the Minnesota Vikings remain the division’s only undefeated team. 

Minnesota entered the season with the lowest implied chance of winning the NFC North at just 17.4%. Three weeks later, the Vikings sit atop the division and are now favourites to win it, with their implied probability climbing to 42.6%, an increase of more than 25% from the preseason.

The Minnesota Vikings have undergone the biggest shift in the NFC North odds through the opening three weeks of the season. After entering the year with the lowest implied probability in their division at 17.4%, Minnesota is now the only undefeated NFC North team at 3-0 and has climbed to the top of the market at 42.6%.

What's especially impressive is that Minnesota started the year with a major setback. Kyler Murray suffered a concussion, pushing Carson Wentz into the starting quarterback role. 

In week 1, Wentz helped Minnesota complete its comeback against Green Bay before starting the Vikings' Week 2 win over Chicago, keeping the team undefeated. Murray cleared concussion protocol and returned for Week 3 against Tampa Bay.

Minnesota was able to keep it's undefeated status with Murray starting, with a 23-16 road win over the Buccaneers. Despite an injured QB, the Vikings have shown they can continue winning with the current offense.

The team's performance so far has completely changed their position in the NFC North. A team that entered the season priced as the least likely division winner is now the favourite.

However, the remaining schedule is by no means going to be easy. The Vikings will have a favorable matchup against the Jets in week 4, but will be facing off against top-tier teams for the remainder of the season. 

While the Vikings have moved in one direction, the Green Bay Packers have gone the other. Green Bay entered the season as the second favourite to win the NFC North with an implied probability of 29.4%, but a 1-2 start has pushed that figure down to just 10.5%, leaving the Packers at the bottom of the division winner market.

The main concerns are how Green Bay has looked during their losses. After opening the season with a 39-22 loss to Minnesota, the Packers narrowly beat the Jets before suffering a 35-14 home defeat against Atlanta in Week 3. 

The offense has struggled with consistency, and injuries and personnel changes within the offensive line have led to protection issues, as well as trouble with the running game. Following the week 3 loss to Atlanta, the team expressed a need to improve across the board, with the offense remaining inconsistent and the defense and special teams also regressing. 

There is still plenty of time for Green Bay to recover, and the remaining schedule offers opportunities to do so. The Packers face several teams that have also struggled through the opening weeks, giving Green Bay a schedule that is not as overwhelming as those of divisional rivals.

Green Bay still has games remaining against Minnesota, two against Detroit and two against Chicago. With Minnesota already two games ahead of the Packers, Green Bay will need to perform well over the next few weeks if they want a chance to climb out of last place.