Packers Odds to Win NFC North Odds After J.J. McCarthy News Crushes Vikings Chances
By Jovan Alford
The Green Bay Packers enter the 2024 season with high expectations after a hopeful finish to the 2023 season and a great offseason, where they addressed multiple needs in the 2024 NFL Draft and free agency.
Heading into the 2024 campaign, the Packers are viewed as the second-best team in the NFC North and have the second-best odds to win the division (+230 on DraftKings Sportsbook) behind the Detroit Lions.
For the Packers to dethrone the Lions this season, they’ll have to handle their business within the division, which won’t be easy, facing Detroit and Chicago Bears twice. However, one team they won’t have to worry about is the Minnesota Vikings.
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Out for 2024 Season
The Vikings could end up being the worst team in the division due to the talent at quarterback, which took a massive hit on Wednesday. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Minnesota rookie QB J.J. McCarthy is out for the 2024 season after undergoing a full meniscus repair.
#Vikings first-round QB JJ McCarthy underwent a full meniscus repair this morning and is out for the 2024 season, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 14, 2024
The repair, done by Dr. Chris Larson at Twin Cities Orthopedics, gives McCarthy the best chance at a long, successful career. pic.twitter.com/t5e5LCvpwU
On Tuesday, it was reported that the rookie quarterback would either have to get a trim or repair on his meniscus. McCarthy would be sidelined for a few weeks if he only had to get it trimmed.
However, that wasn’t the case, which means the Vikings will lean on veteran Sam Darnold as their full-time starter. With Darnold entrenched as the starter, Minnesota is +950 to win the NFC North and those odds get worse depending on how the Vikings start the 2024 season.
The Packers will see Darnold and the Vikings at the end of September for a Week 4 matchup and again in Week 17. By the time we get to Week 17, Minnesota might be competing for a top-10 pick.
Therefore, if you are a Packers fan or bettor thinking about putting down a wager on Green Bay, you have to like their chances of winning the division now since it's a three-team race. That said, the games still have to be played on the field, but the Packers are moving up, while Minnesota is in the basement.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change