Roundup
Chicago Bears
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Minnesota Vikings
Unbeaten Vikings on top, Lions looming — NFC North roundup
The Minnesota Vikings sit as the NFL’s lone unbeaten atop CBS Sports’ Power Rankings while the Lions, Packers and Bears stay busy heading into Week 8.
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There were no games on the schedule for the NFC North, but the division still made plenty of noise as the Vikings’ hot start drew national attention and their rivals maneuvered ahead of Week 8.
Vikings: lone unbeaten draws top billing
At 6-0, the Minnesota Vikings stand as the NFL’s only unbeaten team. That run has now pushed them to the very top of Pete Prisco’s NFL Power Rankings at CBS Sports, where they occupy the No. 1 spot.
The next test could come from inside the division. In his Week 8 picks at CBS Sports, Prisco is taking the Detroit Lions to hand Minnesota its first loss of the season, setting up a potentially pivotal NFC North clash. Another CBS Sports piece notes that Week 8 could bring Halloween-style scares for several contenders, with the Vikings among the teams mentioned.
On the personnel front, the Vikings lost a practice squad tight end. According to Pro Football Rumors, the Cincinnati Bengals signed tight end Cam Grandy off Minnesota’s practice squad, while placing tight end Erick All on injured reserve.
Packers: optimism on Micah Parsons
The Green Bay Packers (4-3) received encouraging news about a key defensive piece. Per Pro Football Rumors, outside linebacker Micah Parsons is nearing a return from last year’s torn ACL and could be back on the practice field as soon as next week. Head coach Matt LaFleur was described as optimistic on Tuesday, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky and relayed by Pro Football Rumors.
CBS Sports also sees good things ahead on the field, with Prisco picking Green Bay to beat the Carolina Panthers in his Week 8 predictions.
Up front, the Packers were reportedly in the market for interior line help. Pro Football Rumors reports that Green Bay was among the teams that showed interest in guard Quenton Nelson before the Indianapolis Colts ultimately traded the perennial Pro Bowler to the Seattle Seahawks.
Bears stay active; Lions in analysts’ crosshairs
The Chicago Bears (5-2) continued to tweak the bottom of their roster. According to Pro Football Rumors, they signed running back Zavier Scott from the practice squad and released defensive back Nick McCloud. The same outlet notes that Chicago has been inquiring about defensive help on the trade market and had also shown interest in Nelson before he landed in Seattle.
As for the Detroit Lions (4-2), they were listed among the teams making practice squad changes in Pro Football Rumors’ daily rundown, though specific moves were not detailed in the summary. On the field, however, Detroit is front and center in CBS Sports’ analysis: Prisco is picking the Lions to knock off the unbeaten Vikings in Week 8, a result that would tighten an already competitive NFC North race.