Up Next in the North - Week 9 Edition

Welcome to Up Next in the North – your weekly briefing on the ever-shifting blueprint of the Black-and-Blue Division. Today we log the latest waiver wire wrinkles, run the diagnostic on the week’s injury reports and map out exactly how the next slate of games will be won or lost.

The Cheeseheads (5-3)

Up Next: On the road at the 5-3 Patriots.

When: Sunday, 4:25 on Fox

Spread: Patriots (-3)

Green Bay is heading to Foxborough with a little extra rest, having disposed of the Panthers last week on Thursday. This game features a pair of teams that are identical, not just in their 5-3 records, but in style. Both teams have quarterbacks running for their lives behind turnstile offensive lines, and both rely on the defenses doing the heavy lifting. The Green Bay run game is non-existent and the line has holes everywhere. The Packer offense is basically Jordan Love taking a few quick shuffles, counting to 2, and throwing the ball as far as he can – hoping Christian Watson or Matthew Golden can get free and run underneath the rainbow before it comes down. The running game is a picture perfect example of karma in the real world as the fact they even keep Josh Jacobs is disgusting. Jacobs had 39 yards on 21 carries last week. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots’ offense is quite similar with Drake Maye playing the part of “Quarterback running for his life before throwing the ball.” The only difference is New England’s running back, Rhamondre Stevenson spent his offseason mentoring youth rather than catching domestic violence charges.

Injuries on the Packer Defense:

• CB Kaisean Nixon – QUESTIONABLE – Has a shoulder injury but is likely to play through it

• L Zaire Franklin – QUESTIONABLE – His shin injury kept him inactive last week. There seems to be a better than 50/50 chance he’ll be wearing street clothes again this week

• DE/Edge Micah Parsons – Is probably another week or two from returning

• DL Devonte Wyatt, DT Anthony Campbell, LB Brenton Cox – QUESTIONABLE – This same trio was banged up heading into Carolina. They all played last week, but all three apparently paid for it. Especially Wyatt’s ankle. The other two seem to be leaning towards playing at this time, but Wyatt seems to be more limited.

Injuries on the Packer Offense:

• OC Sean Rhyan – QUESTIONABLE – He looks like the injury suffered against Detroit will keep him out for another week.

• OG Travis Glover – QUESTIONABLE. Reported severe knee pain after the Detroit game and was inactive last week against the Panthers. He is expected to be available this week.

• OG/OC Jacob Monk – OUT. He is on IR and out for a minimum of two more weeks after this.

• OT Zach Bako-Bewele – OUT. He suffered a full patellar tendon tear against the Panthers and was placed on IR

• TE Thomas Yassmin – OUT. Undisclosed injury, but was played on IR this week

Other Personnel Movement:

• OL – John Williams has taken over as the team’s starting OC. He had a PFF grade of 41.2 while playing all the snaps against Carolina

• DL – DJ Johnson signed to the PS. He was a 3rd round pick of Carolina in 2023 and played 13 games as a rookie, making 4 tackles. He didn’t play much the next two years before being waived. He spent last season on the Commanders PS.

• QB Cam Miller signed to the PS. He holds tons of NDSU records – Total offensive yards, passing yards, completion percentage. This year he was previously on the PS’s of both Miami and the Raiders.

• S – John Saunders Jr signed to the PS. His name is “John Saunders, Jr” but he is not related to the ESPN broadcaster that passed away 10 years ago. He’s a first year safety on this 5th team this year….in Week 8.

• S Kahlef Hailassie – RELEASED from the PS to make room for the above players.

• DaBears (6-2)

DaBears (6-2)

Up Next: At home vs the 3-5 Buccaneers

When: Sunday 8:20 on NBC

Spread: DaBears (-6)

The biggest story out of the MNF game was how Chicago was able to reincarnate former Bear, Judge Alan Page, to plug the middle of their defensive line. It wasn’t really the Hall of Famer, it was Jeffery Simmons, who came over in a trade from the Titans prior to the last game. If you listened to Troy Aikman, you would have thought it was Alan Page. Simmons did have a huge game, racking up one of the three Bear’s sacks as well as another hit and a PFF grade of 82.3. That combined with the offense relying on the run (Former Lion D’Andre Swift had 3 TD’s on the ground) was enough to give the Bears a 34-17 win against the Seahawks in Lumen Field. Caleb Williams had another really good game, finishing with a 101.0 passer rating. Another former Lion, Kaliff Raymond had an explosive play, taking a lateral 39 yards on a big 3rd down. This week they’ll take on the Bucs. Tampa Bay is coming off a game of “Turn Back the Clock” where they beat Atlanta 16-0 without the benefit of a completed pass. Running for 320 against Atlanta in a monsoon was cute, but you have to imagine Baker Mayfield will come out with a gameplan much more like we’re accustomed to in the 21st century. I don’t foresee them again using a system that resembled the 1920’s era of the Single-Wing formation where guys smoked cigarettes at halftime and wore leather helmets without facemasks. On the bright side, there probably wasn’t much useful game tape from the Bucs/Falcons for the Bears to review.

Injuries on the Bears Defense:

• DT Kentavius Street – Placed on IR with a knee injury suffered against Seattle. He is likely out for the season.

• DT Grady Jarrett QUESTIONABLE – Suffered a groin injury on Monday against the Seahawks. That’s two interior guys, the Bears’ newest toy Simmons may face a few extra blockers on each play.

• DL Dayo Odeyinbo – OUT. He was officially placed on IR following a quadriceps injury suffered a few weeks ago. He is still out for a minimum of two more games.

Injuries to the Bears Offense:

• OT Braxton Jones – The former all-rookie first teamer underwent surgery on his right knee and it out for the season. Unfortunately for him, he is on a one year deal. He’s been rehabbing a torn patellar tendon

• OT Theo Benedet – Replaced Braxton Jones at LT and is managing a shoulder injury sustained in Monday’s win over Seattle.

Other Personnel Moves:

• RB Kyle Monangai – It is looking like he’ll return to the active roster this weekend against the Bucs

• S Coby Bryant – Is expecting to start running soon and hoping to be back for a (throw up in my mouth) “playoff run”

• TE Stephen Carlson – Signed from PS to 53 man active roster to back up Loveland and play the blocking role with Cole Kmet out.

• DL Earnest Brown – Signed to PS to replace Carlson.

Skol (6-1)

Up Next: Bye Week

When: Off Until November 9

Spread: Bye (-3.5)

The Vikings have the week off to contemplate how they’re wasting this tremendous defense with an offense this poor. They even have an extra day off, as they don’t play until Monday night next week. There were a few sideline shots of Justin Jefferson in Detroit last game and although I’m not a lip reader, I’m pretty sure he said “Can’t anyone here throw the damn ball?” Carson Wentz? Max Bromer? How much worse would the offense look?

Injuries to the Vikings Offense*:

• QB Kyler Murray did experience some tightness in his hamstrings against Detroit. With 2+ weeks off, he should be fine.

• OT Christian Darrisaw had some shoulder soreness against Detroit but nothing series.

Injuries to the Vikings Defense*:

• S Theo Jackson had a quad contusion and left the Detroit game early. We will monitor him next week to see if he is back at full strength

Other Personnel Moves

• Nothing Yet

*These injury reports are just notes of guys that got hurt against Detroit. The official injury reports won’t come out until next week as they prepare to host the Bills.

This article was created with an assist from AI for information gathering purposes