2023 NFC North odds (Is Jordan Love Ready?)

Last year, the Minnesota Vikings ran away with the division title at 13-4 and were the only team from the NFC North to make the playoffs. We all remember how that went for Kirk Cousins against the Giants.

This year, the division is turned completely on its head because, after being dominated by Aaron Rodgers for so many years, excluding 2022, Rodgers is gone. With Rodgers out and Jordan Love in his place, the division is wide open and Jared Goff’s Detroit Lions are the favorites.

Detroit went 9-8 last year and kept the Packers out of the playoffs in the final week of the season, but can Dan Campbell’s team capitalize on the momentum and make a playoff run of their own? Let’s take a look at the odds to win the division and I’ll give you my pick.

2023 NFC North Odds

NFC North Best Bet

Last season the Minnesota Vikings were the fraud of all frauds. They lied their way into the playoffs like Sam Bankman-Fried into Tom Brady’s wallet. They were found guilty of their crime in the playoffs when Kirk Cousins checked it down to TJ Hockenson on fourth down to get eliminated. They won 13 games, but 11 of them were by one score and they had a point differential of -3. 

That eliminates the Vikings from contention in my mind and Detroit is probably the team that should be favored, they seem to be the next in line with Green Bay falling off. The only problem is that Green Bay isn’t on some kind of descent in the abyss, Aaron Rodgers was dragging them down with his injured thumb last year. The roster in Green Bay is very good and it all hinges on Jordan Love being better or as good as Jared Goff which doesn’t seem like a very high bar to clear.

The Packers rebuilt their roster around Rodgers and he didn’t like that so he bolted, but it’s a perfect situation for Jordan Love. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are two ascending receivers that looked so much better in the second half of last year than they did in the first. Now, they can fully lean into Matt LaFleur’s system and rely on Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon to lead the offense. That’s not a bad recipe at all. 

On defense, there are questions about Joe Barry because of his lack of interest in allocating resources to stop the run and how much his defense has underachieved with the immense talent on that side of the ball. Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker both struggled last year, but they still have Kenny Clark, Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, and brought in Lukas Van Ness with their first-round pick. They can create a lot of pressure with that group and if Wyatt and Walker figure it out then this could be a top 5 defense in the NFL easily.

I’m not going to say I believe in Jordan Love, but I’m also not ready to say I don’t. He’s an unknown commodity, but Green Bay has a little bit of a history developing quarterbacks. I'm not saying he'll be Favre or Rodgers, but can he be better or even just as good as Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields and Jared Goff? I think so. At +425 odds I’m willing to give this team the benefit of the doubt in that regard and trust the talent that is seemingly everywhere on this roster. 

Follow all Josh Yourish’s bets HERE

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change