Any rational NFC North fan would look at Sunday's results and understand that the Green Bay Packers are now clear divisional favorites. Even if the franchise hadn't just added Micah Parsons, the Packers already had one of the NFL's most talented rosters. Blowing out the Detroit Lions in the season opener supported that fact; however, not everyone is on the same page, with obviously biased Minnesota Vikings legend and defensive end Jared Allen sharing some thoughts.
Allen recently appeared on the "Up & Adams" podcast with Kay Adams, setting the stage for Allen to make a truly irritating comment about who the favorites are in the NFC North.
"We have a ton of tape on Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers.. There's not a lot of tape on J.J. McCarthy right now," Allen said. "There's a lot of things that show what's been effective against the Packers in the past, and right now, I would say the book is still open on J.J. and how to really shut down that offense."
The former defender's point is a little lost, with the argument working against itself.
Packers Predictably Disrespected by Minnesota Vikings Legend Jared Allen
It isn't a big surprise that a former Viking is going to side with the clear underdog as we head deeper into the season. Allen's defense of his team is extremely misguided, though. Yes, there is more tape of Love than McCarthy, but that footage also reveals a blowout playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys two seasons ago and elite potential that has been consistently flashed.
Allen's point is that there is an advantage to the unknown and that McCarthy is going to surprise a lot of people. The one issue here is the fact that fans have seen extensive tape of McCarthy during his college career with Michigan, and unless the quarterback somehow grew more talented since his college days, there isn't any debate that Love is the superior option in nearly every way.
McCarthy is the definition of a system quarterback who requires incredibly strong coaching and is going to need the perfect mix of pieces around him. Michigan's National Championship run was defined by the quarterback handing the ball off and only throwing when the defense was completely focused on the run.
Allen's argument is, on its face, completely without basis. He would've had a more convincing point to make if he had chosen the Lions to win the NFC North, given their recent history, but instead he went with an unproven Vikings squad.
Opting to point out the Vikings as divisional favorites is not only biased but disrespectful to what went down in Week 1. The NFC North is the Packers' division to lose until someone proves otherwise, and anyone who watched last week knows it's obvious.