Mina Kimes: Jordan Love, Not Jared Goff, Is Best QB in NFC North

Mina Kimes was impressed with Packers quarterback in 2023.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) tackled by Detroit Lions John Cominsky / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions are likely going to face a significant challenge from the Green Bay Packers this year in order to repeat as NFC North division champions.

Appearing on "The Heavyweights" hosted by Spencer Raxter and Eazy, ESPN analyst Mina Kimes expressed quarterback Jordan Love "balled out" in the second half of the 2023 NFL season.

Despite Jared Goff leading the team to within one game of the Super Bowl and earning a long-term contract extension, the popular host/podcaster does not believe the 29-year-old is the best quarteback in the division.

"Come on guys, we watched on Thanksgiving. Let’s be real. You’ve gotta be honest. The Lions are a better team, I’m looking at my power rankings, I have them over the Packers. You can’t be just all sunshine and roses and pandering and it would be lying to pretend like Jordan Love didn’t ball out the second half of last season," said Kimes. "I know it was just a half a season, but that was a very young receiving group, which explains some of the adjustment period early on."

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Kimes acknowledges that the Packers have found their next franchise quarterback in Love and that the young signal-caller is the best quarterback in the division.

"He's, to me, right now the best quarterback in the division. I think he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC, the NFL and that sucks because like, (expletive), how’d they do it again," Kimes said. "That sucks, that’s gotta be so infuriating as an NFC North fan. But the good news for you is you have a ton of other pieces in place that are not only gonna be good this year, but are gonna be good for a long time. This team was built in the trenches, it was built extremely well and you have a head coach and GM that appear to be amongst the NFL’s best.”