The NFC North is ultra-competitive, which is something that Xavier McKinney acknowledged makes life difficult for the Packers.

The NFC North was called the best division in football, but they've been swept from the playoffs. Are the Bears closer to the top than they look?

Bob McGinn, the Pro Football Hall of Fame reporter who covered the Packers for four decades and now works for golongtd.com, talked with several NFL executives and assembled an All-NFC North team. Not surprisingly, the Packers had just one first-team selection on offense — left guard Elgton Jenkins.

With three playoff teams and a combined record of 40-11, most pundits hailed the NFC North as the best division ever. That narrative quickly faded as the Lions, Vikings, and Packers unceremoniously exited with zero wins in the playoffs.

If McKinney's words are true, then the banter is just another chapter in the Packers and Detroit Lions rivalry. Yet, when both teams face off next year, it is easy to assume tensions may flare up once again.