If you simply pay attention to the standings, you may whistle past the NFC North and think that it's status quo. After all, the teams are in the same position coming out of Week 9 as they were coming into it, but don't be deceived. The division has been turned on its head thanks to the events of Sunday, and we're in for a wildly intriguing second half.

Why, you ask? Well, the Minnesota Vikings are now firmly in the mix. The club went into Ford Field and took down the Detroit Lions , 27-24. On top of simply notching a divisional win, the key development in this game and what makes the victory hold bigger ramifications for the second half was the return of J.J. McCarthy .

Coming into the game, I was skeptical about what McCarthy would look like. Before going down with a high ankle sp

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