All-NFC North Team: Goff or Love at Quarterback?

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love finished behind the Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff in voting for SI.com’s All-NFC North Team.

In voting conducted by Bill Huber from Packers on SI, John Maakaron from Lions on SI, Gene Chamberlain from Bears on SI and Joe Nelson from Vikings on SI, Goff received three first-place votes and one second-place vote. Love received the other first-place vote and three second-place votes. Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft by the Chicago Bears, swept the third-place votes.

My first-team vote went to Goff instead of Love.

Why?

To be sure, if I were starting a franchise, I’d take Love. But my ranking is based on the upcoming season. Goff is a three-time Pro Bowler and probably should have been last year, too, when he threw for 4,575 yards and 30 touchdowns. Love’s track record consists of one outstanding stretch of games that lifted the Packers to an unlikely playoff appearance.

In other words, I went with the quarterback who’s delivered high-level play for several seasons instead of several games.

With that as a backdrop, here are the breakdowns from our team publishers.

First team: Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff

The emergence of Goff has been a welcome surprise for Lions fans. After beginning his tenure believed to be a bridge to the future, the veteran has revitalized his career and taken the reins of the franchise. He was rewarded for leading the team to the NFC Championship game with a hefty contract extension.

Still just 29 years old, Goff is piloting the team through its Super Bowl window. The pressure will be on to win right away, but the passer has proven he can do what it takes to do so. Detroit has built a strong offense around him, so he has the necessary weapons to succeed.

Goff has played at a high level over the past two seasons and was in the top five in the league in passing yards and touchdowns last season. His timing on passes and ball security have been greatly improved since his first season in Detroit, which allows the Lions to thrive.

The Lions have their core foundation in place heading into a pivotal 2024 season. GM Brad Holmes has not been shy about his confidence in Goff since acquiring him in 2021, and that confidence has since been rewarded.

Second team: Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love

Jordan Love’s greatness has been etched into stone. After all, he’s going to sign a contract extension that might make him the highest-paid player (by annual salary) in NFL history. He’s one of the MVP favorites. So, once again, the Packers have a great quarterback piloting the franchise.

That’s the consensus, anyway. The reality is Love has a lot to prove this season, just like he did last season.

Love’s greatness is based on one-half season. During the first half of his debut season as the starter, Love ranked last in the NFL in interceptions and near the bottom in completion percentage and passer rating. In leading the Packers to a 6-2 finish to the regular season and a berth in the playoffs, he ranked first in interceptions, second in touchdowns, second in passer rating and third in completion percentage down the stretch.

Now, he’s got to do it September through January (or perhaps February).

There’s no reason why he shouldn’t. He’s poised and mature. His arm is strong and accurate. He’s intelligent and athletic. Love took his lumps last season and was stronger for it. Moreover, he’s got one of the best skill-position groups in the NFL, even if no one outside of Wisconsin has heard of the likes of Jayden Reed or Luke Musgrave.

If Love is who everyone thinks he is, the Packers are set to embark on another decade-plus of being Super Bowl contenders.

Third team: Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams

So much has been set up with this offense for Williams to succeed immediately, but offseason hype has been so high that it almost seems impossible for him to live up to expectations – that is, until he actually throws a ball or runs a play.

Then it’s apparent why they placed the future of the franchise on Williams’ shoulders.

Throughout the offseason, the first pick of the draft has battled daily through learning the offense right down to the cadences used to all nuances of facing a top NFL defense in practices. By the end of minicamp, Williams looked far more decisive and NFL-ready than at the outset.

He dropped in throws to open spots within zone defenses for receivers to track down or rifled spirals into tight windows. He even threw off the defense with his eye fakes alone during early practices, something that infuriated veteran linebackers. His short throws were far more accurate than those Bears receivers had become used to seeing.

Williams’ knack for off-platform throws on extended plays occurred more frequently, as well, and coaches quickly prepared to weaponize this by integrating it into their scrimmages. Next to come, doing all of this against live fire in padded practices.

For once, the Bears appear to have the passer they thought in a draft. It all comes down now to how well they protect him and whether the defense keeps him close in games. All signs are he has plenty of weapons for a rookie season more approximating that of former No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow than last year’s No. 1, Bryce Young.

Fourth Team: Vikings QB Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy

It’s been reported that McCarthy could start Week 1 against the Giants if he meets specific benchmarks. The problem is nobody outside of TCO Performance Center in Eagan knows what those benchmarks are, and coach Kevin O’Connell is on record saying Darnold is QB1 entering training camp. 

If McCarthy does become the starter at some point this season, he’ll be in rare air – just like Caleb Wiliams in Chicago – getting to start as a rookie first-round pick who is actually surrounded by marquee talent.

First-round quarterbacks thrown into the fire as a rookie usually have experiences closer to what Darnold had in New York in 2018, when he looked up in the huddle and saw Robbie Chosen and Quincy Enunwa as the Jets’ primary receivers. In Minnesota, whether it’s Darnold or McCarthy, the starting quarterback will walk into the huddle with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones as his skill-position playmakers and Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill manning the tackle positions.

That idea that Minnesota’s supporting cast might be too good for Darnold or McCarthy to fail is supported by the fact that O’Connell was slick enough to call an offense that made Josh Dobbs look good for a hot second and helped Nick Mullens throw for more than 800 yards in two starts against the Lions late last season. 

There are a lot of unanswered questions, but the Vikings are built to help the quarterback find success. 

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