NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt grew up a die-hard Chicago Bears fan. On Wednesday he went on ESPN’s First Take and named the Detroit Lions the best team in the NFC North anyway.

Three weeks into the NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings sit alone in first at 3-0. The Detroit Lions and the Bears are both 2-1. The Green Bay Packers find themselves in last place at 1-2.

Kyle Brandt Picks the Lions Over His Own Bears

Brandt has been used to seeing the Packers haunt his Bears over the years in the NFC North. Chicago just won the division title last season, its first since 2018. Even with that, he thinks the Lions are the best team in the NFC North.

Brandt said, “I’m gonna go with Detroit right now.” It is a little surprising that he took this route. The Lions might have the best quarterback in the division this season in Jared Goff. Caleb Williams is still out with a Grade 2 hamstring strain that ESPN reported carries a three-to-four-week timeline, and it remains to be seen how he bounces back from it.

ESPN’s Numbers Have Detroit and Minnesota Even

During the segment, First Take put ESPN’s odds for each NFC North team to win the division on the bottom of the screen. The Lions and the Vikings both showed a 35% chance to win it. The Bears sat at 28% and the Packers at 2%.

It is not a surprise to see Green Bay at the bottom. It is a little surprising to see the Lions in a dead heat with the Vikings. ESPN’s Football Power Index has since nudged Detroit ahead, at 36.0% to Minnesota’s 34.4%, with Chicago at 27.2% and Green Bay at 5.5%. Either way, the offense will take Detroit as far as it can with a defense that is not so strong.