Record-Setting Jordan Love Ruined Aaron Rodgers’ Night

On Sunday night, Jordan Love not only beat Aaron Rodgers but he tied Brett Favre.

That’s one hell of a night.

Love led the Green Bay Packers to a 35-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Green Bay trailed 16-7 at halftime but dominated the second half due in large part to the play of Love, who matched Favre’s franchise record with 20 consecutive completions in a virtuoso performance as his mentor, Rodgers, could only watch helplessly from the sideline.

“I’m just trying to play my game,” Love said. “Obviously, being behind A-Rod for three years, being able to see him and the high level play that he was capable of going out there and doing and being able to put the ball on the money at all times was very cool for me to be able to see.

“But for me it comes down to just trying to be the best quarterback I can be for the team, trusting those guys, putting it out there for them to go make plays and those guys doing a great job of making those plays. So, that’s kind of all it is.”

Love was 29-of-37 passing for 360 yards and three touchdowns, good for a 134.2 passer rating. It was a primetime picture of near perfection as he joined Rodgers and Drew Brees as the only quarterbacks with five consecutive Sunday night starts of 100-plus passer ratings and two-plus passing touchdowns.

“I thought J-Love played great,” Rodgers said. “He was super-efficient. He didn't get sacked and moved around really well, made some plays outside the pocket. Thought he played outstanding.”

Just call Love “Mr. Sunday Night.” Among quarterbacks who have thrown at least 75 passes on Sunday nights, his career passer rating is an all-time best 123.8. He’s up to 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Love has thrown 189 passes on Sunday nights without being picked off. No quarterback with 75-plus attempts on ‘SNF’ has zero interceptions.

“He was on fire,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “That’s why we kept wanting to throw the football.”

On fire, indeed. Trailing 16-7 at halftime, Love was 10-of-10 for 141 yards and one touchdown in the third quarter. Green Bay trailed 19-14 after three quarters, and Josh Jacobs scored a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to put the Packers in front 22-19.

After the defense forced a three-and-out, Love was 3-of-3 on the next drive, capped by a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft that extended the lead to 29-19.

After another three-and-out, Love completed his next three passes, highlighted by a 28-yard completion to Christian Watson, as Green Bay tacked on a field goal.

“Man, I was just playing,” Love said. “I think you get in that as a player, where you just start flowing and playing well. And everybody around me just was making plays, as well, and executing at a high level. Obviously, we knew what we needed to change at halftime, and I’m just glad we were able to go out there and do that and start making some big-time plays.”

Including the final drive, which was set up by Edgerrin Cooper’s forced fumble, the Packers turned a 16-7 halftime deficit into a 35-19 lead by scoring on five consecutive possessions.

“He’s showed he’s the successor,” defensive end Micah Parsons said. “He’s the up and coming. Like J-Love, talking about when I was coming here, I was like, ‘I know they’ve got a quarterback, I know I’ve got a quarterback.’

“I’m just so proud of him, everything he’s been through, how he’s developed as a player, how he’s developed as a person, and he’s just playing some really good football right now, and I’m glad I’m here to watch it. I’m glad I’m on this side. So, J-Love, keep going.”

Love not only beat Rodgers – they embraced at the end of the game and agreed to swap jerseys – he propelled the Packers to their first win in Pittsburgh since Bart Starr led Green Bay to victory in 1970.

Their last six trips to the Steel City ended in losses. In 1980, Lynn Dickey was the quarterback. In 1986, it was Randy Wright. In 1998, it was Brett Favre. In 2009, it was Rodgers. In 2017, it was Brett Hundley. In 2023, it was Love.

In that game two years ago, Love threw two interceptions and failed to rally the Packers from a halftime deficit. On Sunday night, Love had zero turnovers and had the best passer rating of his career.

“It’s great for Jordan,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “Jordan’s worked his ass off to get here. He was patient throughout the process, throughout the journey, and he took advantage of the opportunity, he really did. It’s been cool – and I’ve said this many times – just to watch how he’s matured as a young guy coming in here at 21 years old. He’s a grown-ass man now.

“I’m sure going into this game, I’m sure he put a lot on himself and I thought that he went out there and he’s just so consistent in who he is, through the good times and the bad times. There’s moments where you can sense the frustration from him but he keeps going. To be honest with you, I kind of like it when he gets a little pissed off because you don’t see it too often.”

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