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NFC North Q&A: Are Packers still division kings or have Vikings taken over?

Today's question: Did last year represent a changing of the guard in the NFC North after the Minnesota Vikings ended the Green Bay Packers' run of four straight division titles or was it just a fluke and the Packers are still the team to beat?

Jeff Dickerson, Chicago Bears reporter: Green Bay is the team to beat until Aaron Rodgers retires. The NFL is still a quarterback-driven league, and last I checked, Rodgers is one of the best around. He will continue to torment the rest of the NFC North until he decides to join the celebrity "Jeopardy!" tour or pursues some other interest outside of football. The Packers finished 10-6 in 2015, so it’s not like they had a huge fall from grace. I suspect with Jordy Nelson healthy again and Eddie Lacy hooked on P90X, Green Bay will reclaim the top spot in the division. Chicago is better, but not good enough. The Lions are, well, the Lions. Minnesota is still the Packers’ chief rival, and while the Vikings boast a hellacious defense, the offense is kind of a question mark. So I’ll stick with Green Bay, for now.

Ben Goessling, Minnesota Vikings reporter: For it to represent a changing of the guard, the Vikings probably have to do it again -- and I think they know as much. If the Packers are healthier on offense than they were last year, it’s hard to imagine them not being right back among the NFC contenders. A healthy Nelson might be the most dangerous receiver in the division (if, in fact, he’s fully healthy), and Lacy has plenty of incentive to prove himself in his contract year. The Vikings should be better. They have everyone back on defense, and they spent the offseason putting better pieces around Teddy Bridgewater. If they finish in front of the Packers again, it could constitute a changing of the guard. But I think the Vikings would be the last to take the Packers lightly.

Michael Rothstein, Detroit Lions reporter: I’ve learned to never question the dominance of Aaron Rodgers, and I expect the Packers to be back to their old dominant selves in 2016. That said, the Vikings might be the best team in the NFC. They have the best defense in the division -- and it might not be close. If Adrian Peterson continues to defy the metrics of most other running backs and Teddy Bridgewater continues his growth, there’s little to no reason why Minnesota can’t win the division again. In fact, at this summer date, that would be my selection to win the NFC North (although a lot can change between now and September).