Green Bay Packers Find Themselves In Very Unfamiliar Territory: With Last-Place Expectations

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For two decades, the Green Bay Packers dominated the NFC North. Since 2002, they've won the division 12 times. They finished in last place in 2005, the only basement finish for the franchise since the new millennium began.

Prior to the 2005 season, Vegas pegged the Packers as the likely team to finish last. That turned out to be correct. For the first time since that season, Vegas is again picking Green Bay to finish last.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Packers most likely finishing position in the division is fourth place.

Green Bay Packers NFC North finishing position according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

Green Bay Packers NFC North finishing position odds, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. (Screenshot: DraftKings)

They're also least likely to win the division. Perhaps even more wild is that the Detroit Lions are favored to capture the crown.

Odds to win the NFC North for the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers according to DraftKings.

Odds to win the NFC North for the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, according to DraftKings. (Screenshot: DraftKings)

The Lions have never won the NFC North. Their last division crown came in 1993, but at the time it was the NFC Central Division.

The Vikings finished 13-4 last season, capturing the NFC North title. They return a large chunk of that roster, but Vegas believes the up-and-coming Lions are a better bet to win the division. In fact, Vegas thinks the Chicago Bears are just as likely as Minnesota to win the North.

This isn't a betting advice article, but I'm probably going to back the Vikings at that number. They shouldn't be three times less likely to win the division than the Lions.

Back to the Green Bay Packers, though. According to NBC Sports, Vegas hasn't selected the Packers as least likely to win the division since that 2005 season.

Even Packers quarterback Jordan Love admitted he doesn't know how this season is going to go for him, personally.

Perhaps he shouldn't look at the betting odds.

Because they don't portend great things for the team in their first year under Love as the primary signal-caller.