The 2014 regular season is nearly at hand, and TSM Plug rolls on with our schedule breakdowns by division. Today we’ll tackle the 2014 NFC North schedule, a stacked division in terms of offensive talent that has drawn a middling schedule in terms of difficulty.

Let’s take a look at how the NFC North schedules break down:

Green Bay Packers:

The Pack is the overwhelming favorite to win the North thanks to the return of all world quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They have a bevy of talented offensive weapons at his disposal, and although their defense has some question marks, Green Bay is set to explode in 2014. According to ESPN, they have the league’s 13^th hardest schedule, and their toughest game will come this Thursday (September 4, 2014) when they take on the champion Seahawks in Seattle. Trips into Detroit and Chicago could be shootouts, but other than that, the Packers schedule isn’t all that menacing for a team as talented as they are.

Packers Regular-Season Schedule (all times Eastern)
Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 4, at Seattle, 8:30 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, NY Jets, 4:25 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21, at Detroit, 1 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28, at Chicago, 1 PM
Week 5: Thursday, Oct. 2, Minnesota, 8:25 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 12, at Miami, 1 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 19, Carolina, 1 PM
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26, at New Orleans, 8:30 PM
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 9, Chicago, 8:30 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16, Philadelphia, 1 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 23, at Minnesota, 1 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Nov. 30, New England, 4:25 PM
Week 14: Monday, Dec. 8, Atlanta, 8:30 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14, at Buffalo, 1 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 21, at Tampa Bay, 1 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 28, Detroit, 1 PM

Chicago Bears:

The Bears come into 2014 challenging the Packers as one of the bet offensive teams in the league. With a porous defense that allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL last year, they’ll need it, so quarterback Jay Cutler has to prove he can stay healthy long enough to lead Chicago into the playoffs. With genius head coach Marc Trestman now in his second year with the team and the Bears loaded with some of the best playmakers in the game, the Bears could challenge for the NFC North title. But they have the league’s 15^th hardest schedule, and trips into San Francisco, green Bay, Carolina, Atlanta, Detroit, and New England will be no walk in the park.

Bears Regular-Season Schedule
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 7, Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m.
Week 3: Monday, Sept. 22, at N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28, Green Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 5, at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 12, at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 19, Miami, 1 p.m.
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26, at New England, 1 p.m.
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 9, at Green Bay, 8:30 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16, Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 23, Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 13: Thursday, Nov. 27, at Detroit, 12:30 p.m.
Week 14: Thursday, Dec. 4, Dallas, 8:25 p.m.
Week 15: Monday, Dec. 15, New Orleans, 8:30 p.m.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 21, Detroit, 1 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 28, at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Detroit Lions:

The Lions washed their hands of underachieving head coach Jim Schwartz in the offseason, and now they’re ready to begin the Jim Caldwell era in the Motor City. They’re also set up with one of the most high-powered offenses in the league with quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson. They also have an underrated defense that could surprise a lot of folks this fall. Detroit has the 16^th hardest schedule in the NFL, and away games at Carolina, Atlanta, New England, Chicago, and Green Bay will all be tough, but Detroit can win a shootout. They could make waves if they can get out to a lead and finally hold onto it.

Lions Regular-Season Schedule
Week 1: Monday, Sept. 8, N.Y. Giants, 7:10 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21, Green Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28, at NY Jets, 1 p.m.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 5, Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 12, at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 19, New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26, at Atlanta, 9:30 a.m. (in London)
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 9, Miami, 1 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16, at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 23, at New England, 1 p.m.
Week 13: Thursday, Nov. 27, Chicago, 12:30 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 7, Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14, Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 21, at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 28, at Green Bay, 1 p.m.

Minnesota Vikings:

The Vikings are the stepchildren of the NFC north, their plight seemingly lost underneath a heap of explosive offensive talent. Despite their relatively low-key demeanor, the Vikings have some great weapons in running back Adrian Peterson, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, and even rising tight end Kyle Rudolph. Their defense was absolutely atrocious against the pass in 2013, and they’re simply in the wrong division for that. But if their defense can turn things around and quarterback Matt Cassel plays with some consistency, the Vikings could be the dark horse of the North for sure. Of all the teams in their division, the Vikings have the easiest schedule with the 21^st hardest in the league. Trips into St. Louis, New Orleans, Chicago, and Green Bay won’t be easy, but it could be a lot worse for the Vikes.

Vikings Regular-Season Schedule
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 7, at St. Louis, 1 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, New England, 1 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21, at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28, Atlanta, 4:25 p.m.
Week 5: Thursday, Oct. 2, at Green Bay, 8:25 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 12, Detroit, 1 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 19, at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 2, Washington, 1 p.m.
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16, at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 23, Green Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 13: Sunday, Nov. 30, Carolina, 1 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 7, NY Jets, 1 p.m.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14, at Detroit, 1 p.m.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 21, at Miami, 1 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 28, Chicago, 1 p.m.