NFC North teams are off to an unprecedented hot start this season.
The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers were expected to be contenders and both sit at 4-2.
Sam Darnold has silenced his doubters this season
Caleb Williams is starting to hit form and has more wins in his first six starts than any other quarterback selected No.1 overall.
But the Chicago Bears are currently sitting bottom of the division despite going 4-2.
That is because the Minnesota Vikings have defied expectations with an incredible 5-0 record.
Pundits had concerns over a QB room featuring rookie J.J. McCarthy and a supposedly washed up Sam Darnold.
But after McCarthy’s season-ending injury, Darnold has been the surprise package of 2024 with 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
It is the first time since the 2002 realignment that all the teams in a division have at least four wins through six weeks, it is also the first time that the four best points differentials have belonged to one team.
All four franchises are looking increasingly likely to post winning records at the end of the season.
That raises the prospect of a team missing out on the playoffs despite dominating on the field.
The Vikings, in particular, must be wary despite their incredible run.
As the only team that can match the Kansas City Chiefs‘ perfect record so far, the Vikings are sitting pretty after a Week 5 bye.
Jared Goff is thriving in Detroit
Jordan Love is emerging as a reliable quarterback
But the franchise need only look at its own recent history to find cause for concern.
The Vikings have started 5-0 five times since 1998, but only made the playoffs on three of those occasions.
There are only six instances of a team flopping from such lofty heights, with the 1993 New Orleans Saints, 2009 New York Giants, 2009 Denver Broncos, and 2015 Atlanta Falcons all guilty.
In 2003, Minnesota cruised to 6-0 before losing four straight games.
A 9-7 record saw the Vikings finish second behind the Packers in the NFC North, with the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys going 10-6 to take wildcard spots.
There was an even more calamitous collapse in 2016 that has ominous similarities to the current season.
The Vikings were 5-0 going into a Week 6 bye but only won three more games to end with a .500 record.
Green Bay topped the division at 10-6, with the 9-7 Lions claiming a wildcard spot in second.
All four NFC North teams will back themselves to make the postseason.
But with the potential to siphon wins off each other and facing the prospect of finishing fourth with a winning record, divisional matchups will take on even more significance.
Right on cue, the Vikings and Lions collide on Sunday.
A loss could bring up memories Minnesota fans will have tried to bury long ago.
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