ClutchPoints
The NFL MVP race doesn’t usually heat up until midseason. Jordan Love, though, may have just lit the first spark. After an up-and-down 2024 campaign marked by injuries and inconsistency, the Green Bay Packers quarterback opened the 2025 season with a statement performance against the defending NFC North champions. It wasn’t just a divisional win, too. It was the kind of efficient, composed showing that forces you to ask: is Love about to go from a question mark to a legitimate MVP frontrunner?
After finishing just 1-5 against the NFC North last season, Green Bay entered Sunday’s clash with Detroit determined to make a statement. The Packers did exactly that. They rolled to a 27-13 victory over the defending division champions. Love and the offense set the tone with an 83-yard opening touchdown drive that included two third-down conversions. Meanwhile, newcomer Micah Parsons wasted no time making his presence felt. He spearheaded a pass rush that sacked Lions QB Jared Goff four times.
From there, the Packers never let up. They held Detroit to just 246 total yards, with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery limited to only 46 yards combined on the ground. Love led five scoring drives. He spread the ball across his young receiving corps and showed poise in the red zone. With Jeff Hafley’s defense suffocating Detroit and Love directing a balanced attack, Green Bay looked every bit like a team ready to contend.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss if Jordan Love’s strong 2025 debut vs. Lions make him a 2025 NFL MVP frontrunner.
Love didn’t need to throw for 400 yards to turn heads. What he delivered instead was MVP-style efficiency He tallied 16 completions on 22 attempts, 188 yards, and two touchdowns for a sparkling 128.6 passer rating. He connected with Romeo Doubs on a 20-yard strike to open the game and later found tight end Tucker Kraft for a 15-yard score. Jayden Reed added the second touchdown grab, hauling in another well-placed throw.
Yes, Love cooled off a bit in the second half. He missed a couple of throws he would want back. That said, his first-half command was undeniable. He completed passes to 10 different receivers over four quarters, keeping Detroit’s defense guessing and preventing them from keying on any one target. The ability to orchestrate three straight scoring drives to start the game reflected a quarterback fully in control of his offense.
Love’s performance against Detroit didn’t happen in a vacuum. It was the product of years of development, doubt, and resilience. Recall that the Bakersfield, California native played at Utah State from 2016 to 2019. He threw for 8,600 yards and 60 touchdowns. Green Bay saw enough to trade up in the 2020 NFL Draft, selecting him 26th overall. As we all know, however, his rookie season was spent inactive. His second and third years saw only spot duty behind...
