It looks like it could be more of the same in 2017 for the Black and Blue division. The standings this season will most likely mirror those of last year as not much has changed for each team.

The Green Bay Packers look poised to win the division for a second year running. With the Bears rebuilding and the Vikings still in transition, the only threat to the division crown for the cheeseheads will most likely be the Lions.

The Packers have major questions on the defensive side of the ball. If they don’t get it sorted early, or if the offence can’t pick them up, they could struggle and give the Lions an opening.

With such parity in the NFC, the Packers and Lions will very well be in the playoff mix with the Vikings having an outside chance if they can get their offence together.

Both Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford are capable of MVP-calibre seasons and both teams’ success hinges on how well their star pivots perform throughout the season.

Dalvin Cook will be the offensive breakout star of the NFC North in his rookie campaign while rookie LB Jarrad Davis of the Lions will turn heads on the defensive side.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers look to be the strongest contender coming out the NFC North, due to the fact that they have one of the best quarterbacks in the league leading the way.

Aaron Rodgers comes into the season with all of his weapons healthy. Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson will once against be the catalysts in the passing game, while Davante Adams continues his progression into a top wide receiver. The biggest boost for the offence is the addition of tight end Martellus Bennett who signed as a free agent from the New England Patriots.

Rodgers finished last season with 401 completions and 610 attempts ­– both career highs ­– because of an uncertain run game that was in flux for most of the season. With Ty Montgomery solidifying the number one role by the end of last season and Eddie Lacy gone, the Packers might finally have a steady run game they can rely on. It could even be a strength if promising rookie running back Jamaal Williams can make his mark behind Montgomery.

The biggest question mark in Green Bay always seems to be the defence. Last season, the Packers were in the bottom half of the league against the pass. The additions of their 2017 second-round pick Kevin King and Davon House at cornerback may help this much-maligned pass defence. But with a rookie starting at that position, there will be a lot to learn.

The departures of veteran pass rushers Julius Peppers and Datone Jones will hurt, but late addition Ahmad Brooks might help the depth issue at outside linebacker and compliment Clay Matthews and Nick Perry.

It still looks as though the Packers will be relying on their offence to put up big points once again. But there is no question they’re still an NFC contender.

Detroit Lions

Matthew Stafford has had two efficient seasons with the Detroit Lions and managed well in his first full season without main target Calvin Johnson. Stafford seems to have flourished in offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter’s scheme and he will be key to leading the Lions to the playoffs.

Golden Tate and Marvin Jones both had solid seasons for the Lions last year and will look to do more of the same with the solid passing game. Tight end Eric Ebron will also be a huge factor for the offence after having a stellar 2016 with 711 receiving yards in his third NFL season. He will only get better at age 24.

The Lions have a new revamped offensive line with the likes of offensive tackle Rick Wagner and guard T.J. Lang. The addition of Greg Robinson at left tackle could be problematic but he’s looked good during the preseason. The new bodies give running back Ameer Abdullah a chance to shine after last year was cut short due to a foot fracture. He has still yet to show what he can be capable of and 2017 could be a breakout year for the third-year pro. The Lions ranked 30th in rushing last season and will need a big turnaround on that side of the ball.

If the Lions can get something out of first-round pick Jarrad Davis at linebacker and get the most out of DE Ezekiel Ansah, who is coming off of a down year, the defence could push the Lions over the line and either challenge for the division crown or get to the playoffs via the wild card.

Minnesota Vikings

The biggest downfall among everything that went wrong for the Vikings last season was the offensive line. Injuries took their toll and the Vikings couldn’t muster much of anything on the offensive side of the ball. That’s why Minnesota spent big money on their offensive line, bringing in right tackle Mike Remmers from the Carolina Panthers and left tackle Riley Reiff from the Lions. This should give starting quarterback Sam Bradford more protection and time in the pocket.

More time means more time to throw to Stefon Diggs, who could possibly break 1,000 yards receiving this year. Diggs has had two solid seasons to start his NFL career, and with a game that mimics Antonio Brown, he’ll be a key figure for the passing offence.

Gone from the team is Adrian Peterson, who departed the team via free agency after 10 seasons with the club. In is rookie running back Dalvin Cook who was drafted in the second round. He’s had a stellar preseason and it’s looking like he’ll be just fine as Peterson’s replacement. Although the Vikings also signed Latavius Murray, all signs point to Cook overtaking the number one spot in that position at some point this season.

The defence is the catalyst for the purple and gold. Despite the departures of Captain Munnerlyn and Chad Greenway, the Vikings managed to lock up their core defensive players Everson Griffen and Xavier Rhodes. With the likes like Anthony Barr and Linval Joseph also in their lineup, Minnesota looks to be lining up another top-5 defence in the league.

Chicago Bears

It’s a rebuilding season for the Bears as they look to get their team back on the right track.

The Bears reached for second-overall pick in the draft, quarterback Mitch Trubisky, and will look to him to guide the franchise into a positive future. The 23-year-old will most likely start the season on the bench, with Mike Glennon getting the starting nod under centre so Trubisky can develop.

Glennon will have a fairly weak receiving core to work with after their budding star Cameron Meredith was ruled out for the year with an ACL tear. He’ll have to rely on an often-injured Kevin White and new free-agent signings Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright. They lack a consistent number one in the rotation.

One of the Bears strengths comes from the backfield with Jordan Howard and Jeremy Langford. They give the Bears two solid running backs who could step up for the other at any point should one go down with injury. With a solid offensive line, they’ll be able to find holes to exploit against most defences.

The Bears secondary is a big question mark going into the season and could struggle if the likes of Prince Amukamara can’t stay healthy. They will be exploited through the air and will have a tough time putting enough points on the board to match their opponents.

Chicago could surprise some, especially with a strong linebacking core, but the season looks grim for the franchise and their best bet might be to continue building through the draft.