Comparing Jordan Love’s First 11 Games to Aaron Rodgers in 2008
DETROIT – By this stage of his first season as Brett Favre’s successor, Aaron Rodgers had already solidified his status as the Green Bay Packers’ next franchise quarterback by earning a lucrative second contract.
On Sunday, Jordan Love made his 11th start as Rodgers’ successor. The trend is becoming clear.
With another big-time performance, this time in leading the Packers to a 29-22 victory over the powerful Detroit Lions on Thursday, Love looks like he’s the team’s future at the most important position in sports.
Will he deliver 15 years of Hall of Fame-caliber play? Who knows, but he certainly looks like he’s good enough to give the Packers a chance to win just about any game.
On Thanksgiving, Lions fans packed Ford Field with the expectation that their perennially downtrodden team had finally turned the tables on their longtime tormentors.
It was loud when Love stepped behind center for the first snap of the game, which was a 53-yard bomb to Christian Watson. It was loud when Love took his first snap of the third quarter, after the Lions had just gotten back into the game with a touchdown.
Not once did Love look rattled. He was never overwhelmed. With each game, he has become more and more comfortable with what defensive coordinators are trying to do, with coach Matt LaFleur’s game plan and with whatever moment is in front of him.
Love was superb. He completed 22-of-32 passing for 268 yards and three touchdowns. While Jared Goff fumbled away the ball three times, Love never was close to turning over the ball. Just like so many other Packers-Lions games over the past three decades, the Packers won because they had the better quarterback.
“I think he’s done a tremendous job (but) he can’t do it alone,” LaFleur said.
He’s right, of course. He’s consistently said that, whether Rodgers was winning MVPs or losing playoff games. But the quarterback is the man who makes it go, whether it was the first-play bomb to Watson or the clinching touchdown to Watson on third-and-3 late in the third quarter.
“Being able to play on Thanksgiving is a special moment and, obviously, being able to get a win like that is special,” Love said.
The last four games, Love has completed 90-of-138 passes (65.2 percent) for 1,107 yards with eight touchdowns and only the two late interceptions against Pittsburgh. In Love’s debut win at Chicago, he averaged 9.07 yards per attempt. From Game 2 through Game 7, he averaged 6.00 yards per attempt. The last four games, he’s averaged 8.77, 7.23, 8.06 and 8.38.
“It definitely feels different,” Love said. “I think it’s just part of the process. We’re just taking it week by week, focusing on what we can do throughout the week to get better. Focusing on the areas that we can improve on. We’re going out there practicing really hard during the week. And then, obviously, you see the growth. It’s starting to show every week. It’s just a testament to everybody showing up working, staying committed to the process and keep stacking days.”
After a four-game losing streak, the Packers were 2-5. They’ve won three of their last four games to improve to 5-6, which puts them one game behind Minnesota for the final playoff spot in the NFC.
“I think he just continues to be exactly who he is,” Watson said. “You stack these weeks and put a lot of work into this. It’s a tough job that he’s got. He’s got a lot on his plate. Everyone wants to try to put the blame on the quarterback. He’s honestly the most confident guy I’ve played with just in terms of his ability to stay in it regardless of the circumstances. He’s doing his thing, and I’m proud of him.
The Packers are 5-6, just like they were in Rodgers’ debut season.
In the 11th game in 2008, the Packers were trounced by the Saints 51-29. It was only 24-21 at halftime, with Rodgers and the Saints’ Drew Brees going blow for blow, but the Saints scored three consecutive touchdowns to turn the game into a runaway.
Brees finished 20-of-27 passing for 323 yards and four touchdowns. Rodgers threw three second-half interceptions.
Through 11 games in their debut seasons, Rodgers and Love had each thrown for 2,599 yards.
Jordan Love is all smiles with Fox's Erin Andrews after beating Detroit.
Photo by Junfu Han/USA Today Sports Images
Jordan Love Through Game 11
Week 1, at Chicago (win): 15-of-27 passing, 245 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 123.2 rating.
Week 2, at Atlanta (loss): 14-of-25 passing, 151 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 113.5 rating.
Week 3, New Orleans (win): 22-of-44 passing, 259 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 66.4 rating.
Week 4, Detroit (loss): 23-of-36 passing, 246 yards, one touchdown vs. two interceptions, 69.9 rating.
Week 5, Las Vegas (loss): 16-of-30 passing, 182 yards, zero touchdowns vs. three interceptions, 32.2 rating.
Week 6, bye.
Week 7, Denver (loss): 21-of-31 passing, 180 yards, two touchdowns vs. one interception, 90.8 rating.
Week 8, Minnesota (loss): 24-of-41 passing, 229 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 72.1 rating.
Week 9, L.A. Rams (win): 20-of-26 passing, 228 yards, one touchdown vs. zero interceptions, 115.5 rating.
Week 10, Pittsburgh (loss): 21-of-40 passing, 289 yards, two touchdowns vs. two interceptions, 71.8 rating.
Week 11, L.A. Chargers (win): 27-of-40 passing, 322 yards, two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 108.5 rating.
Week 12, Detroit (win): 22-of-32 passing, 268 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 125.5 rating.
Total: 225-of-372 passing (60.5 percent), 2,599 yards, 19 touchdowns vs. 10 interceptions, 87.4 rating.
Aaron Rodgers Through Game 11
Week 1, Minnesota (win): 18-of-22 passing, 178 yards, one touchdown vs. zero interceptions, 115.5 rating.
Week 2, at Detroit (win): 24-of-38 passing, 328 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 117.0 rating.
Week 3, Dallas (loss): 22-of-39 passing, 290 yards, zero touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 80.1 rating.
Week 4, Tampa Bay (loss): 14-of-27 passing, 165 yards, two touchdowns vs. three interceptions, 55.9 rating.
Week 5, Atlanta (loss): 25-of-37 passing, 313 yards, three touchdowns vs. one interception, 109.4 rating.
Week 6, Seattle (win): 21-of-30 passing, 208 yards, two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 111.5 rating.
Week 7, Indianapolis (win): 21-of-28 passing, 186 yards, one touchdown vs. zero interceptions, 104.2 rating.
Week 8: Bye
Week 9, Tennessee (loss): 22-of-41 passing, 314 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 76.7 rating.
Week 10, Minnesota (loss): 15-of-26 passing for 142 yards, zero touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 72.9 rating.
Week 11, Chicago (win): 23-of-30 passing, 227 yards, two touchdowns vs. one interception, 105.8 rating.
Week 12, New Orleans (loss): 23-of-41 passing, 248 yards, two touchdowns vs. three interceptions, 59.8 rating.
Total: 228-of-359 passing (63.5 percent), 2,599 yards, 17 touchdowns vs. nine interceptions, 90.5 rating.
