Packers’ Jordan Love Answered ‘Wake-Up Call’ in Critical Facet of QB Play

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For years, former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers used to relish the twice-a-year matchups against Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher knew what Rodgers was thinking. Rodgers knew what Urlacher was thinking. Moreover, Rodgers knew that Urlacher knew what Rodgers was thinking, and Urlacher knew that Rodgers knew what Urlacher was thinking.

As a rookie first-round pick in 2020, Jordan Love had limited answers against the type of blitzes that Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will send at him during their Sunday showdown at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Adjusting the protections? Through years and years of experience, Rodgers was a maestro. With no experience at all, Love was mostly clueless.

“I think that area is definitely where I’ve grown the most since I got here,” Love said after Wednesday’s practice, “is understanding protections, how to protect myself, how to make certain calls and be able to pick up stuff, knowing when I’m hot and how to get the ball out of my hands. I’m always trying to avoid the negative plays, which is sacks (or) not seeing a blitz and getting hit in the back, so things like that.

“Since I got here, that’s where I’ve put the most time in, I feel like, just trying to understand this stuff. It’s something that when I got here, I didn’t do a whole lot of that in college, so definitely an area of my game that’s improved.”

When he said he didn’t do a whole lot of that in college, what he really meant is he didn’t do it at all.

“None. Zero,” Love told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer last month. “The crazy part, in college, we’d just throw hot. Like, there were no protection adjustments. If someone blitzes, you go to a little peek slant; you throw that. So, when I got to the NFL, that was a whole new world, understanding protections, making calls, making protection adjustments. That was all new for me. And I don’t know if you want me to keep going; I could talk all day about this stuff.”

Love’s inexperience was apparent when he made his first NFL start at Kansas City in 2021. With the Chiefs blitzing him relentlessly, the Packers lost 13-7. He was 19-of-34 passing for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

“That was kind of a wake-up call,” Love told Fox Sports’ Henry McKenna.

He added: “I’m glad it happened.”

As he’s progressed in his career, Love has gone from zero to hero – as in zero experience adjusting at the line to a hero in beating it. Coach Matt LaFleur recently said Love is the best quarterback he’s been around in terms of setting protections, which is high praise considering Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins have been some of his quarterbacks.

Among 35 quarterbacks who started at least eight games last season, Love ranked eighth with a 105.5 passer rating against the blitz and ninth with 7.80 yards per attempt, according to Sumer Sports. He was first in expected points per play while throwing 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.

“Like you said, in college, we didn’t do really any protection adjustments as a quarterback,” Love said on Wednesday. “I knew that coming in. A lot of my draft prep was understanding protections and trying to break some stuff down, learn the stuff and be able to get on the boards and talk to coaches.

“And then, obviously, you get here and learning is, it’s a lot. It’s a lot to take in and be able to go digest and go out there on the field and try to emulate the things you see on film and stuff like that. It’s a lot. It takes time. For me, it took a couple of years to fully grasp some of the protection adjustments and some of the looks. It’s just a learning game.”

Through years of work, generally, and a couple weeks of film study, in particular, Love will be as ready as possible for Sunday’s game. Last season, the Vikings blitzed on 47.7 percent of opponent dropbacks. For context, the Falcons were a distant second at 34.5 percent.

So, Flores is going to attack, whether it’s first-and-10 in the first quarter or third-and-long in the fourth quarter.

During last year’s game against the Vikings at Lambeau Field, Love dropped back to pass 24 times. He was blitzed on 20, with Love going 11-of-18 for 109 yards in the victory.

“I think year after year, obviously, you see more looks from defenses and as we go back, watch the film, break stuff down, you figure out the answers, and it starts clicking when you’re at the line of scrimmage,” Love said.

“Obviously, you get up there, you’re up against the clock, stuff happens so fast, so you have to make some really quick decisions. I think it’s just reps – reps after reps – and understanding what I need to do.”

Through work and experience comes confidence. It’s probably fair to say that Flores has won games before the game has even begun because he’s in the quarterback’s head. Love, as he enters his seventh season in the NFL and is about to make his 49th regular-season start, is eager for the challenge and the cat-and-mouse game of adjusting to what he’s seeing.

“Yeah, it definitely is a challenge, like you said, but I like it,” Love said. “It’s definitely rewarding when you make the right call and it’s picked up perfectly and you’re able to put up an explosive play against a defense. That part is definitely fulfilling.”

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