Comparing Jordan Love’s First Seven Games to Aaron Rodgers in 2008
GREEN BAY, Wis. – In 2008, Aaron Rodgers got the first marquee matchup of his career when the Green Bay Packers hosted the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts.
Rodgers wasn’t great – he threw for 186 yards and one touchdown in his seventh start of his debut season – but it was enough because he got a lot of help from his friends. Nick Collins returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown, Aaron Rouse added a 99-yard pick-six and Ryan Grant rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Jordan Love struggled through the seventh start of his debut season. Moreover, Love didn’t get much help from his friends as the Packers lost 24-10 to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Love was a woeful 24-of-41 passing for 229 yards, with one touchdown, one interception and a 72.1 passer rating. But there were no interceptions against Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins, let alone two pick-sixes, though linebacker Quay Walker dropped an interception on the second play of the game. Love had almost half of the team’s 74 rushing yards.
“I say this every week in terms of there’s going to be a couple plays that you want back. But also we’ve got to make some plays for him, too,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think we had like six dropped balls. That’s going to be tough to overcome.
“We’ve got to catch it. We’ve got to throw better, we’ve got to catch it better, we’ve got to block better. We’ve got to stop having penalties that knock us back and put us in these obvious pass situations. We’ve got to find a way to convert a third down early in the game so you can run your offense.”
Love has led the Packers to nine points in the first half of the last five games. After throwing six touchdowns vs. zero interceptions in his first two games, Love has five touchdowns vs. eight interceptions the last five games.
Through seven starts, Rodgers topped a 100 passer rating in five. That’s why he was rewarded with a contract extension in the bye week that followed the victory over the Colts. In his seven starts, Love started with ratings of 123.2 and 113.5 but hasn’t gotten close to 100 since.
Love entered Week 8 ranked at or near the bottom of the NFL in completion percentage, interceptions and passer rating. He’ll stay well down the pecking order after Sunday’s performance.
“I think, obviously, not good enough,” Love said of his first seven starts. “It’s been pretty average to start. We got highs and lows. Myself, it’s too bumpy right now. I need to find consistency in my play where I’m able to make every play, go to the right place with the ball on every play. It’s got to be more consistent from me and I think that’s where I’m lacking right now.”
In 2008, the Packers fell short of 20 points four times. The 2023 Packers have fallen short of 20 points in five consecutive games – a dubious feat never accomplished during the Rodgers era.
Of course, Rodgers had the luxury of throwing passes to Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, a pair of proven commodities. Love is growing alongside the youngest receivers and tight ends in the NFL.
Love needs to play better. So do they.
“There’s opportunities,” Love said. “Had a couple drops, a missed throw. The run game, we had a fourth-and-inches, third-and-1, and it’s those little plays that we’re not making, we’re not capitalizing on. And I mean, it’s obvious. It’s not like, ‘What are doing wrong?’ It’s obvious on the film.
“We’re just not executing, not capitalizing on these opportunities that we have, and I think that’s the biggest thing as an offense. We’ve got to find ways to stay on the field, move those chains, make those big plays and help our defense out, keep them off the field. And we’re not doing a good job of that right now.”
It was another day at the office for Jordan Love and the Packers vs. the Vikings.
Photo by Wm. Glasheen/USA Today Sports Images
Jordan Love Through Game 7
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.
Total: 135-of-234 passing (57.7 percent), 1,492 yards, 11 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions, 78.1 rating.
Aaron Rodgers Through Game 7
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.
Total: 145-of-221 passing (65.6 percent), 1,668 yards, 12 touchdowns vs. four interceptions, 98.8 rating.
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