NFC NORTH: Where all four teams stand heading into Week 2

Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books as the four teams in the NFC North began their pursuit of a division title. Detroit outlasted New Orleans in an overtime thriller, Chicago's offense looked impressive in a big win over Carolina and Minnesota got a terrific performance from backup quarterback Carson Wentz in a come-from-behind division win over Green Bay.

Let's break down everything that happened within the NFC North in Week 1.

CHICAGO BEARS

Week 1 result: Chicago 59, Carolina 37

Next opponent: vs. Minnesota (1-0), Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. (FOX)

3 observations:

1. High-flying offense

Head coach Ben Johnson said before the season he wanted the highest-scoring offense in NFL history. Chicago's well on their way after putting up 59 points with 26 first downs and 552 yards of total offense against a good Panthers defense in Week 1.

2. Cleaning up penalties

The Bears had the seventh-most penalties in the NFL last season with 125. It was something Johnson talked about as a point of emphasis heading into the season. Chicago had 12 penalties in the opener. The Bears lost only 57 yards on their 12 penalties, but it is still something to address moving forward.

3. Caleb Williams' great start

Chicago set a franchise record for points in a season opener with quarterback Caleb Williams as the catalyst behind the performance. He generated 334 total yards (269 passing and 65 rushing) and four touchdowns (two passing and two rushing) with a 124.1 passer rating.

Key stat: Running backs D'Andre Swift (124) and Kyle Monangai (100) each ran for 100 yards, marking the first time since 1980 and only the eighth time in NFL history that a team had two players rushing for at least 100 yards in their season opener, according to the Bears' team website.

Quotable: "This is going to be kind of our worst game," Williams told Yahoo Sports after the win. "I know points don't necessarily show that, but execution, the blocking, the penalties, all these different things."

Twentyman: It was a terrific offensive performance Sunday for Chicago, but there are still some questions on defense. The Bears allowed 37 points, 478 total yards of offense and 361 passing yards to a Carolina team that scored the sixth-fewest points in the NFL last season. It's just one performance, but division foe Minnesota is next up and the Vikings are fresh off their 39-point outing against Green Bay.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Week 1 result: Minnesota 39, Green Bay 22

Next opponent: at Chicago (1-0), Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. (FOX)

3 observations:

1. Blitzing onslaught

Minnesota blitzed Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love on 78.3 percent of his dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats and the Vikings' team website. It was the fourth-highest rate by a defense in a game since at least 2018. That's part of Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' DNA as Minnesota led the NFL in blitz percentage at 44.3 last season. Love was sacked four times and threw a pick vs. the blitz in the second half alone.

2. Right choice at backup QB

Minnesota made veteran Carson Wentz their backup behind starter Kyler Murray to begin the season. That helped secure Minnesota a Week 1 victory after Murray left the game with a concussion and Wentz stepped in, completing 12-of-19 passes with three touchdowns and a 123.5 passer rating.

3. Little things lead to wins

The Vikings were out-gained nearly two-to-one by the Packers, but Minnesota still found a way to win. The Vikings won the turnover battle (2 to 1), were 4-for-4 in the red zone while the Packers were just 1-for-4, and were 8-for-15 on third down while Green Bay was just 3-for-12. The Packers were also 0-for-2 on fourth down.

Key stat: All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson has moved into a tie with Randy Moss for No. 2 in Vikings history for career catches (587) after catching eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Cris Carter is at the top of the list with 1,004 receptions.

Quotable: "Sometimes you've gotta fake it 'til you make it," Wentz, 33, told the Vikings' team website after the game. "But no, by the time I step in that huddle, I'm sitting here like, 'I've done this. I've done this before in a lot of different colors now … I'm confident in what I bring to the table.'

"I'm kind of the old guy in the huddle now. So that's what I'm called to do. That's why I'm here. That's why I believe the coaches believe in me to put me out there. So that's my job, that's my role."

Twentyman: Minnesota ended the game on a 29-0 run starting with just over two minutes left in third quarter led by Wentz to shock the Packers. What Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell must love about this Week 1 win is it was a complete team effort in all three phases. Those are the kinds of wins that can kickstart the season for a team and give them a ton of confidence. Next up is a date with the Bears in Chicago as the Vikings begin the season with two division opponents.

DETROIT LIONS

Week 1 result: Detroit 31, New Orleans 30 (OT)

Next opponent: at Buffalo (1-0), Thursday, Sept. 17 at 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

3 observations:

1. Jahmyr Gibbs handles the load

Gibbs rushed a career-high 29 times for 156 yards (5.4 avg.) and two touchdowns and caught five passes for another 30 yards. That's a high workload, but Gibbs said after the game he felt good and could have carried it 40 times, if needed.

2. Secondary concerns persist

There were a lot of question marks entering the season regarding Detroit's secondary with safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch starting the season on IR. Those concerns remain after Saints second-year quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns while leading five second-half scoring drives.

3. Aidan Hutchinson could challenge sack record

Coming off the most dominant training camp of his career, Hutchinson opened the season with 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hits and 10 total pressures for the Lions' defense. Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record at 23.0 last season. If Hutchinson plays all season the way he did Sunday, he could certainly challenge that mark by season's end.

Key stat: Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown notched 10 catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns Sunday. It was his 12th career game with 10-or-more catches, tying Anquan Boldin, Brandon Marshall, Julio Jones and CeeDee Lamb for the third-most 10-catch games through six-career seasons in NFL history.

Quotable: "The most important thing is find a way to win and you're going to have some areas you're going to have to clean up, you're going to have to correct and you got to correct them in a hurry," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. " And that's the most important thing."

Twentyman: It's hard to win in this league, and teams should never apologize for a win. Campbell and the Lions certainly won't. There are things to correct but it's easier to clean those things up coming off a win. Campbell and the Lions will look at the film Monday and address the corrections before quickly moving on to Buffalo. The Bills welcome Detroit into the opening of their new stadium on Thursday Night Football.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Week 1 result: Minnesota 39, Green Bay 22

Next opponent: at New York Jets (1-0), Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. (FOX)

3 observations:

1. One play flips momentum

Leading 22-17 and facing a 4th & 6 at the Minnesota 22-yard line early in the fourth quarter, the Packers kicked a 40-yard field goal. An offside penalty on the Vikings prompted head coach Matt LaFleur to take the points off the board and go for it on 4th & 1. When Love's sneak attempt was stopped, the rest of the game from that point was all Minnesota.

2. Penalties big factor in outcome

Green Bay was flagged 12 times for 98 yards compared to just three penalties for 15 yards for the Vikings. Minnesota's go-ahead touchdown drive after the fourth-down stop was a great example of the impact those penalties had on the final outcome. An illegal contact penalty nullified a sack, a roughing the passer gave the Vikings 15 free yards and a defensive holding nullified a Packers interception in the end zone.

3. Packers missed Josh Jacobs

Green Bay's star running back remains on the Commissioner's Exempt List and without him, the Packers amassed just 66 total yards on the ground on 21 attempts (3.1 avg.) with zero touchdowns.

Key stat: Green Bay allowed 22 total pressures by the Vikings' defense with four different players allowing at least three pressures.

Quotable: "It's get back to work," LaFleur told the Packers' team website. "It's (time) to be critical of the tape. … We've got to rebound. We've got to pick up the pieces."

Twentyman: Green Bay let one slip away on the road within the division and those hurt. Penalties, missed assignments and the inability to neutralize Minnesota's heavy blitz scheme all factored into the loss. The Packers are on the road Week 2 in New York to face a 1-0 Jets team.

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