NFC North
Encyclopedia
The NFC North is a division of the National Football League
's National Football Conference
, based in the Upper Midwest
region of the United States
. It currently has four members: the Chicago Bears
, Detroit Lions
, Green Bay Packers
, and Minnesota Vikings
.
The division was created in 1967 as the Central Division of the NFL's Western Conference and existed for three seasons before the AFL–NFL merger. After the merger, it was renamed the NFC Central and retained that name until the NFL split into eight divisions in 2002. The four teams have been together in the same division or conference since the Vikings joined the league in 1961. The Bears, Lions and Packers have been in the same division or conference since the NFL began a conference format in 1933.
Based on the ages of its teams, the NFC North is the oldest division in the NFL, at a combined 312 years old. The Bears are 92 years old (founded in 1919 in Decatur, Illinois
; moved to Chicago in 1921), the Packers are also 92 years old (founded in 1919, but turned professional in 1921), the Lions are 82 years old (founded 1929 in Portsmouth, Ohio
; moved to Detroit in 1934), and the Vikings are 50 years old (founded 1961). The division has a total of 11 Super Bowl appearances. The Packers have the most appearances in the Super bowl with 5, the most recent happening in 2011. The Bears and the Packers have the only Super Bowl wins of this division, a total of 5 (4 for the Packers and 1 for the Bears). Of the top 5 NFL teams with the highest winning percentage throughout its franchise history, three of them are in the NFC North (the Bears, the Packers and the Vikings). The Lions however, have one of the lowest winning percentages in the NFL, including the only winless 16-game season in NFL history.
This division earned the moniker "Black and Blue Division" due to its intense rivalries and physical style of play, and this nickname is still used regularly today. It is also known as the "Frostbite Division" as all teams played home games in late season winter cold until the mid 1970s. The division is also humorously called the "Frozen North", although two of its teams, Detroit and Minnesota, have played their home games indoors since 1975 and 1982 respectively. ESPN
sportscaster Chris Berman often refers to this division as the "NFC Norris" because of its geographical similarity to the National Hockey League
's old Norris Division
. The NFC North's geography has been compared to that of a college conference since all four of its home cities lie within the territorial boundaries of the NCAA's Big Ten Conference
.
The Western Conference respectively divided into the Coastal and Central divisions. The Central Division consists of Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota. Starting the 1970 season, this division became National Football Conference's Central division (or NFC Central for short), due to the AFL–NFL merger.
1977–2001 (as NFC Central)
Tampa Bay moved in from AFC West.
2002–present
Tampa Bay moved to NFC South. NFC Central renamed NFC North.
+ A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games, so the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. Division standings were ignored, Green Bay had the best record of the division teams.
* The 2010 Chicago Bears lost the NFC Conference Championship game against division rival Green Bay, who went on to win Super Bowl XLV
.
+ A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games, so the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year.
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Team !! Division Championships !! Playoff Berths !! Super Bowl Wins !! Super Bowl Losses !! NFL Championships
|-align="center"
| Minnesota Vikings
|| 18|| 26 || 0 || 4 ||align="center"| 1
|-align="center"
| Chicago Bears
|| 10 || 26 || 1 || 1 ||align="center"| 9
|-align="center"
| Green Bay Packers
|| 10 || 26 || 4 || 1 ||align="center"| 13
|-align="center"
| Detroit Lions
|| 3 || 14 || 0 || 0 ||align="center"| 4
|-align="center"
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 || 3 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0
1 Realigned into the NFC South
during the 2002 NFL season
. Records only count the years in which the team was in the NFC Central.
|-
!rowspan=2 style=background:lightblue |Year
!colspan="2" style=background:lightblue |Opponents
|-
!style=background:lightblue |Intraconf.
!style=background:lightblue |Interconf.
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2002
|AFC East
|NFC South
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2003
|AFC West
|NFC West
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2004
|AFC South
|NFC East
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2005
|AFC North
|NFC South
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2006
|AFC East
|NFC West
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2007
|AFC West
|NFC East
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2008
|AFC South
|NFC South
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2009
|AFC North
|NFC West
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2010
|AFC East
|NFC East
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2011
|AFC West
|NFC South
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2012
|AFC South
|NFC West
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2013
|AFC North
|NFC East
|}
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
, based in the Upper Midwest
Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the midwest. Although there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries, the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and...
region of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It currently has four members: the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, and Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
.
The division was created in 1967 as the Central Division of the NFL's Western Conference and existed for three seasons before the AFL–NFL merger. After the merger, it was renamed the NFC Central and retained that name until the NFL split into eight divisions in 2002. The four teams have been together in the same division or conference since the Vikings joined the league in 1961. The Bears, Lions and Packers have been in the same division or conference since the NFL began a conference format in 1933.
Based on the ages of its teams, the NFC North is the oldest division in the NFL, at a combined 312 years old. The Bears are 92 years old (founded in 1919 in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
; moved to Chicago in 1921), the Packers are also 92 years old (founded in 1919, but turned professional in 1921), the Lions are 82 years old (founded 1929 in Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
; moved to Detroit in 1934), and the Vikings are 50 years old (founded 1961). The division has a total of 11 Super Bowl appearances. The Packers have the most appearances in the Super bowl with 5, the most recent happening in 2011. The Bears and the Packers have the only Super Bowl wins of this division, a total of 5 (4 for the Packers and 1 for the Bears). Of the top 5 NFL teams with the highest winning percentage throughout its franchise history, three of them are in the NFC North (the Bears, the Packers and the Vikings). The Lions however, have one of the lowest winning percentages in the NFL, including the only winless 16-game season in NFL history.
This division earned the moniker "Black and Blue Division" due to its intense rivalries and physical style of play, and this nickname is still used regularly today. It is also known as the "Frostbite Division" as all teams played home games in late season winter cold until the mid 1970s. The division is also humorously called the "Frozen North", although two of its teams, Detroit and Minnesota, have played their home games indoors since 1975 and 1982 respectively. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
sportscaster Chris Berman often refers to this division as the "NFC Norris" because of its geographical similarity to the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's old Norris Division
Norris Division
The NHL's Norris Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division moved to the Clarence Campbell Conference in 1981, with the Detroit Red Wings being the only member to remain from the previous season. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. The...
. The NFC North's geography has been compared to that of a college conference since all four of its home cities lie within the territorial boundaries of the NCAA's Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
.
Division lineups
1967–76 (as WC/NFC Central)- Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
- Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
- Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
The Western Conference respectively divided into the Coastal and Central divisions. The Central Division consists of Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota. Starting the 1970 season, this division became National Football Conference's Central division (or NFC Central for short), due to the AFL–NFL merger.
1977–2001 (as NFC Central)
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
Tampa Bay moved in from AFC West.
2002–present
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay moved to NFC South. NFC Central renamed NFC North.
Division champions
| Season | Team | Record | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL Central | |||
| 1967 | Green Bay Packers 1967 Green Bay Packers season The 1967 Green Bay Packers season was their 47th season in the NFL and resulted in a 9-4-1 record and a victory in Super Bowl II. The team beat the Dallas Cowboys in the 1967 NFL Championship Game, a game commonly known as the "Ice Bowl," which marked the second time the Packers had won an... |
9-4-1 | Won Super Bowl II Super Bowl II The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.... |
| 1968 | Minnesota Vikings 1968 Minnesota Vikings season 1968 was the eighth year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 49th regular season of the National Football League. Under head coach Bud Grant, the Vikings won the NFL Central Division title with a record of eight wins and six losses, as they qualified for post-season play for the... |
8-6-0 | Lost NFL Divisional Playoffs NFL playoffs, 1968 The NFL playoffs following the 1968 NFL season determined who would represent the league in Super Bowl III.-Tournament bracket:-Conference championships:-NFL Championship Game:... |
| 1969 | Minnesota Vikings 1969 Minnesota Vikings season 1969 was the ninth year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 50th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings again won the NFL Central Division title, as finished with a record of 12 wins and two losses, plus playoff wins over the Los Angeles Rams in the Western... |
12-2-0 | Lost Super Bowl IV Super Bowl IV Super Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"... |
| NFC Central | |||
| 1970 | Minnesota Vikings 1970 Minnesota Vikings season 1970 was the tenth year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 51st regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first season of play following the AFL-NFL merger, as the Vikings played in the National Football Conference... |
12-2-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1971 | Minnesota Vikings 1971 Minnesota Vikings season 1971 was the 11th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings won the NFC Central title as they finished with a record of 11 wins and three losses, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys at home,... |
11-3-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1972 | Green Bay Packers 1972 Green Bay Packers season The 1972 Green Bay Packers season was their 52nd season in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-4 record under coach Dan Devine, earning them a first-place finish in the NFC Central division. This marked the return of the Packers to the playoffs after a four-year drought. The Packers... |
10-4-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1973 | Minnesota Vikings 1973 Minnesota Vikings season The 1973 Minnesota Vikings season was their 13th year of play in the National Football League. The Vikings regained the NFC Central title after a disappointing 7-7 record the previous season, as they finished with a record of 12 wins and two losses... |
12-2-0 | Lost Super Bowl VIII Super Bowl VIII Super Bowl VIII was a professional American football game played on January 13, 1974 at Rice Stadium. in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 1973 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Miami Dolphins defeated the National Football... |
| 1974 | Minnesota Vikings 1974 Minnesota Vikings season -References:... |
10-4-0 | Lost Super Bowl IX Super Bowl IX Super Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium... |
| 1975 | Minnesota Vikings 1975 Minnesota Vikings season 1975 was the 15th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 56th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings won their third straight NFC Central title, as they finished with a record of 12 wins and two losses, before losing to the Dallas Cowboys, 17-14 in the NFC... |
12-2-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1976 | Minnesota Vikings 1976 Minnesota Vikings season 1976 was the 16th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of 11 wins, two losses, and one tie. They lost Super Bowl XI to the Oakland Raiders 32-14. As of 2011, this has been the last Super Bowl... |
11-2-1 | Lost Super Bowl XI Super Bowl XI Super Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season... |
| 1977 | Minnesota Vikings 1977 Minnesota Vikings season 1977 was the 17th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and five losses. Quarterback Fran Tarkenton was injured with a broken leg in week 9 and missed the rest of the... |
9-5-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1978 | Minnesota Vikings 1978 Minnesota Vikings season 1978 was the 18th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of eight wins, seven losses, and one tie.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:... |
8-7-1 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1979 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season saw the team make a dramatic leap from being a winless expansion franchise, perceived as mistake-prone and ridiculed by the rest of the league, to becoming a serious contender for the National Football League championship... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1980 | Minnesota Vikings 1980 Minnesota Vikings season 1980 was the 20th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 61st regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses.-Hail Mary:... |
9-7-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1981 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 5-10-1 season. The team was considered to be superior to the 1979 team that finished the season one game shy of the Super Bowl. With the running game and special teams ineffective, the Buccaneers depended heavily on... |
9-7-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1982+ | Green Bay Packers 1982 Green Bay Packers season The 1982 Green Bay Packers season was their 62nd season in the National Football League and shortened due to a players strike. The club posted a 5–3–1 record under coach Bart Starr. Due to the strike, the NFL ignored division standing and placed eight teams from each conference into the playoffs.... |
5-3-1 | Lost NFC Second Round |
| 1983 | Detroit Lions 1983 Detroit Lions season -References:***... |
9-7-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1984 | Chicago Bears 1984 Chicago Bears season The 1984 Chicago Bears season was their 65th regular season and 15th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-6 record, earning them a spot in the NFL playoffs... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1985 | Chicago Bears 1985 Chicago Bears season The 1985 Chicago Bears season was their 66th regular season and 16th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 15-1 record, earning them the top seed in the NFC for the playoffs. The Bears defeated their three post season opponents by a combined score of 91-10 en... |
15-1-0 | Won Super Bowl XX Super Bowl XX Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season... |
| 1986 | Chicago Bears 1986 Chicago Bears season The 1986 Chicago Bears season was their 67th regular season and 17th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 14-2 record and won the NFC Central for the third consecutive season.... |
14-2-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1987 | Chicago Bears 1987 Chicago Bears season The 1987 Chicago Bears season was their 68th regular season and 18th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 11-4 record in the strike-shortened season, winning their fourth consecutive NFC Central title... |
11-4-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1988 | Chicago Bears 1988 Chicago Bears season The 1988 Chicago Bears season was their 69th regular season and 19th postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 12-4 record, winning the NFC Central for the fifth straight season, but lost in the NFC Championship Game. Coach Mike Ditka suffered a heart attack during the... |
12-4-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1989 | Minnesota Vikings 1989 Minnesota Vikings season -Regular season:The defensive line of Chris Doleman, Keith Millard, Al Noga and Henry Thomas were key contributors in helping the Vikings rank number one in the NFL in total defense. In addition, the Vikings set a franchise record with 71 sacks in one season... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1990 | Chicago Bears 1990 Chicago Bears season The 1990 Chicago Bears season was their 71st regular season and 20th postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 11–5 record, and lost in the NFC Divisional playoffs to the New York Giants.-NFL Draft:-Roster:-Schedule:... |
11-5-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 1991 | Detroit Lions 1991 Detroit Lions season The 1991 season for the Detroit Lions saw the team finish 12-4, win the NFC Central Division, and appear in the playoffs for the first time since 1983. It stands as the team's best season since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970... |
12-4-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1992 | Minnesota Vikings 1992 Minnesota Vikings season 1992 was the 32nd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 73rd regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of eleven wins and five losses.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:... |
11-5-0 | Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1993 | Detroit Lions 1993 Detroit Lions season The 1993 Detroit Lions season was the 64th season in franchise history.-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-Playoffs:-References:***... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1994 | Minnesota Vikings 1994 Minnesota Vikings season -Awards and honors:* Cris Carter, Led NFL in receptions* Cris Carter, All-Pro selection* Cris Carter, Pro Bowl selection* Warren Moon, Pro Bowl Selection 1994* Warren Moon, NFL Leader, Passing Yards, -Milestones:... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1995 | Green Bay Packers 1995 Green Bay Packers season The 1995 Green Bay Packers season was the 75th in the club's history. The Packers obtained an 11-5 mark in the regular season and won the NFC Central, their first division title since 1972. In the playoffs, the Packers defeated the Atlanta Falcons at home and the defending champion San Francisco... |
11-5-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1996 | Green Bay Packers 1996 Green Bay Packers season The 1996 Green Bay Packers season was the team's 76th in the National Football League, which culminated with the franchise winning its third Super Bowl and league-record 12th NFL World Championship . The Packers posted a league-best 13-3 regular season won-loss record, going 8-0 at home and 5-3 on... |
13-3-0 | Won Super Bowl XXXI Super Bowl XXXI Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American... |
| 1997 | Green Bay Packers 1997 Green Bay Packers season The 1997 Green Bay Packers season concluded with the team winning its second consecutive NFC championship, but losing in a 31-24 upset to John Elway's Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII... |
13-3-0 | Lost Super Bowl XXXII Super Bowl XXXII Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season... |
| 1998 | Minnesota Vikings 1998 Minnesota Vikings season 1998 was the 38th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The 1998 Minnesota Vikings became only the third team in NFL history to win 15 games during the regular season. That year, the Vikings high powered offense scored 556 points... |
15-1-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1999 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 8-8 season. Rookie Shaun King replaced the injured and inconsistent Trent Dilfer late in the season... |
11-5-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 2000 | Minnesota Vikings 2000 Minnesota Vikings season -NFC Championship Game:-Awards and records:*Gary Anderson, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 8 *Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 14 *Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Month, December... |
11-5-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 2001 | Chicago Bears 2001 Chicago Bears season The 2001 Chicago Bears season was their 82nd regular season and 23rd postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a surprising 13-3 record under head coach Dick Jauron en route to an NFC Central title and the number two seed in the NFC... |
13-3-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| NFC North | |||
| 2002 | Green Bay Packers 2002 Green Bay Packers season During the 2002 Green Bay Packers season, the team completed a 12-4 regular season with before losing in the Wild Card playoff round to Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field... |
12-4-0 | Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs |
| 2003 | Green Bay Packers 2003 Green Bay Packers season The 2003 Green Bay Packers season finished with an overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs, after the Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round in overtime off an interception return for a touchdown by Al Harris... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 2004 | Green Bay Packers 2004 Green Bay Packers season The 2004 Green Bay Packers season started with the Packers losing four of their first five games, then winning their next six games, and finally ending in a Wild Card playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings. They finished with an overall record of 10-7.... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs |
| 2005 | Chicago Bears 2005 Chicago Bears season -Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against-Week 1: at Washington Redskins:-Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions:-Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals:-Week 5: at Cleveland Browns:... |
11-5-0 | Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs |
| 2006 | Chicago Bears 2006 Chicago Bears season The 2006 Chicago Bears season was their 87th regular season and 25th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 13-3 regular season record, the best in the NFC, improving on their previous year’s record of 11-5... |
13-3-0 | Lost Super Bowl XLI Super Bowl XLI Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season... |
| 2007 | Green Bay Packers 2007 Green Bay Packers season The 2007 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 89th overall and 87th season in the National Football League. The Packers finished the regular season with an impressive 13-3 record. They received a bye for the first round of the playoffs, won their divisional round playoff game, and lost in... |
13-3-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game NFL playoffs, 2007–08 The National Football League playoffs for the 2007 season began on January 5, 2008 and led up to Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.-NFC: Seattle Seahawks 35, Washington Redskins 14:... |
| 2008 | Minnesota Vikings 2008 Minnesota Vikings season The 2008 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 48th season in the NFL, and the 17th season in which they won their division. They won the NFC North with a 10–6 record, but had to play in the wild card round of the playoffs... |
10-6-0 | Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs NFL playoffs, 2008–09 The National Football League playoffs for the 2008 season began on January 3, 2009 and led up to Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.-NFC: Arizona Cardinals 30, Atlanta Falcons 24:... |
| 2009 | Minnesota Vikings 2009 Minnesota Vikings season The 2009 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 49th season in the NFL. The Vikings improved upon their 10–6 record and defended their NFC North title from 2008; it was the first time that they had retained a divisional title since they won six NFC Central titles in a row between 1973 and 1978... |
12-4-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 2010* | Chicago Bears 2010 Chicago Bears season The 2010 Chicago Bears season was the franchise's 91st season overall in the National Football League. Coming off a disappointing 7–9 record in the 2009 season and failing to qualify for the NFL playoffs for a third consecutive season, the Bears sought to develop their roster and improve on... |
11-5-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
.
Wild Card qualifiers
| Season | Team | Record | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFC Central | |||
| 1970 | Detroit Lions 1970 Detroit Lions season -References:***... |
10-4-0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 1971 | None | — | — |
| 1972 | None | — | — |
| 1973 | None | — | — |
| 1974 | None | — | — |
| 1975 | None | — | — |
| 1976 | None | — | — |
| 1977 | Chicago Bears 1977 Chicago Bears season The 1977 Chicago Bears season was their 58th regular season and 13th postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 9-5 record earning them a wild card spot against the Dallas Cowboys, who eventually beat the Bears en route to a Super Bowl victory.Walter Payton was the star... |
9-5-0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 1978 | None | — | — |
| 1979 | Chicago Bears 1979 Chicago Bears season The 1979 Chicago Bears season was their 60th regular season and 14th postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-6 record under second year coach Neill Armstrong but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the opening round of the... |
10-6-0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1980 | None | — | — |
| 1981 | None | — | — |
| 1982+ | Minnesota Vikings 1982 Minnesota Vikings season 1982 was the 22nd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. It was also Minnesota's first season of play in the newly constructed Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, and the Vikings did not disappoint by starting their new stadium's history... Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were regarded for the first time as a regular playoff contender. They were considered by some to be the best Buccaneer team yet, despite a mediocre offensive line and the lack of a feature running back. The team played only two games before the players' union called a... Detroit Lions 1982 Detroit Lions season -Awards and records:Regular Season record* First team with a losing record to qualify for the playoffs. Shared with Cleveland Browns... |
5-4-0 5-4-0 4-5-0 |
Lost NFC Second Round Lost NFC First Round Lost NFC First Round |
| 1983 | None | — | — |
| 1984 | None | — | — |
| 1985 | None | — | — |
| 1986 | None | — | — |
| 1987 | Minnesota Vikings 1987 Minnesota Vikings season -Schedule:Note: The October 18 game against Tampa Bay was originally scheduled to played in Minneapolis. The game was switched with the November 15 game due to Game 2 of the World Series... |
8-7-0 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 1988 | Minnesota Vikings 1988 Minnesota Vikings season -Schedule:-Postseason:*12/26 LA Rams W 28-17 *1/1 at San Francisco L 9-34 -Standings:-NFC Divisional Playoff:-References:* *... |
11-5-0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 1989 | None | — | — |
| 1990 | None | — | — |
| 1991 | Chicago Bears 1991 Chicago Bears season The 1991 Chicago Bears season was their 72nd regular season and 21st postseason completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 11–5 record, and lost in the NFC Wild Card playoffs to the Dallas Cowboys.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:... |
11-5-0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1992 | None | — | — |
| 1993 | Minnesota Vikings 1993 Minnesota Vikings season 1993 was the 33rd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 74th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses.-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-Playoffs:-References:... Green Bay Packers 1993 Green Bay Packers season The 1993 Green Bay Packers season resulted in a 9-7 record and the Packers' first playoff berth in 21 years . The record also marked the first back-to-back winning season since the Packers 1967 season... |
9-7-0 9-7-0 |
Lost Wild Card Playoffs Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 1994 | Detroit Lions 1994 Detroit Lions season The 1994 season marked the Lions second consecutive playoff appearance. For the second consecutive year, the Lions lost in the playoffs to the Green Bay Packers.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-NFC Wild Card Game:... Chicago Bears 1994 Chicago Bears season The 1994 Chicago Bears season was their 75th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 9–7 record under head coach Dave Wannstedt. The club was one of four teams from the NFC Central to make the playoffs. This was also the NFL's 75th Anniversary so it saw the Bears... Green Bay Packers 1994 Green Bay Packers season The 1994 Green Bay Packers season was the team's 74th in the National Football League. The Packers posted a 9-7 record for their third straight winning season. 1994 marked the first of 8 seasons in which Packers' quarterback Brett Favre would throw more than 30 touchdown passes... |
9-7-0 9-7-0 9-7-0 |
Lost Wild Card Playoffs NFL playoffs, 1994-95 The NFL playoffs following the 1994 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXIX.-Bracket:-NFC: Green Bay Packers 16, Detroit Lions 12:The Packers defense held Lions running back Barry Sanders to -1 rushing yards, while holding Detroit to 12 points and -4 yards on the ground. Green Bay scored first when... Lost Divisional Playoffs Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 1995 | Detroit Lions 1995 Detroit Lions season The 1995 season marked the Lions third consecutive playoff appearance. For the third consecutive year, the Lions lost in the playoffs. Herman Moore had a career season as he broke Cris Carter’s record for most receptions in a season. Moore and teammate Brett Perriman became the first WR duo to... |
10-6-0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1996 | Minnesota Vikings 1996 Minnesota Vikings season 1996 was the 36th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 77th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses.DraftRound 1 - Duane Clemons - LB - California... |
9-7-0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1997 | Detroit Lions 1997 Detroit Lions season The 1997 season marked the Lions qualifying for the playoffs. Bobby Ross replaced Wayne Fontes as head coach. The highlight of the season was Barry Sanders becoming the third player in NFL history to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a season.-Staff:... Minnesota Vikings 1997 Minnesota Vikings season 1997 was the 37th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses. Their record was good enough to qualify for a wild card berth... Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 6-10 season from 1996. The 1997 season was notable for several reasons... |
9-7-0 9-7-0 10-6-0 |
Lost Wild Card Playoffs Lost Divisional Playoffs Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 1998 | Green Bay Packers 1998 Green Bay Packers season The 1998 Green Bay Packers season ended with a 27-30 loss in the NFC Wild Card playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers, with Steve Young throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens with three seconds left... |
11-5-0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs |
| 1999 | Detroit Lions 1999 Detroit Lions season The 1999 Detroit Lions season was their 70th in the league. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 5–11 and qualified for the playoffs, where they lost to the Washington Redskins in the Wild Card round... Minnesota Vikings 1999 Minnesota Vikings season 1999 was the 39th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 80th regular season of the National Football League.After going 15-1 in 1998 the Vikings began the 1999 season with high hopes of another great season. Randall Cunningham resumed duties again in 1999, but after a lukewarm 2-4... |
8-8-0 10-6-0 |
Lost Wild Card Playoffs Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 2000 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 11-5 season. In week 15 they won one of the greatest games in the history of Monday Night Football against the St. Louis Rams... |
10-6-0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs |
| 2001 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 10-6 season. It was Tony Dungy's final season as the Buccaneers head coach. He was fired after losing in the playoffs to Philadelphia for the second straight season.-Staff:... Green Bay Packers 2001 Green Bay Packers season The 2001 Green Bay Packers season ended with a loss to the St. Louis Rams in the NFC divisional playoff game, where Packers quarterback Brett Favre threw a career high 6 interceptions.-2001 NFL draft:... |
9-7-0 12-4-0 |
Lost Wild Card Playoffs Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| NFC North | |||
| 2002 | None | — | — |
| 2003 | None | — | — |
| 2004 | Minnesota Vikings 2004 Minnesota Vikings season 2004 was the 44th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 85th regular season of the National Football League.The Vikings finished the 2004 season going 3-7 over the final 10 weeks just like they did in 2003. However, they made the playoffs with an 8-8 record... |
8-8-0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs |
| 2005 | None | — | — |
| 2006 | None | — | — |
| 2007 | None | — | — |
| 2008 | None | — | — |
| 2009 | Green Bay Packers 2009 Green Bay Packers season The 2009 Green Bay Packers season was the 89th season in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the 91st season for the team overall... |
11-5-0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs |
| 2010 | Green Bay Packers 2010 Green Bay Packers season The 2010 Green Bay Packers season was the 90th season in the National Football League for the Packers and the 92nd season for the team overall. With a record of 10–6, the Packers entered the playoffs as the NFC's sixth seed... |
10-6-0 | Won Super Bowl XLV Super Bowl XLV Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in... |
See Also
- Bears-Packers rivalryBears-Packers rivalryThe Bears–Packers or the Packers–Bears rivalry is a sports rivalry between two professional American football teams in the National Football League , the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers...
- Bears-Vikings rivalry
- Packers-Vikings rivalry
- Lions-Vikings rivalry
Total playoff berths
{| class="sortable wikitable"|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Team !! Division Championships !! Playoff Berths !! Super Bowl Wins !! Super Bowl Losses !! NFL Championships
|-align="center"
| Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
|| 18|| 26 || 0 || 4 ||align="center"| 1
|-align="center"
| Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
|| 10 || 26 || 1 || 1 ||align="center"| 9
|-align="center"
| Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
|| 10 || 26 || 4 || 1 ||align="center"| 13
|-align="center"
| Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
|| 3 || 14 || 0 || 0 ||align="center"| 4
|-align="center"
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
1 || 3 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0
1 Realigned into the NFC South
NFC South
The NFC South is a division in the National Football Conference of the National Football League. It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. The NFC South currently has four members: the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New...
during the 2002 NFL season
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
. Records only count the years in which the team was in the NFC Central.
Schedule assignments
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="3"|-
!rowspan=2 style=background:lightblue |Year
!colspan="2" style=background:lightblue |Opponents
|-
!style=background:lightblue |Intraconf.
!style=background:lightblue |Interconf.
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2002
|AFC East
AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
|NFC South
NFC South
The NFC South is a division in the National Football Conference of the National Football League. It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. The NFC South currently has four members: the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New...
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2003
|AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
|NFC West
NFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2004
|AFC South
AFC South
The AFC South is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created before the 2002 season when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams...
|NFC East
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2005
|AFC North
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
|NFC South
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2006
|AFC East
|NFC West
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2007
|AFC West
|NFC East
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2008
|AFC South
|NFC South
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|2009
|AFC North
|NFC West
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2010
|AFC East
|NFC East
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2011
|AFC West
|NFC South
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2012
|AFC South
|NFC West
|-bgcolor="#efefef"
|2013
|AFC North
|NFC East
|}