NFC North coaching tiers: Dan Campbell leads a group filled with uncertainty

While much of the country spent the summer debating whether "Oppenheimer" or "Barbie" was the blockbuster of the year, Yardbarker NFL writers reviewed the work of the league's 32 head coaches and assigned each of these leading men to a tier. 

In sticking with the spirit of cinema, we named the tiers after either a movie title, genre or actor to help rationalize if each coach is producing an Academy Award- or a Razzie-level performance. Here's how the NFC North stacked up:

3: DWAYNE JOHNSON TIER | 'Rock' solid

DAN CAMPBELL | DETROIT LIONS (Regular season: 17-28-1/Playoffs: 0-0): Over two seasons with the Lions, Campbell has transformed the perception of the much-maligned franchise. However, he really only has an 8-2 finish during the second half of 2022 to point to as a positive on his short head-coaching résumé. Campbell won only four of his first 23 games, but if he can lead Detroit to a repeat of last year (9-8) or better, he'll become only the fourth Lions head coach since 1973 to post back-to-back winning seasons. Lions fans would party like the frat boys on "Animal House."

MATT LaFLEUR | GREEN BAY PACKERS (Regular season: 47-19/Playoffs: 2-3): LaFleur's fifth season as head coach of the Packers might be his most challenging. Despite owning three 13-win seasons and two playoff victories, he enters 2023 in limbo, paired with a side of something to prove. For LaFleur, whether good or bad, there's no more Aaron Rodgers to rely on. Can he mold Jordan Love into a great replacement? He'll rise on these tiers if this "Love Story" is a smash. 

5: NETFLIX ORIGINALS TIER | Too new for critical review

MATT EBERFLUS | CHICAGO BEARS (Regular season: 3-14/Playoffs: 0-0): Eberflus had little to work with on a still re-tooling Bears team. However, with Justin Fields entering his second year at quarterback and many offseason additions on both sides of the ball, the Bears seem ready to take a giant leap forward. Unfortunately for Eberflus, you are what your record says you are. Last season, despite winning two of three to start the season, the Bears won only once the rest of the way. Still, on "Any Given Sunday" ... — Mike Santa Barbara

KEVIN O'CONNELL | MINNESOTA VIKINGS (Regular season: 13-4/Playoffs: 0-1): O'Connell was impressive in his first season as head coach, leading the Vikings to a 13-4 finish and an NFC North title. The Vikings won nine games by seven points or less in 2022, so this felt more "Smoke And Mirrors" than anything else. In 2023, the competition in the division has improved, with the Detroit Lions seemingly on the cusp of big things and the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers gaining ground.