On ESPN's Get Up! with Mike Greenberg, Sal Paolantonio and Marcus Spears, they discussed the idea of whether or not saying "Jordan Love can take the Packers to the playoffs" is an overreaction.
The crew loves what they see in the Packers' signal caller. They weren't opposed to the idea of the Packers making the playoffs with Love. Though, when it came to a group vote, Paolantonio spearheaded his reasoning for selecting the Chicago Bears to win the NFC North.
"I am going with the Chicago Bears because I like what their new general manager has done in terms of the front seven," Paolantonio said. "I like the way Justin Fields has developed into a dual-threat quarterback who can win from the pocket... I think he is in the MVP conversation."
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Paolantonio's argument was so convincing, in fact, Greenberg changed his answer from the Detroit Lions to the Bears. Greenberg's jump isn't a huge surprise, however. He's shown his fair share of praise for Fields this offseason.
The Bears made plenty of roster moves this offseason to persuade outsiders they're due for an upward trajectory this season. The marquee additions of DJ Moore, Nate Davis, Roschon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, etc., have given reason to believe they can compete in the division this season.
As mentioned on the show, the Vikings are expected to take a step back from the 13-4 season they finished last season. The Vikings won an absurd number of one-score games (11) before losing in the first round of the NFC playoffs. They lost Dalvin Cook this season, too.
Bears News
The Lions are the easy favorite pick. After starting their season 1-6 last season, they catapulted back into the division rankings, earning a 9-8 record and barely missing out on a playoff spot by the season's end. They, like the Bears, made impressive offseason additions, leading most to circle them as the division winners.
But, to some, the Bears have done enough this offseason with their roster and the development of Fields to give them a solid chance at winning the NFC North.
"For Jordan Love, it's going to be difficult a transition. But I think the Bears have a good foundation in place," Paolantonio said.